The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-07-07

lie took her hand again, bat the ,oae
brought no ansvering thrill.
e Nus, have been my Imagination; or
= chill, commented Tom.
Alone 10 her room, Mise Marshall laugh
0 I'd softly TO herself.
!, Inaglnationl Or chill What dear
. funny, stupid thirg man 10
Sunday evening, Tom Invariably spen
with Belle. when he called on the frs
evening Of the following week he WAS a.
, toplssed TO had that abe had gone Il
church With the Yale man. Mrs. Earshal
explained 10 him that II was the youni
mans farewell visit, his mother was III ans
he had been summoned home.
Must be very III, Tom said ironically un
der his breath, AZ he went back TO his cheer
lcss room.
There was queer tightnen somewhere
In bis chest W hich he had never felt before,
and the Yale man seemed to have some.
hing to do with II. He slept fully and
dreamed of Belle in little house, with an
open Are in the p.rlor, where he would be
a welcome guest and the alumni Of other
colleges would b, denied sdmIttauce. He
wts tempted to remonstrate with her, but
had no reasoaab'e ground for doing go.
They would be married shortly ard the
matter would end,
The next time he went to zee her the Pc
culiar Ii2h.ness appeared In bis chest agaIp,
ard he could hardly answer her cheerful
greeting, He noted that she had acquired
a Yale pln, which diunted Its ugly blue on
her breast. He trembled violently ~ he
sat down, and drops Of perspirstion stood
GU. on his brow. She was alarmed, and
brought him ZONE water. As she stood
over him the womanly concern on her face
touched hia not little, aud be threw his
arms around her and drew her down to him.
Kiss me once, Belle he pleaded hosrse
".
With = violent ,fYort she freed herself.
It's not hygienic, she explained, ard
frequently causes disease.
Tom stared at her n opened mouthed
wonder and soon after took his departure.
0lce Ia bis room he sat down to care
ful analysis Of him,elf. He had been work.
Ing too hard and was temporarily unbalanc-
ed, She was quite right In saying that It
caused diseas,. Such a thing must not
happen. His reason had been impaired BY
lorg hours in the otlice otherwise he never
would have thought Of doing tueh foolish
unreasonable thisg.
In the morning he received = note from
her. She had been summoned to the bed
side Of sick slater and would be away
from home Us long ~ she WAS needed.
The ne 1t m ,nlh was long one for Tom.
He was surprised to Id how much Of his
life could be filled BY woman.
After they were married there would be
no such separations. He wrote regularly
and received 10 return such brief notes ~
her duties permitted her to write. Then,
for week none came, and he went to her
home to see what news of her had been re-
ceived there.
The servant admitted him half smiling,
and in white house 70 IN, by the open fire
he saw Belle,
She had never seemed half 90 sweet and
womanly, and with cry he could not re-
press he caught her In bis arms. She
but In vain, and at last gave her
lips willingly to his. Ia that minute Tom
learned more than all his college course
bad taught him. Utterly unconscious Of
hi, own temerity, he kissed her again and
again. The little white figure was silent
10 his arms, and bending low he whispered
/ word which no reasonable man would
eyer be caught using.
Her face shining with teara, Belle looked
up.
Tom, abe said, do you love me?
Love you? he said slowly. Why, /
,uess-I must. i
She laughed happily and he drew her
,lofer.
Dear little girl, he said tenderly, do you
owe met
The answer came muillsd from his shoul- T
Ter. I
All the time, Tom.
All the time! You darling. What an \
nfernal brute have been. II
He evidently intended to kiss her again,
or be tried to lift her chin from his shoul- G
Ter. Providence has taught women great b
eal about su.h things. Her eyes nishtd
With mischief as she struggled to release a
lerself. !,
You must let me 60, Tom. Thls isn't
easoDable at ali! q
But his training With the Harvard crew II
'ad given him strength which kept her n
here. .
he repeated. Reasonable be
snged. ID