Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1904-04-27
Their interrupted
Love Story
By KEITH GORDON
Copyright, 1908, by 7. C. Mcclure

At the tender age of eleven years she
used to station herself behind the stone
fence that divided their grounds from
the road to see the boy pass by. Reg
ularly at s o'clock five days in the week
she was at her post, peeping over the
fence very cautiously lest the boy him
self should discover her.
There was something about this par
tcular boy that she liked. His eyes
were as blue as those of Gladys Ara
bella, her favorite blond doll That in
itself was enough to draw her stormy
gaze like a magnet. But there were
other things beside. There was the
easy way that he sat on his pony, there
was the way he pulled his cloth cap
rakishly to one side, there was-well, |
there was a daring, dashing, fascinat-
ing something about him even at four
teen that proclaimed him one of the |
conQuerors.
For weeks she had paid him the ST.
lent homage of that trip to the fence |
each morning. Then one day, waxing |
careless from long security, her black |
head and big dark eyes appeared just |
above it. He slackened his pony and
stared at her with open curiosity.
Hello, there! What you staring at,
sissy" he called out with boyish rough
ness. The head disappeared.
He waited a moment, but as she fail
ed to reappear he dashed off down the
road laughing.
After that it was his delight to catch
her watching him. He would turn at
the most unexpected moments to see
If he could surprise her. But when,
once in awhile, he succeeded in getting
glimpse of the gypsylike head and
the fiery dark eyes his brusque Hi
there, sissy! See anything green?" al
ways had the same effect. She dropped
out of sight.
1t was a private school for boys kept
by an old friend of the family. So her
parents sought a place for her there
when it was necessary for them to sail
without their small daughter.
For her the excitement of being
placed in the school where the boy
went each day was delicious. Thee
hd0 hAOW II CclNh ONAACA AOA u CelA b4Ael
is, she had watched him and he had
known that she was there.
my eye! It's the girl who's always
peeking over the fence" he remarked
to his chum at his first glimpse of the
new pupil. Isn't she a regular In
dian, thought and he gazed curiOusly
at the straight, shining black hair and
the black eyes. He did not mention to
his chum that he liked shiny black
hair and eyes like big, dark stars.
After awhile he looked toward her
and smiled, a foolish friendly smile.
Instead of meeting this overture with
the ladylike graciousness that her
training had taught, she made up a
face at him. Guess he wouldn't think
now that she liked him-that horrid
boy!
For some time after this he ignored
her, but at last he impulsively prof
fered her a stick Of hOarhound when
they met in the corridor one day.
With a stamp of her foot she threw
it to the ground. "If your mother
makes you eat hoarhound. eat 1t your
self I'm not going to eat it!' she
flashed out with spirit. Then. in {
tumult of happiness, she fled, leaving
the astonished boy gazing after hel
with an open mouth.
"Spitfre- was his greeting wheI
next they met.
Thus the ice was broken. Morning
after morning now he came to schOO
with some Offering for the girl. Offer
g hor F-oNr
the gardener. 1.-The prettiest ones yO'
have" he would command important
ly, never guessing that their fresl
beauty was instantly quenched In tn
darkness of the girls small trunk
Each time that she lifted the lid to pu
in fresh bunch the exquisite seen
of the withered ones fiOated out int
the room. Years afterward the drift
ing scent of roses would bring beror
her the laughing face of the boy.
Once, indeed, it did more. 1t wa
a moonlit night in California. Proppe
up by pillows Of mystical. Japanes
4 design, she lounged in the Orienta
chair that was her special delight.
Her companion leaned toward be
and began to speak in low. cage
voice. His words of love seemed ma
ural-a part OF the breathless enchan
ment of the time and place. Why nc
decide her fate now and have it done
Borne on the light breeze that rufiie
the leaves OF the toyOn tree at he
side, a breath from the rose garde
brushed across her face. A subt
change came over her.
mo, no, Hugh. Please stop, dea
please" she pleaded. "Tm so sorr
but can't say yes to you. can't"
She could not tell why, but it WI
the scent Of the roses that had decide
her
The old boy and girl affair had die
the usual death of such attachment
He had gone to college and she to
finishing school. They had sworn ne
er to forget and to write twice wee