Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-03-15

tnaC SAe cOulQ plau U Speuu any eAleu
of time there. even If she had liked
Minnie Briscoe at school. He felt that
she must have been sheltered and pet
ted and waited on all her life. One
could not help yearning to wait on her
He answered inarticulately, "Oh
some day." in reply to her question and
then fell into outright laughter.
II might have known you wouldn't
take me seriously" she said, with nc
indignation. only sort Of wistfulness
"T am we'll used to it. l think 1t is be-
cause | am not tall. People take big
girls with more gravity. Big people
are nearly always listened TO-"
Listened tor he said, and felt that
he must throw himself at her feet
"You oughtn't to mind being Titania.
She was listened to. You
She sprang to her feet, and her eyes
flashed. do you think personal COM
ment Is ever in good taste" she cried
fercely. and in his surprise he almost
fell off the bench. "If there Is one
thing cannot bear. 1t Is to be told that
am small! | am not. Every one who
isn't giantess isn't small l detest
personalities. am a great deal over
FIVE feet. a great deal more than that
p
"Please, please" he said, II didn't
Don't say you are sorry" she inter-
rupted. and in spite Of his contrition
he found her ..ngry voice delicious. 1t
was still so sweet, hot with indigna-
ton. but ringing. not harsh. Don't
say you didn't mean 1t. because you
did! You can't unsay it. you cannot
alter it, and this Is the way | must re-
member you! Ahw She drew In her
breath with a sharp sigh and. cover
ing her face with her hands, sank back
upon the bench. Il will not cry" she
said, not so firmly as she thought she
did.
"My blessed child"' he cried in great
distress and perturbation. What have
| done? ~
Call me small all you like" she
answered. II don't care. 1t isn't that.
You mustn't think me such an I'M
becile." She dropped her hands from
her face and shook the tears from her
eyes with q mournful little laugh. He
saw that her fingers were clinched
tightly and her lip trembled. u Will
not cry" she said again.
lp tn /
ought to have thought-personalities
are hideous"-
Don't! 1t wasn't that"
81 ought to be shot
"Ah, please don't say that" she said.
shuddering. please don't, not even as
a joke. after last night"
but I ought to be for hurting you.
Indeed
She laughed sadly again. 1T wasn't
that. don't care what you call me. !
am small. You'll try to forgive me for
being such baby? didn't mean any
thing said. ! haven't acted so badly
since | was child"
Its my fault. all Of it. I've tired
you out. and let you get crushed at
the circus. and
'-Thatr' she said. Il don't think !
would have missed the circus"
He had thrilling hope that she
meant the tent pole. She looked as II
she meant that, but he dared not let
himself believe 1t.
No" he continued, II have been so
madly happy in being with you that
I've fairly worn out your patience. I've
haunted you all day, and | have"-
"All that has nothing to do with It,"
she said. with gentle motion Of her
hand to bid him listen. Just after you
left this afternoon found that could
not stay here. My people are going
abroad at once. and | must go with
them. That's what is almost making
me cry. | leave here tomorrow morn.
ing"
He felt something strike at his heart.
In the sudden sense Of dearth he had
no astonishment that she should be-
tray such agitation over her departure
from place she had known so little
and friends who certainly were not
part Of her life. He rose to his feet,
and. resting his arm against a syca-
more. stood staring away from her at
nothing. She did not move. There
was long silence. He had Weakened
suddenly. The skies had been sap
phire, the sward emerald, Plattville a
Camelot Of romance. a city Of enchant.
ment, and now. like a meteor burned
out in q breath. the necromancy fell
away and he gazed into desolate years.
The thought Of the square. his dusty
office, the bleak length Of Main street,
as they would appear tomorrow gave
him q faint physical sickness. Today
it had all been touched to beauty. He
had felt fit to live and work here a
thousand years-a FOOLS dream, and
the waking was to arid emptiness. He
should die now Of hunger and thirst In
this Sahara. He hoped the fates would
let it be soon, but he knew they would
not; knew that this was hysteria, that
in his endurance he should plod on,
plod, plod dustily on. through dingy
lonely years.
There was a rumble Of thunder far
out on the western prairie. A cold
breath stole through the hot stiffness,
and an arm Of vapor reached out be-
tween the moon and the quiet earth.
Darkness fell. The man and girl kept
silence between them. They might
have been two sad guardians Of the
black little stream that FLASHED un-