The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-10-22

II suppose am unreasonable to
expect him to ruin his chances, . Bar
bara conceded thoughtfully. But he
might have seemed little sorrier
II wonder if he really cared to see
me again, pursued Barbara. g don y
suppose he thought much about it. Most
from on mosa hay She Spt threw e is f aar
proudly at the comparison. He has
big things to think Of; big things to
do. He is strong and brave Her
eyes shone with the splendor Of her
idea. she was seeing far into the land
Of mystery and light and romance.
confessed humbly, che would not think
OF me. am not worth his thoughts.
! am silly, and little fool. Oh, am
a little fool. I am ashamed Of myself. =,
The summer day had already begun
to lay it's silence on the morning. A
or. Far in the woods, clear as a cameo,
the crash Of breaking limb sounded.
The porcupine, who had just turned over
the parasol with his nose, cooked his
head inquiringly. From time to time
he glanced uneasily back, as other
sounds engraved the stiffness.
eyes; - wish I had died in the
woods she said, slowly. ~ wouldn't
- must have looked perfectly horrid
with my gown all torn" contemplated
Barbara. The round tears trembled on
ground. IT shall never see him again.
she ended, ,brokenly. "Neverl, Oh,
CAN'T help it. want to see him againl
want toll want to!'
The tears flowed unrestrained now.
Poor, dear little child Barbara, with her
tender heart and her quaint, tantalizing
small face, and her eighteen years, was
suddenly face to face with the great,
terrible life which men and women live.
And life was being very harsh with her.
| She covered her face and gave herself
frankly to her misery. She cared. Moth
ing else mattered. But the porcupine,
crafty and wary animal, long since be.
You'd mere emotion, ceased gnawing the
altogether delightful varnish and pre-
pared to roll into an unassailable bali.
He was rather stupid porcupine, al
porcupines run, but he knew better than
to omit the ordinary precautions when
something, reckless and hasty was tears
ton. In moment he did coil, con.
graduating himself on his chances fos
a green old age. The dim, mystic sym-
bolism Of approach thru the invisibilitN
Of the forest had suddenly materializef,
i Barbara did not know it; grief is even
stuplder than porcupines.
Then suddenly, subtly, she knew.
Life, great and mysterious, had res
Tented. She threw her arms out to
him, her face TRANSPORTED, her eyes
streaming. What did she care FOR,
torn chiffons and blurred vision, for
} the gossamer web Of conventions Life
had turned kind. She, dear little Bar
bara, whose tender heart was never
meant to be denied, knew now that
the. sun Of happiness had not been
really blotted out from the heavens;
COIL" she cried. "Ohl Obi"
He dropped beside her on the grass
bronze face had become boyish in its
key kept n repeating 0ut cou I'D g notl nf
could notl I 3triedl I got as far as
the crossing. But I had to come back
, to you. I thought I was strong. It
was stronger than I. Dear little girl,
look up at me-. Let me see you. Let
: me be sure it is you: Oh, it can't be
saw you sitting there on the log in the
freight. could not 20. 7 love you'll
[ love you'll I have always loved you.
I have always known that you must be.
I have always felt that some day I
should see you, that should see your
eyes, and your hair, and your red lips,
, and your: dear pointed chin-always,
l always, since I began to dream!'
J, The porcupine cast one beady eye on
). his two neighbors, and promptly un.
coiled. He was stupid porcupine, as
1 porcupines run; but he was not SC
J stupid as all that
+ ~, They talked, perhaps; perhaps not
9 They could not have told. Life moved
q on in cadences. The great life of the
. winds of heaven had commanded he1
I children; and unthinking, like chill
dren, they had obeyed her. That was
{. all. H.
: So the porcupine leisurely ate his I'M
$ noticed way from one end Of the para,
sol to the other. =