Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-08

Ell or jovial gentlemen, all were over
looked in the wild scramble the college
men made for their hero They hailed
him forth, set him on high, bore him on
their shoulders, shouting "Skal to the
/ Vikingw and carried him up the wood
ed bluff to the casino. He heard Mrs.
/ Van Skuyt say: "Oh, we're used to it,
We've put in at several other places
where he had friendsv' He remember
ed the wild progress they made for
him up the slope that morning at Win
| ter Harbor-how the people looked on
and laughed and clapped their hands.
But at the yeranda edge he had no.
ticed little form disappearing around
a corner of the building, a young girl
running away as fast as she could.
See there" he said as the tribe set
him down; ''yoT have frightened the
populace." And Tom Meredith had
stopped shouting long enough to an
swer: ITS my little cousin, overcome
with emotion. She's been counting
the hours till you came-been hearing
about you for good while. She hasn't
been able to talk or think of anything
else She's only fifteen, and the crucial
moment is too much for her. The great
Harkless has arrived, and she has fed"
But the present hour grew OH him
as he leaned on the pasture bars. 1t
had been reminiscent day with him,
but suddenly his memories sped, and
the voice that was singing Schubert's
"Serenade" across the way touched
him with the urgent personal appeal
that a present beauty had always held
for him. 1t was a soprano and without
tremolo, yet came to his ear with
certain tremulous sweetness. It was
soft and slender, but the listener knew
1t could be lifted with fullness and
power if the singer would. 1t spoke
only Of the song, yet the listener
thought Of the singer. Under the
moon thoughts run into dreams, and
he dreamed that the owner Of the
voice, she who quoted 1.-THE Walrus
and the Carpenter on Fisbees notes,
was one to ...0gh with you and weep
with you, yet her laughter would be
tempered with sorrow and her tears
with laughter
When the song was ended he struck
the rail he leaned upon sharp blow
with his open hand There swept over
him feeling that he had stood precise
~ where he stood now on such night |
a thousand years ago; had heard that |
voice and that song and been moved by |
the voice and the song and the night /
;v,ck h TT T. =
long known himself for sentimental |
ist. He had almost given up trying to !
cure himself. And he knew himself
for a born lover. He had always been
in love with some one. In his earlier
youth his affections had been SO con-
stantly inconstant that he finally came
to settle with his self respect by rec
ognizing in himself fine constancy
that worshiped one woman always. 1t
was only the shifting image of her that
changed. Somewhere Che dreamed,
whimsically indulgent of the fancy,
yet hooking himself for it, there was
girl whom he had never seen who wait
ed till he should come. She was every
thing. Until he found her he could not
help adoring others who possessed lit
tie pieces and suggestions of her-her
her courage. her short upper
lip, like curled rose leaf" or her
dear voice or her pure profile. He had
40 recollection of any lady who had
quite her eyes. He had never passed
l lovely stranger on the street in the
Did days without thrill of delight and
warmth. If he never saw her again
ind the vision had only lasted for the
ime it takes lady to cross the side
he was always little in love with her
because she bore about her somewhere,
Is did every pretty girl he ever saw,
| suggestion of the faraway divinity.
)ne does not pass lovely strangers in
he streets of Plattville. Miss Briscoe
vas pretty, but not at all in the way
hat Harkless dreamed. For five years
he lover in him that had loved SO Of
en- had been starved of all but dreams.
)nly at twilight and dusk in the sum-
ner, when strolling he caught sight Of
womans skirt far up the village
treet, half outlined in the darkness
lnder the cathedral arch of meeting b
ranches, this romancer of petticoats u
ould sigh true lovers sigh and, If S
e kept enough distance between, fly I
earning fancy that his lady wandered
here Il
Ever since his university days the
mage Of her had been growing more n
nd more distinct He had completely q
ettled his mind as to her appearance "
nd her voice. She was tall, almost too
all, he was sure of that; and out of
is consciousness there had grown
weet and yivacious young face that he
new was hers. Her hair was light I
rown, with gold lusters Che reveled in
ne gold lusters on the proper theory
nat when your fancy is painting a (,
icture you may as we'll go in for the ri
hole thing and make it sumptuous), G
nd her eyes were gray. They were d
cry earnest, and yet they sparkIed and Fl
lughed to him companionably, and IL
,metimes he smiled back upon her. II
he Undine danced before him through fl
lie lonely years. on fair nights in his c.
alks and came to sit by his fire on
inter evenings when he stared alone t.
the embers. IL
And tonight, here in Plattville, he lie