The San Francisco call., 1904-11-11
THE PROFESSORS SECRET

writing was in the familiar hand Of
the anonymous lady.
He sat down Imply on the nearest
iron bench. There seemed something
awry with the universe Was it pos
sible that this pretty child had written
such letters-a little blonde girl who
blushed furiously and stammered
every time she was spoken to in
classl
He opened the letter eagerly. Its
superscription gave him that privilege.
He noticed, too, that the girls name,
written on the fly leaf Of the Greek
Syntax, was Identical with the writing
on the envelope. He read on to learn
that ne could call on her at the end of
the college year when he passed
through the city on his way home
If he still cared to meet her.
The professor went to his room, his
thoughts in chaotic condition.
That night he followed her to the
corner Of the veranda, where she sat
gazing abstractedly on the moon-lit
lawn.
80 1 have met you," he said quiet
ly. He sat down beside her and looked
at her intentIy. "And so-you-are-
the-woman," he added slowly.
She gave a frightened gasp ana
looked at him with terror and shame
III her eyes.
'It was-awful of me-I know-it
was a dreadful thing for me to do.
she turned away from him, and ne
could see she was trembling with ner-
vousness.
"It has given me more pleasure tnan
anything that ever happened IN my
whole life," he said simply.
She gave him one quick glance ana
hurried into elf-justification.
IT have always been timid," she
said, in an intense whisper, and
was so mortified when 1 would get
nervous and fail in my recitations
The minute you asked me a question:
every thought seemed to leave my
mind. 1 got more embarrassed each
day. 1 got desperate. 1 determined
you should know 1 was capable OF
having a thought. That wild scheme
of writing you anonymous letters
came, and I-wrote them. I'm so
very-sorry," and the professor heard
the sob in her voice.
He answered earnestly: I'm glad
1 shall be eternally glad-h you tell
me 1 need never give up those letters.
They have become part of my life"
The girls eyes grew wide with
emotion. He gazed at her wonderingly,
trying to understand how he had failed
to recognize her before. Now she
seemed some one that had been in
his life forever. He had been lonely,
I,
was an orphan, that after the close of
the term she would take UP the bur-
den of teaching.
'I-you mean that you want me
to keep on writing to you?" she asked
shyly.
II mean that 1 want to teach you
how to talk to me-" he said, smiling.
Il want to keep with me, forever, the
womanly companionship of my let
ters''
She gasped in astonishment.
But L thought you believed me
stupid couldn't recite my Greek
to you decently to save my life"
The professor looked into her
startled eyes and laid his hand on
hers.
II don't care if you couldn't tell
Greek from Chinese" he said solemn
ly, deriding the hobby of years.
~But don't you think me a frivol-
Gus, doll-baby kind of a girl?" she
questioned timidly.
He leaned over and touched her fair
hair with all the reverence of a child
who had never before owned a golden
haired doll.
II think you are the sweetest thing
on Gods EARTH" he said, pressing his
lips to her hand.
Copyright, 1904, by Troy AIlison.)