Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-08-03

just an impulse.
 MT. Thomas Farley stood in the long waiting-room with his back to- ward the throngs of people that came and went. He was devoting much drowning attention to a placard on the wall which announced, gently but firmly, No Smoking Allowed on These Premises Indeed the mere glimpse of his face was so forbidding that the young lady who had approached with the intention of asking a question was almost deterred from speaking at all. But she took courage, after all, and timidly touched his arm.
 eff you please she breathed, in the lowest of voices, "could you tell me when the B. & B.-why, Tom!"
 Miss Downing was so surprised to see MT. Fairley in the station that her face flushed very prettily.
 MT. Fairley lifted his hat with marked politeness.
 'tThis is rather surprise, Miss Downing he said, stif1y. .I did not expect to see you here. However, since you have come-it gives me an oppor tunity to say good-by I am going away"
 "Indeed!" she said, buttoning the other button of her glove. How funny that I happened to come in just in time to see you off was going to ask you when the B. & B. was due-a friend of mine coming in-not that I need trouble you-I can ask the DOT ter, of course:
 Tt comes immediately after my train pulls out,' said MT. Farley, still labor iously polite. T leave in ten minutes ,"
 "And so you are going away?" said Miss Downing, in tones of amusement. What day of mourning this will be
 among the girls!"
 sThe girls? What have the girls to do with it, pray?" demanded MT. Fair ley, frowningly.
 "All abor' f Shat Nap Schag- dum-m-m!" shouted the porter, with a roar. There was general movement of the crowd trainwards. luggage laden MT. Fairley took up grip from the floor and turned his face toward the door.
 "Oh, Tom-before you go,' said Miss Downing. flaming herself with her handkerchief ,-"how hot they do keep these places! Help me off with my coat-I may have to wait for a long time."
 She could have slipped out of the pretty, silk-lined affair without his aid but she held out an arm quite he1plessly, and looked up at him. He set the grip down and took the cuff in wit an al nf f1iI shooting through his heart.
 One sleeve was off-she turned to- ward him to thank him. with the sweetest of smiles.
 "So thoughtless of me to detain you" :" she murmured, looking up at him with the old, adorable look from beneath long lashes. His eyes were dilated He was staring at a curious object on the front of her waist. 1t was surely bunch of withered flowers. When she saw that he had noticed it she has tily covered 1t with her hand.
 What violets are those?'' he asked, in curiously constrained voice.
 Hurry, Tom-your train might leave she exclaimed, blushing rosily.
 What violets are those?" he asked, moving little nearer.
 "I-they-do hurry. Tom" she cried, 1 unpinning the withered violets and l holding them behind her like child caught at some misncief.
 What violets are those. Gertie?" he l demanded, sternly. ''I insist on know ing. Oh,-Gertie- are they the ones-'
 "Of course they are. Goosie!" re- | turned Miss Downing, with rush of moisture to her eyes. "I-T couldn't bear to throw them away-and so have been wearing them-but forgot ] at least--I didn't suppose would take off my coat"
 .'Gertie-don't trife this time!" he implored, coming nearer still. Have you kept those flowers because-be cause-'
 He could not finish, for it meant so much; but she tilted an impertient chin toward the p1acard on the wall and read it with absorbed attention.
 ''Yes," she whispered, softly. T kept them -because!"
 l And the train went out unheeded toward that polyglot country indicated l by the porter.
 When the old man had shaken Tom s arm almost off, and had made arrange l ments for taking him into immediate partnership, he tried to command him. self enough to communicate the news 1 to his wife.
 "It takes me to manage them!'' he said, with jovial chucklings T knew 1 Tom-I can just about see what that boys thinking, Mary. I saw 1t was my cue just to let him go and not say a word--and that's what did. Let him l go off to the station-not soul of us with him-and what's the result? He never leaves at all--comes back in time for lunch, and walks into the office as though he'd never left it. and says, I've changed my mind, father-I'm going to stay and work with you and I'm going to marry Gertie Down ing Think of that-the very girl I l had picked out-and it's all my doing!