The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-10-07

leo you to believe"-oh, bosh-"l
wonder If you realize what your
letters have come to mean to me-Ifke
open, sunny places in the thin woods
of life, Do you remember the woods
where Rinaldo strove-fend possessed?
don't mean that my life is nearly so diff
ficult, but I'm an impatient beast and
when | cannot make all earth and half
Of Heaven so the way / want there is
nothing left but swearing, and that
avails little save grudging sort OF self
contempt"-true, true, my dear sir. Don't
| know. But you must know naught OF
the fair sex if you fancy that they write
letters like these. But, Jove, If you
only were q woman" He shook his
head. Rather, you are an uncom-
monty clever scoundrel." He drove
the letter deep into his pocket and
went out to face what the day
might bring-and the day brought
Sully's failure. A wild day on the floor
with men bowling like fiends around
him, and in the thick of it, Bronton found
himself thinking of the letter-the woods
where Rinaldo strove. And it angered
him. Walking home. tired. hungry, the
again and with the thought and the an
ger came the conviction that he was in
! fit MOOD to unmask villiany-to 90 any
thing that would give head to the exas-
| peration straining at its lash. I'm an
! impatient beast myself he muttered
! grimly.
When the elevator had left him face
to face with NJ Bcswell's number, Bron
ton broke into harsh laughter at the
| thought of the bitter humiliation hang
| ing over the heaG Of the unsuspecting.
He knocked roughly and clear voice
cried: Enter"
! small room made merry by freight
| dancing in bookt ase doors.
A desk, and at he desk woman with
gold glasses and strong stopped shout
| ders.
Are you M. Boswell" Bronton de-
manded DULY, for the drum was deafen-
| ing him, Strong and sweet, strong and
/ sweet"
Certainly" The rising infection
suggested an enquiry as to whom he
! might be. AS though at roll call BrOn-
| tons heart answered that it was pleas
ant in here after the chill and din out
side, that the fair sweet face and the
strong hand standing at pause-even the
deep chair by her desk seemed good to
him. He remembered that she had
called him dear many times and it
seemed very good. This woman with the
| glad. gray eyes YVES his friend. And he
promised himself that after this when
things went wrong he would come here
and sit in this chair and look at the fire
and listen to the scratching of her pen
and all would be we'll with him. Then
the infection in her certainly" made it.
self felt and he replied to it placidly.
81 am the young girl you have been
corresponding with"
Miss Boswell removed her glasses and
looked at him thoughtfully. Every
manly line in his well-marked face;
every tired one. She spoke kindly:
Pardon me if the saying sounds
harsh but when q bearded man of 80
odd announces himself as young girl,
he lays himself open to the charge of in
sanity or intoxication:"
81 am neither drunk nor crazy and he
sighed contentedly.
Nor young girl?"
mo Nothing but man who,' he
paused to drink in the deep peace Of her
presence and she completed quietly, who
has seen wild day on the floor. May be
you will not mind resting bit while
finish this sketch before the color fades" ;"
She pushed bell. only ten minutes.
Her voice trailed away, her, shoulders
! stopped again to her rapid writing. Not
too absorbed to call his attention to the
tray the maid placed On corner of her
desk Coffee, oysters, hot rolls, cold
ham-Bronton had eaten nothing since
breakfast But / shouldn't eat your
salt
She swung her pen crosswise to shove
cup toward him.
mo salt in the coffee Drink it. You
need it." And Bronton surrendered his
tired soul to her soothing. 1t was good
to be here, and nothing else mattered
Good to be here, watched over by those
kind, gray eyes, ministered to by that
strong right hand soothed by this sunny
silence. This was the woman he had
needed all his life and he had found her
. The ten minutes ran into silent hall
hour. and after he had finished his sup
per Bronton lay back in his chair rest
ing as only tired man or a tired horse
can rest, unconscious Of the occasional
shrewd glances flashed upon him from
! behind those gold glasses. A rustic OF
:. PAPER. q brisk "well'' broke the spell.
Bronton drew a deep breath. ''It is all
right" he saiG, contentedly, I'm Lot
tie"