Evening journal., 1905-04-07
A Youthful Lover
Iorlrlnall


my doll; at fourteen Z was in love
My father lived on small income
he had inherited, devoting much time
to study, especially OF the Greek and (
Latin classics One morning l was
IN the garden when he came out Of the |
house chatting with young man, both
approaching the spot where l sat idly
I'm swing. Tho young fellow was
about eighteen. tall. straight and with
n head and throat that reminded me of
the poet Byron. My father was show
Ing him the grounds. They passed very
near me- but I was too young 20 be no
ticed or introduced. and my father paid
no more attention to me than II had
not been there. The young man glanc-
ed at me, then turned away.
was angry with my father that he
did not introduce me, but as TO the
young man he was not responsible for
the slight not having been introduced.
Had he noticed me without such for
mality l should have resented it as
evidence that he considered me only
child. They walked about the garden,
I listening to catch what they said, for
1 was. curious to know who the young
man was and what my father had to
do with him, but l caught only two
words, CiUero and Xenophon.
When they approached me on their
return ! arose and walked with as
much dignity as I could muster into
the house But l was painfully con
scious that my skirts were shorter than
they should have been for one Of my
years, and II ! looked dignified | felt
quite the reverse. The young man was
Evan Montague. the son of a wealthy
man who lived near by on the hill, and
my father was to coach him for his col
lege entrance examination. He came
to my fathers study three times a
week until the LIST of September. I
noted the hour that he left the place
and usually took position In n ham
mock swing between two trees where
he would pass me- This / did because
it enabled me to conceal my feet and
ankles or rather my short dress He
soon came to nod to me, but did not
! lift his hat. / returned his salutation
as stifiiy as possible till one morning
| he gave me a woman's salutation.
whereupon 1 smiled as sweetly as l
knew how
He entered college, and l did not see
him for two years. His first vacation
was taken up with a trip to the west,
but his second he spent at home.
As soon as I heard Of his arrival !
was In a tremor of excitement. Morn
ing, afternoon and evening I put on my
most becoming costume suitable to the
time. did not propose that he should
catch me in an untidy condition. AZ
last was rewarded for my trouble.
He came down to call on father anC
talk about his college course. 1t wa;
the 25th Of June when he came at ~
o'clock In the morning. The date anc
hour were more to me than when
once fell of the piazza roof and came
very near being killed. When he calleC
was lying in the hammock In th'
same position as when he used to pas
me two years before. On seeing hin
my heart thumped in my throat.
arose and awaited his coming as
would that of any stranger. AS h'
drew near l was beside myself to see
look of admiration in his eyes.
"Surely" =" he said gallantly. this can
not be the little girl Of two years ago.
SO long as the two years were passe,
and was not the little girl he had con
sidered me l forgave him in my heart
but not with my tongue.
I'm not young lady" l replied
"any more than was then. You'll fin'
father In his study"
1 regretted my words as soon as spc
ken, for he did not come to the hous
again during his vacation. and I fan
: cied l might have turned the scale o
/ his doing so by my words. The mat
ter gave me food for thought for tw
years more during which l did not sc
! him.
t The summer after his graduation h
J spent at home and called on my fathe
Z Mother told me that be had also aske
5 for "the ladies'" and I must go dow
; to see him. 1 had the satisfaction I
notice another look Of pleased salts
faction as he saw me sweep into tn
room with all the dignity of my eigh
{ cen years.
Surely you are young lady now,
1 he said. "You can't deny il this time.
3 Delighted as l was that he shoul
q have remembered my words, l did nj
r deign to appear TO remember them m,
= self. Assuming a puzzled look, I boz
g myself not as II l had lately become
e young lady, but as If l had alway
been one.
He called number of times tn;
summer. but as he had known me as
' little girl he still felt that there was
> difference between us, though this W;
my fault, for I never ceased to both'
? him by acting as il I considered him
Methuselah. He always asked for I
all when he called, and as / now ha
, plenty OF beaus / usually feigned
prefer them. especially the younge
ones. which / knew fretted him mo-
than anything ! could do
One day I overheard the last OF
. conversation between my mother ar
: father.
."Oh. Montague has foreign ide'
: about such things" was the closing r
~ mark by my father, "and he hi
brought Evan up in the same way
That evening father called me In
his study and after a number Of eI
N barrassed hens asked me II prefers
q any of the young men who came TO q
K house. The remark / had heard tias
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