The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1905-02-10
Two Kisses.
By MARGARET VAN METRE.
WV WV. ~ w. W.

Mamma look, there's Tom Patter-
san" said Marion Haddon.
why, SO it is" answered her moth
er. HE must have come out. from the
city for a Summer vacation. Well!
And she settled down in her chair with
the ever present mending at her side
while she looked with slightly ques-
tioning glance at her daughter.
WELL" echoed Marion to herself.
But she said nothing, and soon wan
dered into the yard, book in hand, TO
the hammock which swung idly out
under the trees.
Marion Haddon and Tom Patterson
had been playmates ever since, as one
old neighbor usd to express it, Marion
was knee high to a grasshopper. They
had played together, gone to school
together, and through it all had been
friends.
Then Tom had gone away to col
lege, and after year or two at an
eastern university, had gone to New
York City where he had been ever
since employed in the office of noted
architect; for Tom was an expert
draughtsman and as such had secured
a fine position. Always bright youth,
he had settled down to his chosen
business with a spirit of energy that
showed plainly that he was serious in
the choice of a profession; and with
a persistence that had surprised even
his closest friends, he had continued
at the same work, in the same office,
until now four years had passed since
he had taken a vacation of any sort
and since he had revisited the scenes
of his boyhood trials and pleasures
During these years, Tom had paid
little attention to the girls. In his ear
ly days the people of Martinsburg
thought he was rather in love with
Marion Haddon; but he had stayed
away so long; and Marion had been
SO happy and lively in the company
of various other of the village youths,
that it was decided by the wise ones
of the town that there wasn't anything
in it after ALL But when it was rum
ored on this beautiful July day that
Tom Patterson was in town, there were
not few who, like Marion's mother,
thought questioningly of her and won
dered
Marion herself wondered, too. tom
in town. | wonder how he looks. And
how will he think l look? l wonder
if he" The pause was suggestive of
some deep question, but Marion did
not finish, even to herself, the thought
that was in her mind. She thought of
all the good times she and Tom used
to have together. How she hated to
have him go away! And he said he
was sorry too. Did he mean it? She
wondered again. Her earliest memory
of him required to her mind, such a
provoking recollection that was, and
always so vivid a one. Try as she
would she could never quite forget it.
She was very little girl then, and
unusually bashful at that. A crowd
of little people were playing in Toms
yard one hot afternoon in summer. The
game was king William" Most of
those in the game were older than
Marion and evidently thought it would
De IUn CO play HIlle IilCh Ou ueI'
Tom was in the center. Around him
the others circled, singing as they
went,
"King William was King James son,
Upon a royal race he run;
lie wore a star upon his vest
That points the way to the governors
breast"
Round and round the little company
circled, still singing, all alive to the
fun of the occasion except Marion; she
alone, shy and uneasy.
go to the East, go to the West,
Go choose the one that you love best;
If she's not there to take her part,
Go choose another with all your heart. >"
AS these words we're sung, Tom, as
if by hint from one of the older girls,
pointed to Marion, who slowly shrink
ingly, took her place in the center at
his side. Persistently the song went
on to its inevitable end:
Down on this carpet you must kneel
AS sure as the grass grows in the field.
So kiss your bride, and kiss her sweet,
And now you may rise upon your feet