Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-07
DAILY SHORT STORY
rOriginall
A YOUTHFUL LOVEl

great cnanSe taxes pace NllHIu lHSSe
two wears. At thirteen l threw aside
my doll; at fourteen WAS in love.
Ny father lived on q 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 | sat idly
IN a swing The young fellow was
about eighteen, tall. straight and with
q head and throat that reminded me OF
the poet Byron. My father was show
ing him the grounds. They passed very
near me. but was too young TO be no
ticed or introduced, and my father paid
no more attention TO me than If had
not been there. The young man glanc-
ed at me, then turned away.
l 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,
listening to catch what they said, for
I was curious to know who the young
man was and what my father had to
do with him, but 1 caught only two
words, Cicero and Xenophon.
When they approached me on their
return l arose and walked with as
much dignity as l could muster into
the house. But l was painfully con-
scious that my skirts were shorter than
oh If
years, and if looked dignified l felt
quite the reverse. The young man was
Evan Montague, the son of 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 1st of September. l
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. l returned his salutation
as stiffly as possible till one morning
he gave me q woman'S SalutatiOn,
whereupOn l smiled as sweetly as /
knew how
He entered college, and 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 l heard of his arrival l
was in a tremor of excitement. Morn
ing, afternoon and evening put on my
most becoming costume suitable to the
time. 1 did not propose that he should
catch me in an untidy condition. At
last l was rewarded for Hy trouble.
He came down to call on father and
talk about his college course. 1t was
the 18th OF June when he came at IL
o'clock in the morning. The date and
hour were more to me than when l
once fell off the piazza roof and came
very near being killed. When he called
l was lying in the hammock in the
same position as when he used to pass
me two years before. On seeing him
my heart thumped I'm my throat. l
arose and awaited his coming as l
would that of any stranger. AS he
drew near was beside myself to see q
look of admiration in his eyes.
Surely" he said CALAMITY, this can
not be the little girl of two years ago"
SO long as the two years were passed
and l was not the little girl he had con-
sidered me 1 forgave him in my heart,
but not with my tongue.
I'm not a young lady" I replied,
ANY more than was then. You'll find
father IN his study
/ regretted my words as soon as spo-
ken, for he did not come to the house
again during his vacation, and fan
his doing so by my words. The mat
ter gave me food for thought for two
years more, during which did not see
him.
The summer after his graduation he
spent at home and called on my father.
Mother told me that he had also asked
for the ladies'" and l must go down
to see him. l had the satisfaction to
notice another look of pleased salts
faction as he saw me sweep into the
room with all the dignity of my eight
cen years
Surely you are n young lady now"
he said. You can't deny il this time"
Delighted as / was that he should |
have remembered my words, did not |
deign TO appear to remember them my |
self. Assuming a puzzled look, bore |
myself not as if I had lately become a |
young lady. but as il had always |
been one.
He called a number of times that |
but as he had known me as a |
little girl be still felt that there was q |
difference between US, though this was
my fault, for l never ceased to bother |
him by acting as If considered him a |
He always asked for us |
all when he called. and as 1 now had /
plenty Of beaus 1 usually feigned to |
prefer them, especially the youngest |
ones. which l knew fretted him more /
than anything could do.
One day l overheard the last Of a
between my mother and
father.
"Oh, Montague has foreign ideas
, 49, 1.,k, 1