The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-03
AFTER A DECADE.
BY ANNA M. POWERS.


 Copyright, 1905. by Daily Story Pub. Col "Yes. that is the place. The same little white cottage with green blinds, ana tiny windows half covered with rose vines; the same lawn and carefully arranged flower beds and yes-the same sweet scent or blooming fruit trees as when kissed my darling Alice goodbye. wonder if time has dealt, kindly with her and if she Is the same Alice left ten years ago. Ten long, weary years of toll and hardship; but then what of i?s Now I am a rich man and e'er many suns rise and set. hope to be richer a hundred fold when make the | sweetest girl in all the world my wife. How surprised she will be to see me after ! all these years Let me see-it is five yes, six years since I last wrote or heard from her: but I know she will forgive me when I explain. She always was a trump towards overlooking fellows imperfec- tions anyway; she always seems to under stand. Guess I'll tiptoe up and look into the window and. if I her about. will walk in unannounced and take her by com plete surprise"
 The speaker, a tall. handsome man, with a very boyish face. carefully made his way to the sitting-room window and peered eau tiously within. But before he had time to take in the situation. high-keyed fem mine voice called sharply to him from the half-opened front door. See here. young felier. what dye mean by lookin' Anto peoples windows? Reckon ye don't mean any good by it." Frank Ashley. half
 
 litely and bowed to the owner of the voice. a neat. elderly woman in a white apron and a print gown. Doesn't Miss Alice Moore live here?" he asked You see. l have just returned from the klondike regions and being an intimate friend of the girl thought 6 surprise her-I hope l haven't intruded"
 Frank Ashley! it can't bel" she exclain,- cd. rather late in grasping the situation why, how d'ye-do. Frank. Don't suppose you remember old Mrs. Perkins. do ye? She twas that lived over by Jones' saw mill" and extending her slim bony hand she heartily shook Franks big brown one cor dially, inviting him into the little sitting room where she said they could have right good chat about his travels.
 The man had hardly heard word she had uttered, so intent was he upon his own thoughts, but quickly followed her into the house. But Mrs Perkins," he began. you haven't told me where Alice Is" Why, lands sakes." responded the old woman "Didn't you know she had been gone for nearly two years? Reckon you didn't hear from her very often if ye didn't" "No. to tell the truth, did not" he answered. blushing. 'T believe 1t Is six years since l last heard from her, but won't you please be kind as to tell me her whereabouts7"
 "Oh, I see-had some little tiff or other, but then true love never runs smooth.' and the quarrels all part of love makin'. Josiah and myself used to be the same way but now. poor man. he is up in the beau
 
 6 tear from her little red eyea
 But woman, will you not answer my question:" he half angrily asked.
 Land sakes. don't get angry with me- just have a little patience and I'll tell ye all. Ye see. twas this way-her mother died some two years past and being left alone in the world. and seetn you ifdn't show up. she decided to go up to the city and be one of these we're nuns She told me when she let the house that if nothing turned up inside of two years. she was going to take some veil or other. but thought 1t was so foolish didn't pay much attention, that provoked. Imagine sweet young thing like that being locked up inside convent walls when half the lads in the village were breakin' their necks after her. but never bit Of notice would she give any of them, always so shy ana meek going about by herself half dream lily, and I bet that you are at the bottom of 1t, you follow"
 This remark made the young man vince. and he turned away his head to hide his blushing countenance What an. old fool I was. anyway" he muttered. What was gold to a girl like Alice. and what if have lost herr" ~
 'Yer feelin kind of sorry already. ain't ye. young fellow, but maybe 'tisn't too late vet I reckon she hasn't joined the order yet or we folks would have heard something about it.
 Here she was interrupted by her guest rising hastily and placing his watch in his 
 afternoon train to the city" and with a many thanks for your kind information" he hastily departed down the street. the old woman looking after him. half awed and mumbling something about young people bein' so impertinent now-a-days'- walked back into the cottage.
 Frank Ashley arrived at the station just in time to get ticket and check his bag gage when the train came steaming fn- What thoughts passed through his mind on that ride to the city--what if he were too late, but mo- he would not think of that. If he were not. he knew she would forgive him for neglecting to write to her, for she always seemed just to understand fellow.
 Just as the sun slowly gliding down into the west, painting the heavens with it's ruddy light and presenting a nature scene that would have defied the worlds greatest masters. a tall. well built. well tanned and well dressed man could be seen rapidly making his way down street of A small western city toward the Church of the Holy Name. What strange feeling came over him as the great church came