Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-06-23

1T ras On awful snatoy Ruth gasp
cd when She opened her eyes.
After the girls had taken her to the
house he picked ~ the Greek Syntax
ale had dropped Ia her fright.
A scaled letter. ready for mailing.
dropped out. The address WA plainly
Professor n. g.. ClnxtOn." and the
writing was In the familiar hand Of
the anonymous lady.
lie sat down Imply OH the nearest
iron bench. There seemed something
nwry With the universe. Was Il pos
slbie that this pretty child had written
such lettcrs-a little blond girl who
biushed ~furionsly aud stsmmercd ev-
ery time she was spoken 10 IN clnssl
He opened the letter eagerly. Its
supersrription gave him that privilege.
He noticed. too. that the girls name
written on the ly leaf or the Greek
syntax was Identical with the writing
on the envelope. lie read on to learn
that he could call on her at the end Of
the college year when he passed
through the city on Ills way home-if
AN nAAAA N4AEA " AAEEN nAls
The professor went to his room, his
thoughts IN chaotic condition.
That night he followed her to the
corncr OF the veranda, where she sat
gazing abstractedly ON the moonlii
lawn.
80 l have met you, he said quietly.
He sat down beside her and looked NJ
her mtently. "And-so-you-are-the
woman z" he added slowly.
She gave n frightened gasp and look
ed Mt him with terror and shame in
her y
1T ~was-awful or me. ! know. It was
a dreadful thing FOR NE to do" She
turned AWAY from him, and he could
see she was trembling with ncryOus
ness.
1T has given me more pleasure than
anything that yer happened in my
whole life." he said simply.
She gave him one quick glance and
hurried into self justification.
II have always been tlmld," she said
In an intense whisper, land l was 81
mortified when l would get nervou.
and fail in my recitatlons. The minute
you asked me a question every thought
seemed to leave my mind. l got more
embarrassed each day. l got desperate.
l determined you should know l was
capable Of having a thought. That
wild scheme Of writing you anony.
nous letters came, and-I wrote them.
I'm so-yery-sorry." And the professor
heard the sob in her voice.
He answered earnestly: I'm glad-I
shall be %eternally glad-if you tell me !
need mover give up those letters. They
have become part of my life"
The girls eyes grew wide with emo
ton. He gazed at her wOnderingly, try
ing to understand how he had failed to
recognize her before. Now she seemed
some one that had been IN his life for
ever. lie had been lonely. and he re
membered that she herself was an or
phan, that after the close Of the term
she would take up the burden of teach
ing.
"I-you mean that you want me to
keep on writing 70 youf" she asked
shyly.
Il mean that l want to teach you
how to talk to me-" he said, smiling. II
want to keep with me forever the wom-
0nly companlonship Of my letters"
She gasped in establishment.
"But I thought you believed me stu
pld. 1 couldn't reclte my Greek to you
decently TO save my life"
The professor looked into her star
tied eyes and laid his hand on hers.
81 don't care II you couldn't tell
Greek from Chinese he said solemnly,
derlding the hobby Of years.
But don't you think me n frivolous,
doll baby kind Of a glrl?" she question
ed timidly.
He leaned over and touched her fair
hair with all the reverence Of a child
who has never before owned a golden
haired doll.
Il think you are the sweetest thing
on Gods earth" he said, pressing his
lips to her hand.