Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1906-07-12
A MARCH
MISTAKE
By Jeanne o. Loizeaux


elsie, John Fielding is waiting for
you downstairs
Elsie looked III to see her mother in
the door and Dropped the warm cloak
she was about to put on. She was
quiet, gentle girl, so unassuming that
her dark prettiness was more unnO-
ticed than 1t deserved to be. 1t had
been long since John had come to see
her IN the old friendly fashion of the
time before Rose Lisle moved to their
town. The girl gave another touch to
her smooth hair. Her mother stood
watching her and then remarked:
Mrs. Dent told me today that John
and Rose have been cut for over Il
month. He has just come home If a
quarrel with Rose is all that sends him
to you, | should think that Elsie
wheeled impatiently.
Mother, John and | have always
been good friends, and | shall hot ques-
ton any motive that brings him to see
me. l shall always be the same to him.
You can't expect man 50 deeply in
love as he is with Rose to be regular in
his attention to his girl friends And
no one could help loving beauty like
Rose. She's good too
Elsie greeted John rs il she had seen
him yesterday and soothed his evident
ly overweight mood with gentle,
half laughing tact He was tall and
~, a., ,;.,h 10,
night We're clouded, and his face was
a little careworn Sometimes he gave
random answers as if he had not heard
what she said. After Il half uneasy
hour of the March twilight lie turned
to her IN awkward masculine gratitude
for her patience with him.
Elsie, am l keeping you inf ! have
not thought to ask if you We're going
anywhere. She smiled and bethought
herself that inaction WAS not good in
his present mood.
Il was going for Il walk and can go
as well another time. | was going
quite by myself You know, am new
err afraid"
NO. | never knew you to be afraid
school until now. | have always liked
you for that But would you mind let
ting me go with you for the walk?
We used 10 like pushing the wind to-
gether Shall we go?'
Elsie put OH her cloak and little red
cap, and the two young people started
away.
70 from thnIl and ~
they passed the house both could not
avoid what they saw. From the broad
front windows the light streamed
brightly. The shades were not drawn.
Rose sat at the piano, and over her in
rapt attention stood Norman Cady.
John almost dragged Elsie past, though
he said nothing. lie did not know that
he grlpped her arm till it hurt and
that he was walking at pace that
would have put Il less healthy girl than
Elsie utterly out of breath.
1t was n raw night, with sharp
wind. The moon was high and cold,
and the sky was streaked with flying
clouds. The road was good, and they
walked on and on, out of the town and
willing to disturb her companions ST.
lent mood and swung gladly beside
him. At length they reached the boat
house and great pile of rough logs
in sheltered corner. John stopped
here and proposed resting.
Elsie, he said, II must have tired
you all out. | am Il selfish brute to
IY.a,, nj, 10 I y+nc pvtt
to get away from myself by reminding
myself what stanch friend you have
always been. ] had not intended TO
tell you my troubles, but | think l
must if you will let me-
Tell me about IT, she replied in the
, matter of fact comrades way that
made condolences easy.
"All right, but you must not try to
help me. No one can do that. | sim
ply need the relief of words before
settle down to forgetting as fast us /
can
He hesitated. \ man finds it hard
to confide.
"Is 1t about Rose:" She tried to
make it easier for him.
Elsie, | loved her almost from the
minute | saw her Everybody must
know 1t, for didn't hide my prefer
ence, and when | want anything under
the sun 1t Is my way to do my best to
get il. | wanted her. Soon | made
her my friend and then-well, ! thought
she loved me, though we had not spo-'
ken of II in words About month ago
| wrote and asked her to marry me- l
told her everything man tells the girl
he loves. | asked her to send me
note in answer ana added that | should
interpret her failure To do so as n re-
fusal though | was oyercontident
enough not To dream Of such thing"
He looked off across the river and
drummed his heels against the logs.
Elsie" be went ap,-'s'Ie III 1Qt senl
NE 9 word Not one word Aud that
very night she was heartless enough to
smile ana nod and blush at me at a
concert where we were and seemed TO
think l would see her home the same
AZ ever, Then the next time wa met
She did not even speak,
Are you sure she received it,"
Yes. | sent it by my brother and