The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-20

little Heinrich, or small Lottchen,
 or something terrible like that! How dare you be absolutely wick ed" cried. dashing up fro mthe seat and standing indignantly before him. At first he did not speak, but re- mained sitting down and looking at
 me in a way that made me feel more of a schoolgirl than I ever felt in my learning days.
 Then, after a most inconsiderate pause, he rose and faced me. T had no intention of being wicked,
 I assure you" he replied in the same voice that he asks elderly ladies if
 they'll take tea or coffee. What have
 I done?'
 A good many things that it wouldn't be v-v-very reputable to print.
 I've no doubt; but should think it's | about the worst when you-a -nl-m-
 married man-ask me-a girl-to be your wife"
 For a second he looked contempla-
 tive, then answered quietly: T don't fancy I did ask you to be l my wife and I feel quite certain I am not married-quite sure!" Then how about madame in Heidel- berg, whom you won't bring ovef again? And how about Lady Barn. chester calling you bad husband'?' But as madame happens to be my cello, which I once took up with such | fervor that every one called her my wife Cor 'madame), I can't see how 1t | matters! Lady Barnchester can answer | for me, because she has both seen. and | heard, madame. before took her back | to Heidelberg
 I can hardly remember what hap | pened next. I only know I felt that | the world was a sort of environ of Paradise!
 The then T beg your pardon | oh! so m m-m- much" I stammered. Pray don't apologize! Shall we go back to the ballroom?" (Oid he mean it? Yes, his face was grave, cold and inscrutable! had l lost my happiness. My heart must try | to go to sleep againD 1 Yes, thanks. IT. | But l couldn't go on. Something | came before my eyes. Perhaps it was a picture of myself 1 in lonely. on-coming gray days; per | haps it was a picture of George liv- ing his life in glorious content with out me? I can't say. I only know i that had I been offered all the jew
 els of the wicked women in London
 I couldn't have helped burying my | face in my suede gloves and crying | just as thoroughly and sincerely as | I cried when I was little, little girl | Just for a second he let me cry, and l then No, no, birthday diary, I can't | write that,
 l It was so wonderful! My lips thrill now as l remember and my cheeks 1 still glow and burn. | I did not know that love could be
 so intense, so all-comprising. so all l experiencing, and so all-comforting
 I am glad, so glad. that I did not
 love before l was 20! Erica was right
 when three years ago she told me
 that girl must grow up to feel! Il
 George had come into my life one day
 earlier l shouldn't have been ready for him, but now he has come just
 when the roses of my heart need tc be gathered.
 That old book (The Worlds Rea 1 Things) that used to be my worldly
 textbook when I was F, is wrong.
 The time of violets' is not the
 season for love! It is with the earlS
 roses that a womans heart should
 wake; and even if there are "thorns
 in the gathering" why-tnere are stil | the rosest
 There is no gray looking forward
 for me now-it is all prismatic and full
 of color
 Love has come to me as my twenti-
 eth birthday gift. and, oh! dear wom'
 en-angels who rejoice with me, sing
 1t in the skies that I thank God fol
 loVe'- thauk-I thank-I thank!