The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1906-03-10
A BELATED ROMANCE
BY GERTRUDE e. WRIGHT.
xxx gY@S& Yg%SgSSYSYS xxx Xz@SNSYSM

afraid We won't have much appetite"
Life looked little gray to Miss Bet
tie. Little Bette had been discussing
only the night before, the arrangements
for her marriage. All of this called
| back flood Of memories to Miss Bet
| tie, as she sat in her own room late In
the day, rocking gently i'm the moon
| light. Little Bettie's confidence had
made her heart strangely tender. Did
she ever love anybody? All, she rose
from her chair, lighted the lamp, and
opened a bureau drawer.
Life from generation to generation
Is but repetition of tile old. In every
lonely womans heart there is a secret
drawer. and in 1t is faded picture or
a bundle OF letters, or a withered rose
bud. meaningless to all but her. Miss
Bettie's secret drawer was only n little
pasteboard box. AS she raised the lid,
the scent of June roses filed the air.
But one solitary letter, taken from
among notes and faded flowers. inter.
ested Miss Bette. A tender, troubled
look came into her eyes as she I'M
folded the paper, yellowed with age.
How strange it wasv she unused.
How very strange! will never know
why he did not comer
The letter was replaced AT last. Then
Miss Bette knelt down to say her
prayers. Dear, sweet Miss Bette.
Such a fragrant, beautiful flower to
have been so long ungathered!
The jam was going into the glasses
when the dOorbell rang. Delphy ush.
cred the visitor into the dim, shaded
parlor, and left him to grope for seat
alone. After stumbling over an en-
broidered footstOol or two, Judge
Blashford, for it was he, sat thank
fully down on the horsehair sofa and
looked around. He reached over and
turned the Venetian blind with an odd
feeling Of acquaintance. 1t had been
a long time since he had seen its like
He could not have told for the life OF
him what that parlor once held, except
a beautiful blue-eyed girl who had
blctted out for him all lesser things
but when the sunlight fiuttered through
the Stats 1t revealed strangely ia.
miliar scene.
A big figured brussels carpet, a mar.
ble-topped table on which "gift books
and ANNALS and little piles of family
daguerreotypes were primly placed
around the family Bible in the centre
a small square piano with lowered
cover, surmounted by wax cross un
der glass globe, these were the sal
lent features that met his gaze. Fol
mural ornaments there was long
mirror over the high mantel, and d
wreath of hair flowers.
He rose and went to where the
wreath hung. He remembered it well
There was the same rose that he and
Bette Claiborne had laughed over In
those old days. 1t was made of SalliC
Mlller's red hair. How radlantly beau
tiful BETTE had been in those days
or course she would be changed, thai
was unavoidable, but such color n,
hers could hardly-There was slight
noise, and he turned. An elderly lady
with sweet, .wrinkled face stood be
fore him. Her hair was almost white
and there was a stOop to the shoulders
The judge started. He was sure tn,
landlord had said that Mrs. Cailborn,
was dead. But he advanced to nee
her.
Mrs. Cailborne?" he said interroga
lively.
Miss Claiborne" she returned In
voice that thrilled him with its famil
lar sweetness. Miss Bette Gail
borne"
Judge Blashford gasped. He had
strong inclination to run. At that mo
ment happening to raise his eyes. h,
caught sight Of his own bald head I'm,
rotund figure in the glass. He Ia,
forgotten that time stands still for n,
one.
May | ask your namGT" said Mis-
Bette. II think, perhaps, l ought +
know It,"
Il am william Blash:ord," he said
"Will Blashfordw Miss Bette stead
led herself by chair It was tn
name signed TO her letter. And thi
was the man that the slender, curly
headed collegian had grown to be! Sh
had always thought of him as youn
and slender. Miss Bette felt as IL sh
had been personally brreaved
When the first embarrassment wa
over, they entered cordially into con
versation. They sat together on tn
worn horsehair sofa and talked OF oil
times and old f.iends. They wer
glad TO meet; they laughed and chatte
merrly; hut each held n hand clos
upon the secret drawer. Each though
that the other had forgotten all abou
1t.
. Judge Blasbrord stayed TO tea. Mis-
Bette had stolen from the room whe
little Bette had come in. and hurried
P donned her new black and white o.
= candle and pinned Queen of tn
= Prairie rose on her breast. Perhap
II was the hurry that brought hus
{ to her faded cheek, but as she sat b,
' hind the silver coffee pot and poure
. ont delicious coffee, Judge Blashfor
5 locked at her with deepening interes
D He was beginning TO see little of tn