The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1906-03-10

hot waffies and broiled chickens went |
straight to the heart hidden beneath
his capacious vest He had not had
such a meal since-well, for some
years. Miss Bette certainly looked
much younger than he had thought
at first They went out on the porch
after supper. and little Bette came out
with a crocheted shawl and reminded
her aunt that she would be having
neuralgia IL she were not more care.
full, and Judge Blashford remembered
that he had been a good deal troubled
lately himself with Rheumatism, and
they fell to talking about symptoms
and remedies and preventives. Strange
TO say. a sense Of conmradeship came
upon them with this interchange Of
elderly condolences, that had not ac-
companied the recalling of youthful
escapades. They had grown old alike,
and 1t did not seem to be q matter for
unmixed regret. They began to talk,
now, of the sober, sad details of life.
He spoke TO her of the wife of his
youth, Of their separation by death,
of the children who had left him one
by one. until now his home was
dreary place, and she listened with
only pity in her eyes. Then she
thought OF little Bette, and confided
to him that she had never let the dear
child know how she dreaded to have
her go away.
Finally the judge took letter from
his inside pocket. miss Bette" he
said and his tone was very sober, do
you remember a letter sent you OH
the day before left college"
Did she? All, could she ever forget?
1t was the one she had read only the
night before. 90 4,s>s,.
EYES," she said.
"You wrote an answer to It,"
Miss Bettie's head dropped assent.
| After all these years her cheeks famed
| to think of that answer, and how 1t
had been ignored. People used to say
| that VIII Blashford had a way Of
playing with girls hearts, but she had
never believed 1t. He held a letter,
| yellowed with age, i'm his hand.
II sent my letter by mail. l expect
ed the answer in the same way. You
| gave 1t to Henry Hillard and asked
him to give 1t to me-"
Miss Bette remembered. His letter
had said in closing, in the romantic
| fashion of their age, IF l may hope,
send me but one word, Come" She
| had written that word. She had sent
1t by his friend, for she would not trust
| 1t to the uncertain mails. But he had
not replied. The next day he had gone
away and she had not seen him for
forty years.
| II did not receive It," he said quick
| ly. Miss Bette looked at him wonder
ingly, for 1t was her letter that he was
holding in his hand. 81 did not re.
ceive it," he repeated, "for just seven
years. Then Henry sent 1t to me with
n humorous letter of explanation. He
had laid 1t away in his book and for
gotten all about 1t till he came across
1t by accident. He did not know what
was In it. When IL came l was mar
ried and had children about my knees.
1t was too late then for explanation. ]
put II away in my safe, and 1t has been
there ever since"
He stopped, but Miss Bette could
not raise her eyes. He waited n mo-
ment, and then went on: II would
not have you think that this blasted
my happiness. Life is largely made
up of substitutes. l had loving,
faithful wife and good family. They
made for me true home. 1 have had
all the joy of domestic life. You,
trust, have not been unhappy"
II have had much to be thankful
for" she murmured. She would not
say more just then.
But while this is true" he contin.
ued, ut Is no disloyalty to the dead
to say that the miscarriage of this
letter has changed life entirely for both
Of u.s."
She could not speak. She was think.
ing of those sad, sad years of waiting
before hope died, of the girl who
thought each morning, "He will come
to-day" and each evening, "He will
surely come tomorrow" And 1t had
been tomorrow, and tomorrow, and
the years had passed away. She had
had u useful, busy life; she had been
content; but still she pitied that girl
she knew so long ago
The judge was speaking again
Miss Bette" he said, 1--WE have not
many more years Of life, YOU and l
We are on the downward slope; but
He stopped over and took her thin
blue.veined hand In his strong one
shall we not walk together the rest OF
the way?"
A mist was in Miss Bettie's eyes
1t hid from her the portly judge. The
lover Of her youth was beside her
June roses We're blooming again. I'll,
question she had waited for SO lone
had come at last.
"Will you not speak to me, my
dear" said the judge.
And Miss Bette gave him the an
swer that had been in her heart fol
forty Florida Agriculturist.
The Wiley Ways OF Dumas.