The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-08-07

come and the weeks go. and ! spend
them-here." She looked round the
room Lila. what do you suppose We
shall do when We are oldg"
Die. OF oour-s."
On. no. people never die when they
want TO. They go on living. and then
sgonize out al some very inconyenien;
time. You cant die 70 order-un-
less"
Don't Yes. ! suppose that is SO,
II must be, or I should have died
two years ago"
You mean"
I mean when Alec's letters stopped,
and father died, and everything went
wrong all at once. / have an idea !
prayed TO die then. and being young
and foolish really expected a little pFi-
Fate pestilence to be furnished on my
behalf"
The girl in black replenished her
friends teacup and drained the pot
into her own. Then she said:
Your experience Is wider than
mine. You have had the privilege
Of loving and being loved. Now, that
never came to me, for I was born to
this life like a thousand other girls
around US. We go straight from
school to Office. and If we have TO
mances they are connected with
pasty-faced youth behind a counter,
or worse far worse than that-wIth
one OF Mr.. Simeon's kind Personally.
never was in love. and don't know
the feeling"
Il thought love was the rule in
life"
mot for the supernuous woman.
She is better without what is foisted
upon her for the article. she has 30
little chance Of the real. All, Liia.
| envy you your generous heart, my
dear. and your brave lover! It mist
be something to feel that there are
nobler passions In life than hunger
and jealousy and hate"
THAT is an extravagant way OF put
ting il; but 1t is something-no L Is
everything. 1t is the one thing that
is pure and unselhsh, the one thing
that we give away freely, and are glad
when II costs us much. Mildrea.
have II in my heart to-day to be glad
In spite Of these two years OF hope
lessness, in spite Of the ache that
never leaves me, and the sick longing
for sight and touch--to be glad that 1
loved my boy. When his letters stopped
and they said the ship was lost. /
thought | knew all the bitterness OF
life. But there Is worse than that,
because all | have suffered has been
tempered by the thought that we loved
each other. Alive or dead, we love
each other still"
The girl in black had flushed. and
she did not move for a minute or two
The other gathered the tea things to-
gether and began to tuck biscuit-un 4
and kettle away in their dusty cor
ner--
"Heigh-hol" she said I'VE both
have to fight Let US thank God we
can see the humor OF It. To me, now.
there is something very quaint N your
lea-making
Il was thinking too hard OF things
In general, suppose--a trick Of mine.
And, indeed, ! knew it. for have
forgotten to tell you that there is
a letter for you on the mantelpieee.
Il came In just as | was starting out
10 Snuny's."
Lila turned TO the mantelpiece. and
he girl in black opened her notebook
md ran pencil up and down the
ines Of shorthand. reading It TO her-
ielf in an undertone. An exclana- 4
ion made her look up. Her triend
lad turned round to her and was
tanding with her head thrown bsck
'ery quiet and pale. and with a glory
hat was not that Of the evening sun
Inning IN her face
1t is a miracle" she said. "a Cod
,iven miraclei"
what is 1t. LillaY"
And / thought that happiness had
hut its doors on mel When hope was
one. and-there was only Heaven a
ong way away-too far to see-and
low Il is here. Here, in my handl"
LILA. you look like a sleepwalker.
'ell me what II Is"
only this. Mildred" She thrust the
stter into her hands. only a story
hat one sees in books and never hopes
} ind. shipwrecked. but not drowned:
'ashed ashore in a lonely island. Nv
lg through scurvy and loneliness and
orror. and now back again in a home
ard bound ship, and soon to be in
.merica Oh. my love. my iovsi"
The girl IN black read the letter
trough and stared long at her com
anion- Lila had sunk into a chair.
nd the kindly tears had come and
ere running down her face.
IF there is anyone to thank.
iank him now. Lila. sor your sake.
Is most beautiful-and most strange g
he man who wrote that letter is 9
ver for whom Il is worth waiting 8
sars-or a lifetime And FOR ycu- n
1u are worth a dozen shipwrecks." q
''Oh. how wonderful this happiness q
)" said Lila through her tears.
That Il should come to me ana z