The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-07-04

looked forward to meeting him with
unquestfoning gladness. 1t was not so
much her youth returning as it was
the great success of her planning COM
ing back for approval and commenda-
ton. Their youth was very near and
dear, but 1t was something that was
past and laid away in the lavender
and rose leaves Of her memory.
She had always remembered him as
the young man who had gone away
from her-strong, erect and with black,
curling hair thrust carelessly back from
his forehead. Now, looking clearly in
to the past through the revelation
which had just come to her and with
out the glamour of her own love to
idealize him, she had tried to imagine
how this man who had been hers, but
was now another's, might appear He
was older than her by two years. That
meant he was forty-one Here she
broke resolutely from her RETROSPECT
ton. Why was she so foolish? Forty
one was young for a man, even as
thirty-nlne was old for woman. Of
course he was just the right age for
pretty. simple minded Susie and would
have the clear judgment and expert
ence which she lacked and of course
a strong, beauty loving man who had
been so long away from the world
would prefe" a pretty young girl to a
faded old maid. But as she walked
resolutely to the house. forgetting alike
the roses and the perfect June day.
there was for the first time hard.
bitter pain nj her heart She could
spare him to greater usefulness. to a
noble ambition. but this-oh. this was
different!
And yet when she came from her
room an hour later there was no sign
of disgUiet in her brown eyes or trace
of agitation on the delicate flush of her
cheeks. The rest of the urrulv arms
of the Seven Sisters were cut away or
trained toward Usefulness, and she
was standing with her head tipped
slightly to one SIDE in contemplation of
her work when AGAIN came the famil-
lar tap, tap, tap down the Sidewalk.
ending with the sharp click of her cate
latch.
Here l am again, Miss Dunnin,"
blithe voice called. begin for roses
this time. The COWS have eaten ours
off clean, an we must have a good
spread for our company. | dent know
what the place would co without your
rose garden an lilies an strawberry
bed-or we girls, for that matter. with.
out you" catching hand and raising
it to her lips with a pretty, graceful
caress that caused the older woman to
throw an arm across the young girls
shoulder in sudden tenderness.
"Ch. l forgot to tell you. Miss Dun
min" Susie cried roguishly Hes
come"
Miss Dunning's hand closed a little
more closely upon the pruning shears.
but her face was calm, even smiling.
Il thought he was not expected until
next week" she observed. AT least
that is what the paper said"
ooh, | don't know" Goubtfully. I'VE
don't have the paper. but l think
Charlie was expecting hi!n before next
week. Charles my brother-in-law. you
know. an owns that pretty house near
the river. MI Gray's coin to STAY
with him. They use to know each
other. But, there I'd better get the
roses and be goiY' They're all comm
up this evCnin'. and ma said for me to
hurry oack an get through with my
fixing an fussin. An. say. Miss Dun
min, If you don't mind. I'd like to bring
him to see you fore he goes" looking
up with roguish pleading expression
on her pretty. baby face
"Of course" the strained lips forced
themselves to say You must bring
him by all means"
But after the girls departure Miss
Cunning left the roses and hurried
away to the seclusion of her room
Bring him to her. this young girl who
had been but baby when the two had
been so much to each other What
did it mean? And he had not even
written to her or in any way announc-
ed his coming.
The next day was spent on the front
veranda. reading or playing with her
squirrels and dog or idly touching the
strings Of the guitar, which was an
other of her pastimes. But through 1t
all her mind was elsewhere, listening
for long absent but familiar footsteps
recalling incidents which she had stor-
ed away among the treasures Of her
memory and sending swift, eager
glances to that point of the road at
which Susie first appeared She was
getting old, she told herself weakly.
This lack Of self control was proof of
it. But still she sat there and listened
and thought and watched
But the day wore away, and he did
not come, and then the next and the
next. Through all these years her
eyes had retained their brightness and
buoyancy, and her cheeks had lost but
little Of the delicate bloom Of their
youth. But now her face grew strain
ed and piteous, and dark circles began
10 inclose her eyes If only he had
zone by once and lifted his hat or had
given some sign of remembrance or
recognition! But, no; he did not even
pass along her sidewalk or in any way
evince q consciousness of her exist
ence. On the fourth day Susie hurried
by to the postoffice and back, but was