Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-07-13

"Well," said she, with her back to us,
there's nothing to tell.''
WHAT" we screamed in indignant
chorus; "dc you mean that he kept you
in that draughty place al the evening,
and never said anything?"
"Oh he said a good deal,' replied she;
"he said he should only live in the hope
of coming back..>Also, that he thought
it despicable to bind girl for three years
who might meet someone she liked better
in the meantime. He SAID he could never
change, but that l must be free to
choose elsewhere'-she broke off-"he's
so noble, you see, so exalted IN his ideas;
it's just the same as if we were en-
gagged"
''Is t?' asked Kathleen with doubtful
emphasis. ut may be, but it is not SO
satisfactory
Three years will soon pass" said Cice-
", in choked voice.
"Are you going to write or anything?"
asked Brenda Lee.
NO." Cicely answered. "He says two
souls in perfect sympathy can commune
without the aid of written words. He
thinks it vulgarizes love to put it into
common speech, on paper"
''Bosh!" cried Kathleen. II don't want
to hurt you, Cicely, but to me all that
sounds a lot more caution than senti-
ment."
Cicely looked grieved, so we said no
more. After all, if she was satisfied, it
was not for us to grumble.
Three years are not much after all.
They soon passed away, and brought
many changes. Our little band was re-
duced, for Kathleen and Brenda were
happily married. l, too, was soon to
leave the ranks of maidenhood But CT
cely Carson was the same. She had plen-
ty of lovers, for she was of that sweet,
gentle type which most men so much ad-
mire. But she sent them all away, very
sweetly, but very firmly; she said ''no"
to all wooers, and we know she was
waiting for Tom Dickson's return.
At last we heard that he was expected
to arrive soon. He had distinguished
himself in some difficult cases, and his
uncle was proud to announce to Slowton
that his clever nephew was soon to take
the active part of the business and allow
him to rest
Cicely said nothing, but she frightened
up wonderfully, and began to practice
new ways of doing her hair.
Soon we heard that he had come, then
that he had taken over the reins of gov
eminent in the business, but he did not
call on Cicely.
He is waiting a suitable opportunity"
said She But weeks passed, and still he
did not come. We heard that he had
taken handsome rooms in fashionable
square, and was visiting in very smart
set.
Cicely said little, but she dropped Wis
IDLY.
At last we were all invited to a recep-
ton given by the sheriff, and we knew
that he would be there.
''Now we shall see,' we said And sure
enough we did.
Would you believe it? That little
wretch saw us all together from the OPP
posite side of the roOm-and bowed for
malfySf,, 1Tf3y., rve1 condescendingly.
Presently he found his way to our part
cf the hal.
"How do you do, Miss Cicely ?" ne said,
shaking hands in the latest fashionable
manner; you have not altered in the
least
'No, we have not changed" said tart
ly.
His mouth twitched; he had the
twitchiest mouth of any man / ever saw.
Kathleen and ] edged off little to give
him a chance to speak to Cicely, but it
was unnecessary. He stood for min
ute talking languidly of the flowers and
the rooms, then said:
Il see someone there | must speak to;
excuse me; so charmed to have seen you
again" And he was gone. We saw him
Join fat Kate Wilde, the heiress, and we
watched him gazing into her eyes with
the yearning look he had once reserved
for Cicely. She was apparently his lode
star now.
We looked at Cicely-she was white as
snow.
Don't talk to me, girls she said,
bravely enough; Il feel that you have
been right about him all the time. l only
have been Blind
There is not much more to tell. \
stronger girl than Cicely would have
thrust him out of her memory altogeth-
er; but she was like many gentle women,
constant to one ideal She had no prop
er PRIDE" as my Aunt Ellen .said.s All
| this was long ago, when we were girls,
and she is the only one of us who is not
happy wife and mother. She faded
quickly into quiet old maid, then, being
always delicate, into a confirmed invalid
She rarely mentions him even to us,
but we know that her heart broke that
dav when she met him and saw that he
had no intention of renewing his old ALI
ance with her. She was not blind. She
realized that her idol was made of the
commonest clay; but i had been her idol
after all. and she could never forget.
Our only consolation is that, after
many futile attempts to secure a wealthy
heiress, or girl in higher social po-
sition. little Dickson is at last married
to a woman of fortune, indeed but TWEEN
ty years his senior. who trots him about
| like a poodle, and he dare hardly call his
soul his own. He has got his deserts, but
that does not make it any better for
Cicely. And she is, l believe, even sorry
for him when gossips tell her tales of
Mrs Dickson's temper. But Kathleen
and | gloat over these histories, and say
to each other, Little beast! Serves him
right Parsons Magazine.