The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-07-19

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letter again.
He sat and gazed about the old gar
den with a long breath of content.
Her letter had babe him meet he
there at three O'Clock on Tuesday, thu
sixteenth. The misssye had come q
a time when Johns 6~uoyaney was a
the lowest, So many things had gont
wrong that summer, He stood face t
face With the failure of his most cher
ished plans. He wondered bitterly Il
he were the same person as tina
youth, who. two years ago, had start
ed out SO strong and confident e
wrest fame and fortune from a reluct
ant world,
The queens whlm!" He had smil
ed as he read, but he had arisen al
once, and obeyed her summons.
So three o'clock on Tuesday found
him waiting in the garden. 1t was O
garden made by a bride of two genera
tons ago The gate latch clicked, and
his hearts desire came out from
among the roses,
"Oh, my darling, How lovely you
are!" breathed this densen from the
world of strife.
why cannot | take her away, and
give her the things that are the birth,
right of such as she? | ought to wish
for a rich lover for her If | weren't
EiInh n catfish urpAtnh Ilt,I thAraig a..
danger that I'll ever make any such
WISH" he finished his reflections as
she stood before him.
Il didn't come to meet you because
/ wanted to gaze at you as you came
down the path he said, as he took
her hand.
THE city improves you wonderfully,
John, You're learning to say nice
things, and you know you used to be
SO painfully blunt"
And now, about this mysterious
summons" he said.
Il was so afraid you couldn't come"
she said sweetly ignoring his question.
And If you had failed me ! should
have been broken hearted"
why didn't you mention that 1t
was a matter Of such Importance?
But, Of course, you knew that the
merest hint from the queen was
enough to bring me any time"
81 wonder she said fitting her head
back to watch a bird above her, what
lover first called his lady a queen.
They all do 1t now"
you seem quite familiar with the
ways Of lovers, he suggested.
"oh, ! am" was the cheerfnlly
prompt reply. Il think | could count
on quite half of the young men Of the
village. There's about a dozen of
them. so you needn't laugh. And be-
sides, there are the summer b~oarders.
you know"
Il hope you will never marry one
of that despised race called the sum
mer boarder."
Moo, | don't think / shall. In
deed, none of them have asked me.
You know a girl is in a very awkward
situation when she tries to make her
plans, She does not know when these
absurd men will speak. But no mat.
ter how imperative II Is that she have
things settled she must meekly clothe
herself with maiden modesty, and
walt" She was watching a bird on a
distant bush now, and did not look at
him as she spoke. After a moment,
frightened by her boldness and his 81.
lence, she stole a quick glance at him.
He, too, had turned his eyes away
and his mouth was set In hard lines.
Before he had left the village there
had been a boy and girl betrothal be-
tween them. She knew the SECURITY
Of his love. But Of late he had ceased
TO speak Of marriage. He felt that It
was unfair to bind her when his future
was so uncertain.
John" she half sobbed, putting her
hand on his arm, don't mind 1t. It's
only nonsense, you know. Don't look
like that"
He took her In his arms, murmuring
soothing words, and yoiclng his indy
Ing love and hope, Even amidst her
exultation at the success OF her limo.
cent designing she found time to won.
Ter at this outburst of passion from
ler self-contained lover.
Darling" he said at length; q"
ought not say these things to you. /
,ould scarcely promise you bread and
] have no right to tell my love
when / cannot ask you to marry me
until some indefinite time In the fu-
Let us not be sensible to-day. Let
IS be quite irresponsible, which is the
natural state OF lovers. Besides, we
IAN be engaged until that future day
"But ] should have left you free,
Some more fortunate lover"
She covered his lips with her fingers
Until he was ready to be irresponsible.
When John left the garden, secretly
IS he had come, 1t seemed to him that
he things that had troubled him must
been a part Of some previous ex.
The brown farmhouse where