The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-03-15

| logs IN SnelLefeQ corner. JCun StOp
ped here and proposed resting.
"Elsie,' he said, II must have tirei
you all out. am selfish brute tt
drag you about like this. [ was try
ing TO get away from myself by re
minding myself what staunch friend
you have always been. l had not in
tended to tell you my troubles, but ]
think | must if you will let me-"
"Tell me all about it," she replied
in the matter of fact comrades way
that made condolences easy.
Cali right, but you must not try te
help me. No one can do that. I sim
ply need the relief of words before
settle down to forgetting as fast as !
cam
He hesitated. A man finds it hard
to confde.
"Is it about Rose?' She tried ia
make it easier for him.
"Elsie, [ loved her almost from the
minute | saw her. Everybody must
know it, for 1 didn't hide my prefer.
ence, and when want anything under
the sun it is my way to do my best to
get 1t. | wanted her. Soon I made
her my friend and then-well, l
thought she loved me, though we had
not spoken of it in words. About a
month ago l wrote and asked her to
marry me. l told her everything a
man tells the girl he loves. I asked
her to send me a note in answer and
added that l should interpret her fail
ure to do as refusal, though l was
over confident enough not to dream OF
such thing"
He looked off arcoss the river and
drummed his heels against the logs.
"Elsie," he went on, "she did not
send me word! Not one word! And
that very night she was heartless
enough to smile and nod and blush at
me at concert where we were and
seemed to think would see her home
the same as ever! Then the next time
we met she did not even speakv'
care you sure she received it?'
eyes. l sent it by my brother, and
he put it into her own hand, He did
not wait for an answer. She could
have sent that anyway. Well, then |
went away a few weeks. 1 could not
stand it here, and now that am back
it is worse than ever. l despise my.
self for caring, but 1 hate Norman
Cady for being near her. l thought
if told you, perhaps just putting it
into words would wear off some of my
anger and help me forget her. Elsie,
be good to me and help forget her
Will your"
The girl touched his arm with her
hand.
"You should go to her and have it
out in words. These may be some
mistake"
"There is no mistake. She was sim.
ply playing with me. Elsie, you were
always my comrade, be so now in time
Of need" Elsie laughed, but it hurt
her little.
"Very well, John, come to me when
ever you want to. We will talk and
walk and you shall try to forget. l
will not fail YOU"
March was gone and April had had
her last day of grace. 1t was the ev-
ening before May dag. Elsie, happy
hearted, was waiting On the porch in
the twilight. John was to como
Now he nearly always came. They
were going for another walk in the
spring twilight to wander across the
green hills and back along the road
ways in the white moonlight. Elsie
thought only of the moment, but she
could not help little throb of glad
ness that he so seldom spoke of Rose
She did not, as at first regret the cool
ness that had sprung up between her
and Rose. Nothing seemed to matter
but being happy without thinking
why, John called "sster' half joking
ly, but with entire affection, and while
he sometimes wandered off inconso.
lately by himself be seemed to be con
tent to be with her. And so she wall.
ed. And as she waited her f1fteen.year.
old brother called distresslngly from
his room:
Isis, for goodness sake get my good
coat from the closet IN the ball I'm
goin' to be late to that party
Elsie went to the dark closet and
emerged with coat She knocked
at his door,
ooh, come on in and help me with
this fool tie! Great snakes, if you