The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-03-11
Cupid's
Coal Truck.
BY James Francis Dryer.
Copyrighted 1905. by E. c. PARCELS

reckless manner as he looked Tor the
cause
Goal truck Oh the blink with a bro
ken axle" he cried disgustedly, AN
now l got to chase through the snow
to phone the Emergency van" lie
walked through the car to acquaint
the motorman of his heroic intention
and, after butfoning his Jacket, set off
up the snow covered road in search
of a telephone
The motorman took the opportunity
to stretch his legs by walking around
the disabled vehicle. When he step
ped from the car the two passengers
sighed YEARLY and the man moved
closer to his companion
well, I'm glad that conductor has
gone he remarked. "He stared at us
till my conscience suggested / had
given him Il bad COIN
The fur wrapped girl beside him
laughed merrily.
Its a habit of conductors She
murmured. II have noticed them be-
fore"
II will pardon him" said the man.
"He is but mortal, and | am pleased
to find that his mercenary occupa ton
has not destroyed his love of the beau.
tiful'
The girl smiled indulgently, but re-
manned silent. Meanwhile the motor
man had entered into a discussion
with the truck driver as to the best
method of removing the damaged We
hicle.
'Letty!' The mans voice interrupt
ed day dream and the girl started.
DO You know l am desperately in
love:'
The big blue eyes surveyed him crit
ically
NO; l do not" she said emphaticai-
~ when man is in love he can
never disguise the fact
You are thinking of calf love" he
remarked. "the kind that bubbles over
and spells its owners appetite, but
solid healthy mans love-
ut is all the same she interrupted:
"concealment is impossible. Now. Mr..
Darlington is in love, and child can
detect the symptoms.
"Dorrington' The mans voice ex-
pressed his surprise. do you mean
old Dorrington!r
The slightest pickering round the
corners of the little mouth showed
where a smile tried hard to establish
footing.
when Mr.. Darlington called yester-
day. continued the girl. Il watched
him closely While he was speaking to
mother
Pardon me.' The mans tone was
masterful. and the girl stopped rs
Dorrington-old Dorrington-in love
with your mother:"
The smile made another valiant eff
fort to disturb the serenity of the girls
face, but retired discounted.
II do not think So she said quietly.
''lf he is. the feeling is not reciprocal
ed. as mother always leaves me to
entertain him when he calls"
The man WINGED.
II am anxious about hm"-he tried
to hide the effect produced by her
thrust-"Dorry is not young. you
know, and love. like measles, plays the
mischief with elderly people"
The lowering smile flashed trium.
phantly across the girls blushing face.
Seriously, Lefty" her companion
continued Darlington is old. / re-
member him twenty years ago.
when be chased me away from pond
hear your mothers house God bless
my heart, girl"-his tone changed to
one expressing blank astonishment-
II am getting old too!''
The girl turned. and the blue eyes
looked carefully over the mans brown
face, noting the length and depth of
every wrinkle that marked it.
''You are getting old, Jack"
Il know 1t" he cried, land here am
In sidetracked car doing nothing.
while time pursues me remorselessly."
Evidently thinking anything prefer
able to inaction, he started out to cap
ture one of the little gloved hands OF
his companion, and after she had vain
~ tried to defeat his intentions he
clasped 1t between his own two and
seemed Immensely pleased at the feat.
Dear me" she sighed. II wish that
conductor would come back"
HE cannot Shift u.s. The man was
defiant, and the girl blushed as she no.
dced his restiessness.
mo, but he can stare at YOU she
cried irritably. land your actions since
he departed prove that the stare was
effective"
But, Lefty" he said. what terri
BILE thing it is to look back on thirty
Ave wasted years, thirty-fve autumns,
thirty-five springs and the same num-
Der of winters and summers, all bar
rem and useless" He shuddered and
moved closer
"Oh, Jack" she murmured, do look
and see if he is coming"
He stood up. still holding the little
hand. and carefully scanned the white
road. "He is not comingw he cried
gleefully. He Will have to walk