The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1908-03-18

f.
a clumsy fellow"
All that day Helen was very busy; she caught
her breath from time to time with sharp sigh
and quickened pulse, and when she ran up to
her room after dinner, she looked anxiously in
the glass pulling her hair this way and that and
turning slowly around before the long mirror
Finally, with a frown at her vanity, she stood
quite still, and gazed seriously, almost sadly at
the charming image before her; at the TALL slight
Inquire in its simple white gown; the graceful
brown head; the soft, pure outlines of the young
face, then long and earnestly into the large clear
gray eyes. Suddenly the brightness of those eyes
was quenched in a rain of tears that ran over her
firm little chin, and dripped on the fluffy front
OF her gown; she leaned wstfully toward the
weeping face, murmuring-"Its very serious
you are really nothing but a silly giryou-with
your airs; am very tired of YOU, and she pressed
her forehead against the cool glass.
81 wonder what he really Thinks" she said
aloud and flush burned in the tips of her ears
and spread across the Wilderness of her neck She
reused herself as the door-bell rang and wiping
her tears away. descended, with her most stately
step to the paror. where her afianced hlls-
band awaited her, with his heart in his mouth and
his hands icy cold, breathing prayers to all his
saints.
That evening was long agony of embarrass-
ment to them both; in vain she started serious
conversation on various topics; in vain he
tured to speak of their future; she could find
nothing to reply to him, and he simply leaped to
meet her statements, with an eager assent, that
left her with nothing further to say; and all the
while, he gazed-and sazed at her as it, she
angrily declared to herself, she were something
ever, she explained it to herself; the change in
good to eat, and he-starving.
There was burning anxiety in his eye and a
strangeness in his voice and from time to time
he mopped his brow with handkerchief that
visblv trembed AS the clock struck ten he
promptly rose and sought his hat.
"O-must you go?" Helen asked ruefully feel
ing that the evening had been dismal failure
She said ii with little wistful appealing re-
greet that pierced her lovers heart like an arrow
from Cupids own bow, and he beside her in
an instant.
Helen. he cried, in voice tender enough to
melt marble Venus. but Helen drew back,
harder than any marble ever quarred, immedi-
ately
Il mean" the wretched young fatered, 81
only awned to express sense-mu sense-of
gratitude-of approximations the honor-Helen"
happy"
." have thought very little about happiness"
said Helen severely. II think it is unworthy"-she
looked at him sternly
certainly-cerainly," the culprit fastened
to agree, then picking up little spirit again "but
shall be perfectly happy; I am afraid you'll have
TO allow me--to he happy-Helen-I shan't be
able to help it" Helen smiled indulgentlv
"Of course. she said. we shall be good com
rades-as we have always been: and we shall
enjoy our work together; O-here are some plans
Richter lent them to me-and | want to show
them to you; they would dol think-on Wells
street.
She took large roll of paper from the table
and Morton helped her to unroll and spread it,
The house was quiet. and the two bent over
the plans, side by side, and Helen pointed and ex-
planned, the old feeling of comradeship began to
look into each others eyes now, and Morton was.
for the first time, really interested in what Hollow