Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1908-04-10
MEETING THE QUESTION.

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Viola met the postman at the front
gate. He gave her two letters; one was
addressed in Diana Cctrert's absurdly
angular hand, and was bulky with a
fortnight's accumulated effusion; the
other bore her name in the familiar cali
] graphy of Eustace yandiver, who had
proposed to her quarterly for half a
dozen years.
She sat down on the veranda steps
and broke the seal of the first one with
eager fingers; Diana's letters were in
teresting, if rather voluminous. She
consumed the first eight pages avidly,
then suddenly the sheets fell from her
hands and futtered to the ground. The
the violets and jessamine, nodding and
dropping in tie warmed air, melted
swiftly into mdeous rainbow of impos-
sible oolor the matutinal chirping of the
birds grew harsh and moclIing the blue
of the sky turned black At last she
stopped and gathered the letter into her
trembling hands and went on with her
reading
The minister, their minister, going to
be married and move to Cloverdale!
Billy Colyert, Diana's brother, had had
a letter from him, so there could be no
mistake about it. And she-what lit
lie simpletcn she had been to waste her
affections on someone who was going to
wed another girl. Surely, in their init
mate relations of the last year he must
have guessed her notifying secret;
probably he was taking this very step to
get clear of her. Burning tears sprang
to Viola's eyes and dripped over her
tnrobbing cheeks. But she dashed them
away IN fierce seIf-seorn, and read on to.
the end, her lips compressed, the blood
scorching her temples
There were his exact words, quoted
from Billy's letter: Il am seriously
considering making a charge in my resi-.
Gence. | hope soon TO nary the dear
est girl in the world ard b. ing her with
luc 4 Cloverdale But. Of course, it will
rest with her whether | shall accept the
cali or not-that is a wcman's preroga-
tive. isn't it? However, let us see you
in Brookwood whenever IL suits your
convenience to come, etc
Viola folded up tn, closely written
sheets and returned them to the epvel-
ope Then she opened young Nandiver's
letter with mechanical fingers and
glanced weari'3 st his twenty fifth dec
laration of love, accompanied by an i'm
FASHIONED plea to marry him and sail for
Europe in June. whieher he was going
to complete his course at Heidelberg.
Go abroad-away from it all-show him
that she had not given her love unasked,
and that She flung back her
head with quick accession of pride, and
excitement brought smile to her lips,
a glow to her eyes. She would do it
yes, she would accept Eustace Vandiver
and go with him to the ends of the
earth if need be-anywhere away from
this.
She went to her room and sat down
at her desk, but something seemed to-
dull her brain and numb her hands; she
could not write a syllable. In despair
she took her portfolio under her arm
and returned to the veranda; the shade
of the orchard beyond entieed her and
she ran down the steps and past the
flower beds to the gate on the other side.
Entering, she sought her favorite retreat
in the fork of gnarled old apple tree.
a lazy breeze was blowing, stirring the
leaves about her with vague, musical
rustic. and cooling the hot blood in her
cheeks, She took up her pen and select
/ II sheet of note paper. A twig
cracked sharply, and she sat up alert.
The paper slipped from her fingers.
did | startle your inquired deep
voice under the apple tree.
Not in the least said she, disposinr
herself with studied primness against
the knotted limb at her back
The minister vaulted the lower limb
easily and picked out a comfortable seat
opposite, tossing his hat ON a network of
branches.
| Viola regarded him first with GOODNESS.
then with assumed indifference. finally
with friendly smile that was the hard
est thing she had ever accomplished in
her twenty one years. But he must new
Ell, never guess--,miess ne had already
done SO. And if he had she must set to
work TO prove to him that he was alto
gether wrong!
Viola he began in his straightfor-
ward way, I've come to you with con-
fession. | hope you are not going TOTO
disapprovel"
For second the girl said nothing He
looked rather young for his age, She
thought. He must be at least So. but
his black hair was fun of waves. his
eyes bright and clear, his face ruddy
with health
I'm considering a somewhat impor
tant step" he went on musingly, his
glance sweeping the sky, the ground. and
settling at last upon her slightly flushed
face. land | went your-your advice
Miner" she queried. tiny surrow
wrinkling the bridge of her nose. Sb,
crossed her hands at the back of her