Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-02-01
Game Of
Hearts and the
Rubber....
BY Martha Cobb Sanford.
By Martha Cobb Sanford.
Copyrighted, 1907, by c. H. Sutclifre.

body admitted that. How she had ever
managed to get past the tWcntieS with
ont yielding to the numerous sieges
laid to her heart was Il matter of com
mon wonder Now that the momentous
eve of her thirticth birthday had ar
rived Lconora herself was wondering
about it,
She thought of the faithful Rob and
sighed. She thought of the impulsive
Jack and laughed outright She thought
of the imperious Roland and lifted her
eyebrows They were remarkably beau
tiful eyebrows, and the eyes that look
ed frankly into hers out of the mirror
were beWitchingIy merry and brown.
For few moments Lronora brushed
her Wavy hair vigorously. Then she
tWincd it into Il long thick braid, said
good night and goodby to the twenty
nine year Old girl in the mirror, turned
out the light and jumped into bed.
"Bothcr the whole bunch she muttcr
ed Slccpily I'm never going to think
of them again"
But she did. At least, go where she
would in her dreams, the persistent
Rob followed her, his wistful, admiring
eyes fastened upon her until it seemed
as if she could not stand it Il moment
longer. Then Jack would appear from
seemingly nowhere and without any
polite prelininaripS or regard for the
curious people around them, would be
gin to tell her how he loved her, how
he lived but for sight of her, how he
Suddenly exit Jack and enter Roland,
the autocrat
81 don't like the looks of that man
who was with YOU just now, my dear,
was his uItimatum Il don't want you
to have anything more to do with him.
Come; we will he married Immediately.
| won't stand any more tritling, And
then oh. then the rain began to pour
in torrents. and the wind blew gale
and she was All alone, and she lost her
rubber while crossing Il muddy street,
ana we'll, SO it went on and on through
the night
In the morning the doctor was called.
Lconora had Il high fever and other
alarming symptoms.
Are you subject to attacks like
thcsc?" asked the young physician in
his most professional manner.
"NeVcr remember having had a doc
tor before in my life" Leonora answer
ed, smiling fcebIy. Then, Il flash of her
true miscellaneous self naring up for a
moment. she added: But think I'm
going to enjoy it. You're so amusing
ly Young and serious. Or. Torrence."
Perhaps it was just as well for Leo
nora that Il sharp pain in her side pre-
vented her from expressing her obser-
vationS more freely.
When the pain had passed the doctor
resumed his cross questioning.
do YOU recall any way you may
have taken cold:" lie put the ques-
ton this time in an almost jocular
tone
"Thats BETTER" commented Leonora.
"The pain? I'm glad"
mo; | meant thc-never mind. What
was it you aslcd?"
DR.. Terrence repeated the question.
"Oh, yes. Why. ! lost my rubber
yesterday III lllt TAM. \ an Ou tdhe
cold 10y Wctting just one foot?"
The physician refused to commit
himself Before Ieonora could get
chance to push her inquiry she found
her mouth effectively stopped by n
clinical thermometer
That evening DR.. Terrence called
again. He found his patient not quite
so we'll and far less frisky.
Its been such an endless day" she
told him. the dreariest | ever knew
in my life, and it's my brthday!'
at doesn't look dreary with all these
beautiful flowers nodding their con
gratulations'
congratulations" Lconora groaned.
"Dr. florence, I'm thirty years old"
The doctor gave vent to Il hearty
laugh.
You look about sixteen" lie answer
ed gaIlantIy.
Ieonora flushed family at the COM
pliment, lifted one of her long braids
that lay over her shoulder and dropped
it again YEARLY.
ITS an awfu! tragedy" she in
formed him You can't appreciate
it."
Il thought did three years ago" he
answered. smiling at her gently, "hut
I've found out since | was mistaken.
Why, you're just beginning to live
my dear"
The last two words he felt at liberty
to add by virtue of his three years
seniority plus his professional priv
ilegcs.
"Perhaps So" sighed Leonora, "only
] feel more as if | were going to die"
Indeed, for the next few days it
looked rs though her pathetic prophecy
might prove only too true, At last,
after a hard fight, the dread pneu-
monia was conquered and the days Of
conyalescence dawned, none too bright
ly, but surely.
When LeOnora could at length sit
up the light of her transparent, white
looking face almost scared her. She
used to pinch her checks for the joy
of seeing the color come back to them.
just let her get strong again and
wouldn't she show everybody how
young and heart free she was. AS if,
for that matter. any one had ever
thought of her as anything else!
surrounded by flowers. as usual"
was the doctors CHEEKY greeting as he
dropped in for semisociaI semipro-
fessional call one afternoon.
I.eonora didn't really need his serv-