The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-12-21
ACOURTSHIP BEHIND
WHITE LILACS

BY ROSE E. HUBNER

little else. could scarcely get MIN 10
tell me about his illness"
Has he been sick?"
Eleanor looked anxiously down TO
where he sat on the lower step.
"oh, nothing much; only fever" he
answered.
Both women saw that his hat shook
in his trembling hand
"Why, Harry. what's the piatterg"
exclaimed Mrs. Graham
With a groan her nephew's head
sank upon his breast and he slid 70
the ground unconscious.
"A pusson whuts had laria feber
amt no call to overdid theysefls." de-
clared Aunt TillIe. as she hastily car
ried a pail Of cold water to batho The
face Of Mars Harry"
A young civil engineer, with all III.
enthusiasm and ambition OF youth, he
had entered his profession, only TO find
that plunge from college into the
woods and swamps was a change too
great for even his strong constitution
to stand. To recuperate from the fever
which followed he went to his aunts.
where he knew a hearty welcome and
the quiet of a secluded village awaited
him. Now, as he lay IN the white.
clean room and looked with conscious
eyes, for the first time in many days,
into the dimpled face Of the little
nurse, whose gentle fingers soothed
his still throbbing head. he was glad
he came; glad he had fever; glad Of
anything that kept her near him.
Il am so thankful you are better"
Eleanor said; here comes Auntie with
your broth. The doctor says you are
out Of danger now"
The lilacs had withered and gone
and the early roses were scattering
their leeves in tinted flakes over the
grass, before he was strong enough 10
walk about the grounds and sit beneath
the arbor and listen to the music OF
Eleanors voice, as she read TO him
Then he was suddenly recalled to bis
home, back to his interrupted work
Eleanor was away when he left
When Mrs. Graham laid in her hand
his note Of farewell, feeling of unut-
terable loneliness crept into her soul.
She let Mrs. Graham turn her pale
face up TO her own and gaze deep into
her eyes. Without a word Eleanor
kissed her, and turning. walked down
the path between the lilac bushes and
down the quiet street.
The summer slipped into autumn:
then the cold breath OF winter held In
check the impulsive spring.
A new sweetness, womanly lowell
ness, added new charm to Eleanor.
That farewell note she kept; no eyes
but hers ever beheld the missive. All
his letters she kept; letters telling Of
his perfect health, his ambitions, Of
his memory of a beautiful summer
gone by, Of his gratitude to her, and
his love for his aunt
Eleanor reproached herself for the
aching void his letters left In her
heart Was he not kind to remember
her. to be grateful for the little she
had done to help him master his III
ness?
AS she approached the cottage one
morning her thoughts we're far away.
1t was just one year ago that she came
that glorious morning to gather
bunch of lilacs. She was living over
again the anxious hours of his illness.
the happy hours of his recovery, when.
like a wave fraught with recOllectiona.
a delicious fragrance swept over her
Lilacsl Yes, they were again in bloom,
the white ones nodding to the purple
ones in the slow moving breeze.
Eleanor took a bloom from the low
est branch and pressed 1t against her
cheek as she thoughtfully walked up
the well-known path between the over
hanging foliage.
Eleanor"
Harry Graham, bronzed by wind and
sun, stood In her path.
Eleanor. l have waited so long;
speak, darling; tell me-tell me, dear
heart, that | have not waited in vain.
tell me you love me, for, dearest, love
you So"
For moment she stood looking at
him, as one looks at happiness but
once in a lifetime; then over her face
swept a change-the letters 50 friend
ly, only friendly
"Why-did -you-wait?" she hesi-
tatingly asked
"Ah, Eleanor, the waiting has been
hard. promised Aunt Emmie; she
guessed my secret promised her to
wait one year. She thought you toe
young to know your own heart. TO my
aunt | owe everything. | promised [
would not by word or letter try to win
your love--it was mad pFOmisel How
| longed to know If you cared for me.
Eleanor, sweetheart. tell me-"
He stood close to her. She dropped
her eyes to hide the tell-tale light Or
love. Taking her hand, that held the
spray OF lilac, he clasped it in his
own.
The year has passed. To-day my
life is either made happy or ruined
The lilacs, darling-it was on throne
,f Iflaoc thaf I Fraf cow mr., A..