The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-12-24

Then how does it happen you have
your Office in such poor neighbor-
hood2" she asked.
I have many friends among my
patients who would be afraid of me if
they knew how many diplomas I have
captured" he said smiling.
What great, generous man you
are! have read a great deal"
Is that ALL you can say to me?"
She held out her hand and he took
it in both of his, as he smilingly said,
I am not even sure Of your name, al
though heard someone call out to
you that day, Jump, Alicel' and as
Alice"
II am"
He motioned her to silence, as he
went on, "All my life l have spent
alone. MY parents both died when 1
was very small child and my only rel
alive was an old man, a cousin of my
mother, who thought that when he had
fed and clothed me he had done all.
He was woman-hater, and so it is not
strange I never knew a woman during
his lifetime, is it? He kept one ser
want, man nearly as old as himself,
and would not allow me to 60 outside
of the grounds. To study and read
was all the recreation I had. When l
was nine he undertook to teach me
himself, and to his strict discipline is
due, in a great measure, my success.
He never allowed the use of the phrase,
I can't Nothing, he said, was i'm
possible of attainment; all that was
necessary to do, was to do it. l had
free access to his library, which con-
tanned all the great masters, and many
pleasant hours have spent with
Shakespeare, Dickens, Scott, Thack-
cray and the rest. He died when l
was sixteen, and found to my surprise
that I was rich and my own master.
The lawyer who had charge of the es-
tate asked me what l wished to do.
See the world!' I cried. He talked
to me as a father would, and it was
with him I studied the next five years.
l was on my way to New York to take
the steamer for Hamburg when the in
cident happened that brought you into
my life. What l would have done or
become, had l not met you that day,
1 do not know, but the thought that
somewhere in the world you were wait
ing for me kept me straight, as my
dear old friend would say. Two years
ago l finished my studies and came
home to stay, and wait as best l could
for you. Do not tell me that I have
waited too long. You are not mar
ried?" he asked in alarm.
Il am Miss Alice Carroll" she
almost whispered.
THAT God for that!" he said, rever-
emily.
do you live near here? If so I
will gladly walk with you, or, he said
smiling, perhaps you will allow me to
drive you home" Then, as if it were
an afterthought, he asked: Are you
engaged, or do you love another1"
NO." she answered truthfully, but
flushing.
Then" he pleaded, give me a
chance-let me teach you to think of
me, for know that such love as mine
must have return"
Turning to the window, he said,
See, the sun is shining and the
storm is over. Let that be an omen
of good for us-for me. Surely you
will not deny me that small comfort. :"
His eyes seemed to look a hole"
through her, as she told him afterward,
and a rich glow suffused her cheeks
and up to her temples. Her glance
wavered and fell before the magnetism
in his. Suddenly she realized that he
was holding both her hands and saying:
and in two weeks it will be
Christmas, and in all the thirty years OF
my life have never had a Christmas
present. Won't you give me my first
one2"
Suddenly, and for no reason what
ever, she burst into tears, for such
words were strangers to her ears. She
was old maid" aunt to her brothers
children, and received but few kind
yorde One If those tiuid little women