Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-10-28

and threw herself into a big
armchair in a passion of tears. How
can it have happened? What was the
matter with us? You know l love you,
Roland-yes, anG l know you love
me. And yet-if we had hated each
other we couldn't have been more
cruel. Can't a love like ours cast out
misunderstanding and vanity and sell
ishness? | would die gladly If my
death could save him from pain. And
yet | could not yield a worthless point
to him-to him who is worth more
than the whole world to me. We did
not mean what we .said-and yet we
have given each other a deadly wound
have insulted our love-have tram
pied a holy thing in the dust"
The hours slipped by and at last
Alice aroused herself. She sat up,
feeling absently at the fourth finger
of her left hand. She started as she
realized what she was looking for.
Even my finger misses him." she
whispered, with a pitiful smile.
Behind the house a narrow, winding
path made its way between the apple
trees and past a yellow field of rye,
through a green wood, and over a
brook by a rustic bridge. Beyond that
point it wandered on, with many a
lovely turn, giving now and again an
enchanting glimpse of the great river,
until, a mile or more farther, it Joined
the highway. 1t had been the custom
of the lovers to meet at the little
bridge every evening, and then to
saunter along the path, and home by
a short cut across the golf links.
Alice knew that the hour when she
generally started for the trysting
place was at hand, knew, hesitated,
and finally arose.
HE won't be there tonight" she
murmured, land l think my heart will
break; but | will go-I cannot stay
away"
The shadows were long under the
apple trees as she walked out and
the robins fiuted ~joyously. The even
ing seemed too lovely to belong to
earth. Meant for heaven, it had some
how lost it's way and dropped, by a
fortunate chance, on u world. AS
Alice moved slowly along the fragrant
path, seeing in the sky the wonderful
ever changing shades Of rose and
green and purple, hearing music from
a hundred happy birds, breathing the
balmy air, an indescrihable peace en-
tered her troubled heart. What though
anger and misunderstanding lay be
hind? She knew it was all right now
Roland would be waiting for her, wait
ing with a look of perfect comprehen
sion, and she would not even need tt
speak. But speak she would, and al
she never had before-to tell him how
deep, how great her love was, ant
that never more should a shadow dar
ken it. Never, never! The birds SAM
always mor sweetly, and the VIM
among the branches made tender hal
monies that chimed with the love |
her heart.
And now she passed the yelloV
grain, and entered the woods, an
there, indeed, midway on the bridge
where the sun sent a mellow CLEAR
through the overarching branches
stood her lover awaiting her. A wav
of happiness surged over her, takin
her breath for an instant. She stoppe
and then ran forward with hands our
stretched, calling in a voice low bu
I of piercing tenderness:
MY dearest, l knew that l shout
find you'll knew you would be here
If you had not, I think l should hav
died"
In a moment they were in eac
others arms, and at his kiss the las
faint doubt or lingering veil of bi
h terness, If any there was, passed II
. terly out of Alice's heart, and
seemed to her that in that instant fo
, the first time she knew happiness
/ supreme, divine.
q Have you waited long, Roland?
she asked.
e mot long, dear"
"And you forgive me-"
a THE fault was as much mine g
yours, Alice" he whispered. IAN,
after all, there is nothing real exceI
our love"
d With their arms about each othe
they s~auntered on down the path. Th
dying radiance of the sun made
glory about them, the trees whispere
d and swayed over their heads, and
d seemed to Alice as though she scare
ly touched the ground. What indee
was real beside their love? Thes
lovely things about her-these singh
birds and fragrant flowers and mu
muring leaves-they were only a so
1t of picture, a reflection of the hapr
ness in her heart. AS long as tn
4. beautiful happiness lasted-and ST
d felt as though it could never ends
d long too would this delightful, bio
soming world surround them. 1t mu
n always be glorious summer whel
they two were!