The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-10-20
The Old Love and the New
By Margaret E. Donnellah.

| IL cSeoSJ III 49,
sweet voice called out: "Lou, Lou!"
She gave a start of pleased sur
prise and ran down to the end of the
orchard. On the Hastings side Of the
wall, in the summer house built in
the cherry tree, a girl Of about twenty
years was ensconced in a reclining
chair.
Louise hurried up the few steps to
the little bower.
katie Gordon, when did you come
out?" and she nearly smothered her
friend.
Katie's eyes danced with delight at
the surprise.
SIN to be out all day. The doctor
says if my heart doesn't go back on
me I shall soon be we'll" She looked
up shyly. "I'm so happy that you are
glad" There was a pathetic sweet
ness about the mouth as she hesitated
-"lately I thought that Harry had
taken my place"
Louise would let her go no further.
katie Gordon, you should be
ashamed. Do you suppose I would
let any one come between us? Why,
you have been my friend since I can
remember and I love you dearly"
She patted her friends hand at
fectionately. "Ill come over and
spend the afternoon and we can have
a lovely time, and I'll wear my new
dress"
"Will you really, Louise?" Katie's
face frightened with pleasure. Il
shall be waiting for you"
Louise hurried through her work
and donned her new dress, a charm
ing wonder of gray and old rose. On
her way out her mother met her at
the parlor door.
Louise, dear, Harry Lawrence is
here and wishes to take you to the
celebration at Preston"
Harry" she exclaimed, "why, we
had. 1t all planned to go to-morrow."
eyes, I know" Harry interrupted,
coming to the doorway; he gave a
glance of surprised approval at his
pretty, daintily dressed sweetheart.
"But I've got to go away for two
weeks to see about some machinery,
and I persuaded dad to let me have
the afternoon off.
"Just think he pleaded, 1.-TWO
whole weeks; surely, Louise, you can
give me the afternoon"
Her mother smiled at his anxiety,
but Louise hesitated. She could not
explain to either her mother or Harry
about Katie-they would not under
stand-but she could see her lying
there among the cherry bloom watch
ing for her. She could see the pa
thetic sweetness of the pa, face and
felt the loyalty and comradeship Of
the old love. She resolved to go to
her friend, but raising her eyes she
saw Harry watching her; grave and
tender the new love pleaded.
you will come with me, Louise?"
he said, a%nxiously.
EYES," she said, sitting the old
love with the promise: Tomorrow
I'll make it right with Katie"
1t was late the next morning when
she came down to breakfast. With
a pleasant remembrance of the good
time of the afternoon before, she re-
lated little anecdotes to bier mother.
She had finished eating before she
noticed her mother was paying little
attention.
Mother, what is the matter?" she
said, somewhat alarmed.
Her mother placed her arm about
her and said gently: "Louise.
darling, your friend, Katie, died dur
ing the night"
Mrs. Hastings had dreaded telling
Louise, but hardly expected it to be
such a shock.
katie dead! Mother, no, not
that" Every vestige Of color left her
face, her lips worked convulsively.
Her mother tried to comfort her.
"Her heart was weak, Louise; the
doctor feared just such an outcome"
Louise sat u%nheeding, d~ry-eyed,
the terrible thought settling on her
brain that for Katie and herself there
was no tomorrow.
The family expected she would be
more herself in a few days, but after
the funeral she was no better, and
when Harry Lawrence returned she
refused to continue their friendship.
Her family were alarmed and Harry
was perplexed and angry. At first
he was resentful, but as the summer
wore on and he saw his sweetheart
so changed and sad, all the manliness
in him was aroused.
Her mother told him what the doc
tor said: "If she can be induced to
have a good cry she will get BETTER"
and he wished he might be the means
Of helping her.
The autumn days had arrived,
when one day he saw her sitting on
the wall near the Gordon place.
He ignored her apparent wish for
him to go away and tried to get her
to talk about Katie.
you thought a great deal Of her,
Louise?" She barely nodded.
"She loved you very much?' This
time she did not answer.
He was uncomfortable at the ole-
sided conversation, but continued:
81 was talking to her the day be-
foro she died, and l told her what
intended to tell you soon if you would
Let me, and she was pleased"