Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-05-19

dearie. We each had q sprig am
were 10 keep Il always, 20 that when
ever No saw It the others face would
appear In our dreams,' said auntie.
"And do you dream Of him yetY'
pursued the younger.
BLESS you, Betty, ri always dream
OF him, and I pray now that after
death here I may zee him."
And % that's the reason you didn't
let Dr.. Thornton ana the others marry
you when they asked7'
Betty, how did you know1'
"Oh, I heard mamma talking about
It. But I won't tell. auntie," she prom
Used penitently. But it's lovely, Aunt
Betty. It's perfectly splendid to love
% long and % hard when you know
he's dead. Would he care, do you
think, II you married some one else7'
HE knew never would,' and the
older Betty sighed.
After that the little Betty had to 60
away to school. She was sent to a
distant city to be taught all manner Of
things embraced In that word ''6n-
ished."
To her romantic soul came many ex.
periences, many temptations to surren-
der to what she thought was love, but
always she measured the depths Of her
emotions by Aunt Betty's loyalty Of q
score Of years.
~Would I love him like thatY' she
would ask Of herself, and always the
sutton failed In the test.
One afternoon she went to a matt
nee at q downtown theater. As she
was leaving the playhouse she was
confronted by stalwart man, whose
agitation was greater than her own.
Betty Randallv' he all but shouted
In his excitement.
'Auntiev' gasped Betty.
Are you Betty Randall?' queried
the stranger. "Of course not. You're
just a child, and Betty would have
been more than twice your age IL she
were alive" and he apologi1ed for his
rudeness as he turned to 60.
It flashed over Betty In an instant
Could It be true3 She decided to risk
It.
'Tomr' she called softly.
The man wheeled at the word and
stood staring at the girl.
Are you Tom Wilson, she asked
"And did you leave over twenty years
ago to 60 out west, and"- she con.
dnued.
Yes, yes! Why-how-who are
your he demanded.
Betty Randall IL my aunt" said
Betty, 'and she has your sprig Of rose
mary"
"Here's miner he cried, and he
plunged into his pocket and brought
forth q worn wallet.
That night Mr.. Wilson had a long
talk with Betty at the school. She ar
ranged to 90 home the next morning
and Tom was to follow the day after
he explained how he had been sicb
for year from exposure while los,
in the mountains, how he wrote to thu
old address, but got no reply.
He had gone back to the New Hamp
shire town, but no one could give hin
Betty's address. So, with fortune be-
yond bis boyhood dreams, he had ram
bled up and down the world. hoping
hunting and miserable.
Aunt Betty" said little Betty two
days later, suppose Tom il alive
Suppose he didn't die, but couldn't flnt
out where you were. Wouldn't tha
be flner' And her eyes danced witt
what the elder took to be girlish en-
thusiasm for romance 80 near to her
There was knock at the door, and
. maid entered with card tray.
There's a gentleman downstairs t.
see you, Miss Randall. He wouldn',
give me his card, but said you'd I'M
derstand by this.'' And she held on,
the tray 20 that there was disclosed
thereon a sprig Of rosemary.
Betty, it's true! He's alive! It.,
Tom" And the speed with which sht
descended played havoc with orthodo,
ideas Of dignity. She fell rather thar
ran into the sitting room, there to b,
clasped in two arms, while a man,
voice came softly to her:
AT last! Thank God, at lastg'