The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-01-28
Two Bachelor Girls

they would never surrender their lib.
erty to q man. I'VE will live together
in a nice little suite OF rooms" they
said. why should we need a man to
make our lives complete?" Shall
you be called old Maids'?" a friend
asked them. They Indignantly re-
piled: "Why, no. we will be bache-
lor girls"
So they both entered college with
the intention of teaching school some
day. They never tired Of their favor
lite subject of conversation. and many
were the plans and projects they dis
cussed. In imagination the four
dainty rooms they were to occupy to.
gether in the future were furnished
over and over again. and their spare
moments we're spent in working on
sofa cushions and other pretty triles
dear to a woman's heart
The summer came and the girls
were to part for three months, and
with their arms about each other they
rejoiced that in one short year they
would be free to begin life together.
Nov don't you 90 and get engaged"
said Isabelle as they bade each other
good-by, and then they both laughed
as If it were huge joke.
Isabelle went to Bar Harbor with
her mother, and Catherine spent her
vacation in little village in Vermont.
For awhile the girls wrote frequent
ly and fully to each other, but soon
Catherine noticed her friends letters
gh >. 70
suppose Isabelle is In the whirl of so
ciety. AS she doesn't write to me
about how she spends her time shall
not tell her of anything that am do
ing" sighed Catherine. as though to
excuse herself for her hastily written
notes.
The summer wore itself away and
autumn came, and the girls returned
to college and greeted each other
warmly but with constraint. "Why,
Catherine, how well you look! Did
you have a good timer" inquired Isa-
belle. 81 enjoyed myself very much"
was the answer, in rather weak
voice. And you, dear?" Isabelle
with rosy face and downcast eyes
assured her friend that her summer
had been a very pleasant one.
No further allusion to the past or
to the life of the future was made by
either, and they soon settled down
into the monotonous round of school
duties. Although roommates still,
they avoided each other to such a de-
gree that it was remarked by the 9th
er students. and many were the con-
lectures put forth on the subject.
She knows it! Oh, dear. Oh,
thought Catherine, She ignores me
more and more each day" 81 will
have to tell her" sighed Isabelle.
What will she think of mel"
One evening in October the two
girls, separated by the entire length
of the room, were preparing their les.
sons for the following day. Catherine
would steal a furtive glance from her
book to Isabelle's face only to- find
Isabelle gazing fixedly at her. Then
they would both glance quickly down
with heightened color and rapidly
beating hearts.
The little Dresden clock on the
mantel chimed the half-hour after g.,
and Isabelle closed the book she had
been holding upside down and with a
firm resolve to do or die flung her.
self on the couch and buried her pret-
ty head in the dainty cushions. Cath
crime, hurriedly thrusting much
worn letter into her pocket, earnestly
besought the weeping girl to tell her
the cause of this sudden outburst.
Thus urged, Isabelle began in low.
pleading tones: Can you ever for.
give me? / have broken my vows to
you-all those lovely things we made
oh, dear; you needn't finish that
pillow. l wish | had stayed at home,
but then wouldn't have"
Tell me all about it, dear" Cath
crime begged, as she softly patted Isa'
bellies hand.
We'll, while at the shore this sum.
mer | met young mana lawyer
he is just lovely, SOL liked him and
he liked me. At first, Cathy, | only
considered him as a brother, | really
did, and have broken my VOW to
you. Oh, dear! He is so kind and
good that / don't believe you could
have helped liking him If you knew
him as well as | do. There!" and so
saying she hid her face in the cush-
ions again, not seeing GATHERINGS
joyful countenance.
Look up, Isabelle! Don't cry.
have a confession to make also. met
a college professor last July whom
thought / regarded only as a friend,
but when he told me how much he
loved me | had to confess that | re.
turned his affections"
Isabelle had been listening with an
expression of amazement. and now
she threw her arms impetuously
around GATHERINGS neck, exclaiming
'1t is simply charming How happy
am! / wish you could see Dick. He
is just lovely, and"
mot any nicer than Lawrence" f"
said Catherine, with a little show OF
spirit, and then they embraced each
other again in true school girl fash.