Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-08-25

meLsts tney fWefe pnoe%AS A. was thi-
possible forl me to tell II there had
been any change In Henry's feelings for
Lila. So pieced out the story in this
wise: Henry was beginning to see the
difference between her and the girls he
had met l mean by her" her clothes
"a certain deficiency in what city peo
pie call chic. ] am not referring to
Lila as a soul. not even as a body, for
In bodily beauty she would doubtless
far surpass many q city girl. Well.
what do refer to? Why, clothes and
manner; that's all.
After this Henry seldom came home
during vacations. | heard that he
usually went camping with his fellow
students. AT any rate, l lost track of
my lovers. was reluctantly obliged
to consider my story. If not finished. at
least passing through stage of inter
ruption. Henry had become interested
in a career which would have nothing
to do with farms or farmer people.
When he was graduated learned that
he was intending to study medicine.
But before he entered n medical col
lege his father, who spared no expense
on his education, sent him abroad.
When ! heard of all these matters,
which were taking him farther and
farther away from provincialism and
his provincial sweetheart. l groaned in
spirit, for ! saw that my love story
was likely to end in nothing.
1t was some time before Henry was
to leave the medical college that |
heard bad news of Lila. They said
she had some trouble that was drag
ging her down, but the docArs could
not discover what it was. They could
not diagnose it-that is what they call
ed it. Her father sent to the city and
brought a doctor to the farm especial
ly to see if he couldn't tell what was
the matter with her. The doctor said
he couldn't find any organic trouble,
whatever that means, and the only
remedy he thought might benefit her
was change of scene He advised her
father to take her on a trip. But
Farmer Bunker couldn't afford to do
that, and Lila DIDN'T care to so.
considered this merely a part of
my love story. 1t was plain to me
that Henry Morse had drifted away
from the little girl had seen him 60
ing by our house with when they were
children, and the parting was killing
her.
They say story writer's often fall in
love with their imaginary characters.
Therefore it's not strange that story
creator like myself should fall in love
with a real person of flesh and blood.
! had always known the Bunkers. so
went to see Lila. That was in the
sprng-May. think | found her sit
ting in an easy chair Mt her window
pale. languid and without interest in
anything 1t may be that she devined
by my bearing toward ncr that knew
what was the matter with her. Al
any rate, when | went up to her. took
her hand and drew her head down on
my shoulder she left it there and seem
ed to get relief from the tears that
came.
While she was weeping on my shoul-
der | was thinking Not having any
lover to bring back for myself, ! wish
cd l could bring back one for this poor
girl. And ! formed a plan.
But it was some time before | car
ried 1t out. not till summer came.
Then told Lila's parents that |
thought it would do her good to come
and make me a visit. Since Lila said
she would like to do so, they consent
ed. and within few days she was in
my room, the room from which | had
first seen her go by with her child
lover | said nothing about Henry
Morse either as boy or man any more
than If he didn't exist. But when |
| put Lila in an easy chair at the very
window from which | used to watch
/ her and him and thought Of her as she
was then and saw her as she was now
/ | made up my mind that if | was 60.
ing to make a good. real story of her
case | couldn't rely on things to hap
| pen themselves. I'd have to bring
them about myself.
| | was thinking. too. that my love
/ story had been going on long enough
/ and it was time /, was brought TO 4
] NttSt. IbtSlt-NN Liza WIS 81 weak Nl'
/ | feared In her condition she'd contract
some real disease SO | wrote i3f
/ Henry Morse. who had just been ad.
/ mitted to practice. that | had a patient
/ in my family who was dying of some
! disease that none Of our country doc.
| tors could rel. anything about aud
| would pay MIN whatever he asked If be
/ would make flying trip and diagnose
/ Il spelled it diagknous-the case.
He wrote back that he remembered
me very well and would run down in a
! few days
OF course didn't LET on to Lila what
I | had done. She, poor child, WASH
dreaming what an influence my seeing
her go by my window so many years
before would have on her life. | hoped
! Henry would come as soon as possible
for she was dropping more and more
every day.
| Well. one morning he came. He said
/ he had answered my call after his
arrival even before going home.
was glad of this. for | was fearful he'd
hear something that might interfere
with my plan. Just led him upstairs
opened the door. and he went in and
! closed it behind him.