The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-11-26

time song, and the rest had applaud
ed. he leaned closer to the girl and
asked if she would not like to go
home early, walking part of the way.
and whether he might not go with
her
She hesitated I'm sorry-but
Just promised Harry" she said,
simply But somehow, while his
heart was hot that it should be Law
ton-again, he had for the first time
an idea that perhaps she really was
sorry.
He went home that night miserable
to the core of his being. Tired as he
was, there was no sleep. And finally
in the gray hours Of the morning.
peace came to him by strange path;
| it was through the self-verdict that
| he was an unutterable, sneaking csd
| OF a cowardi
Now he knew that love is-love!
1t takes you up and you belong to 1t
| and cherish It your life long! You
| love-because you love. and If the
lady Of your heart be tender plant,
a fragile flower, you love her and
guard her the more because she needs
you and your strength! 1t was all
very clear and made him ineffably
happy for two days and night.
Then he awakened to new torture!
| What use was anything If. while
he had been hesitating. the other
man had won her? This thought
made him sore and sick, and he
| finished his days work like an evil.
| feverish dream. He fastened home
to his boarding house, swallowed his
supper, and then with a lovers care
| fulness, made himself immaculate.
He would go and see her.
But it was not until he was starting
that he remembered he did not know
exactly where She lived. He had been
keeping away from her, avoiding
mention Of her. and here he was IN
| able to find her! All he knew was
| what he knew from her-he asked
her how she stood the heat downtown
| one September day of unreasonable
heat and she had answered simply:
I'm not downtown don't work
I stay at home"
OF course she was a pampered
child; her appearance told him that.
He had heard, he could not have said
where, that she had no mother, and
lived with her father and several sis
ters-he never saw the sisters-old
maids who made a business Of petting
her, no doubt He wondered If they
would object to him, whether he could
convince them he would be tender
with her? And all this before he had
once called upon the girl!
Finally he went to a drug store
directory and found her street and
number.
And in the dusk OF a warm Octo
Der evening he found the little street
and the little cottage where she lived
He saw no light, but he went up the
winding path through the deep, tree
guarded yard and to the small, sim
pie dwelling.
Sitting alone on the small porch, he
and came toward him, timidly. until
she saw who it was.
''You!" she breathed in tone soft
as a caress, while he took her hand
and stood holding it, though she
would have withdrawn it.
Yes, Il" he replied in a tense
voice. Lois, can't wait to say Il
prettily and work up to it-but I've
been in torment since the first min
ute / met you, because love you
so, Lois, Can't you see that I've
loved you so much that I could not
trust myself to come near you fol
fear my heart would come out Of
me and drop to your hand! Thai
first time I danced with you ] came
near telling you I'd give my sou
just to kiss you once-I bit my
tongue and managed to keep still
Now, girl, girl. could you marry me
could you trust me to take care
of you? / won't let the wind blow
on you even, If you will give me N!
chance!"
He paused, GREATNESS, because
wonder of wonders, she was listen
ing, and her gentle head was ver1
near his shoulder-so near that h'
put his hand behind 1t and brought
1t close. And then he stopped anC
kissed her. and knew that her cheel
was wet with tears.
Dear he said, what is It? VIII,
are you crying?" and then sh'
laughed and wiped her eyes. but hel
hands chung to him.
I'm laughing because you SHOULD
think l need so much coddling
girl who does all the work for
father and three little sisters! Fathe
is going to marry again, and they'rt
wild for new mother-but I'm not!
But why were you crying? Tel
me-" But she was shy about It.
Well she finally said. since yo1
must know it was glad. hat
begun to think you-might-never-
ask met"
And then the happy lover laughe,
and held the girl very close.