The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1910-02-03

Nellie had forgotten Billy, forgotten
herself, forgotten everything but the
fortunes Of this quaint little pair,
these living, breathing children Of the
past which seemed so long ago. She
smiled again over the description of
their merry games, but her throat
ached and her eyes smarted with the
sorrow of their first and only quarrel,
80 genuinely was it portrayed.
The narrative swept on to the out
break of the Spanish war, .Billy's en-.
listment, his return to Montauk Point
from Cuba. fever-stricken and weak;
of Nellie's coming to the long, cot.
Allied hospital tent where he lay. The
girl and her mother had cut short q
visit in New York to find him. She
smelled the horrid medicine again and
heard the raving of the delirium as
she read. Her eyes filled when she
saw how he treasured the memory
OF her kiss that day, the only kiss
poor bashful Billy had ever claimed.
The story took up the soldiers ulti.
mate recovery and return to his home
town to find that his childhood sweet
heart was now considered grown up
she was 17-and was going away to
school. 1t told Of her four.years' alb
sence, with brief visits to her home,
when both the boy and girl were in q
state of transition. Although the old
comradeship was there still, surface
changes. the girls new surroundings
and acquaintances, had made them al.
most strangers.
The story went to tell how Billy,
ever hampered by his bashfulness, set
out to win again the girl who had
given him her frank young affections.
Billy poured out his hopes and his
fears. He narrated how in the read
justment after the four years of their
practical separation she had seemed
more distant and unattainable than
ever. Still, it was not SO bad until
the rival had come who seemed des-
tined to be the victor, all because the
old lover was tongue-tied by morbid
circumstances.
On the next few paragraphs Billy
had expended many anxious hours.
With mingled hope and fears he had
watched the girls expressive face
its smiles and tears-as she turned
page after page of the manuscript.
And now the climax was a proposal,
the sort of proposal he had long
dreamed of making, but had not
dared.
Billy was proud of that paper pro-
posal; it was idyllic and tender, clio.
quent and impetuous. 1t pleaded for
Billy as he could not plead for him.
self; it fairly breathed of love ana
longing. And with the last sentence
of that wonderful proposal, Sweet
heart, will you marry me. that L may
wear your love always, like rose
upon my hearth" the manuscript ab.
ruptly ended.
Nellie drew long breath at the
end. why, Billy" she said. enthue
iastically, that's the best thing you
ever did" Was there a twinkle in
her eye as she went on? Il seem to
have read. or heard, story like this
before. but it was different, too. The
heroine in that story wasn't the per.
feet creature of this. And l don't
think you've done your hero justice"
Billy opened his mouth twice before
he could speak, and hrs heart pounded
as he asked, huskily: "But-but her
answer? Do you think the story
should end unhappily?"
The girl cast down her eyes de-
mure, while blush stole over her
cheeks. II think it too beautiful a
story" she faltered, toto end un-
happily"