The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-07-08

a little rcd school house. too2" he
wondered. and ~ the honest wistful-
ness In his voice the last remnant %
sally'a caution melted.
Foolish. reckless. horrid" The
worlds thousand voices crooned Il
warningly IN her ear. but she smiled
back into tha boylsh eyes.
1T was a gray stone school house
with a boys yard and a girls yard.
and a pump In front where we all
waited our turn for the tin dlpper"
But there was a boy who cleaned
your slate and left pink. mint hearts
on your desk"
Engraved I love you." she %
sented And was there girl Yea
made cart wheels in front Of all thg
way home-all whirling hands Az
legs7"
Gee. wished you'd gone to ~
SCHOOL," HIS eyes were shining 61-
lightedly. and Miss stiles sobered sHis
denly.
But we're srown-ups now" ESB
sighed. "Only sometimes we forget"
Wouldn't II be great 10 slide back
TO those kid days. when everything
was what II seemed, when we or!sA
whom We were hurt and laughed when
We were glad. and believed IN every
body we knew and everything We wsT0
told7" he asked.
Now smile when I'm hurt and cry
when I'm glAd." she said
"Well?" no challenged. his HANDS
still thrust deep in his pocket and hs1
eyes dancing eagerly. you don't
look like a girl who would take \
dare"
I'm no 'fraid-oat," she boasted.
Il know where there's a birch" The
laugh in her eyes fiiekered anIiously.
"Oh.ol"
Her little squeal OF delight was gem
uine. "And we might find some win
tergreens. Tough. old ones. you know,
with red berries oh. It's fine to be
kid"
"Yuh betchyu. 'Tain't no fair 10
talk like grown-ups. though" he pro
tested.
To think there was a man like this
in that grubbing city beyond Her
eyes were as childish and blue as the
autumn sky as she protested
'T'll beat you TO that sumac, there.
little boy" pointing with outstretched
finger. "one, two. three. ready-go"
With thal mad scamper, Sarah stiles
began an afternoon Of unalloyed. fool
lsh fun that never tagged until she
was homeward bound. loaded with the
gorgeous foliage of the autumn woods.
They paused at a bend in the road.
where cottages below were glimpsed
through the leaves and a sky Of molten
gold poured itself into a glittering
river. The laughter curves fell away
from Miss Stiles's lips in a tired. satis-
fed sigh.
But 1t must be good-by," she was
insisting. Miracles cannot bear repe1
tition. It's a rainbow afternoon for
memory-lets not touch It with the
stupid finger of reality and shatter It.
boy. Besides. II fate is eager and
willing"
You're a silly, little girl" said the
man softly. You're cruel, too. Haven't |
we grown up together?
Very improperly-in one after.
noon." she pointed out But, don't
you understand? | can't be ehe little
girl any more. Any way. I'm afraid
know-it wouldn't last"
81 can't lure you any MORE" he said
But I am sorry. Here" he
drew out a card and rapidly wrote
line upon It. AT least, you'll take
this. And If you relent-Tll be wait
ing"
Running lightly, she started down
the road. Then she looked back and
while he watched, with wistfully re.
gretful smile, she tossed the card into
the wayside bushes.
She had paused scant moment in
The boarding house hall to survey her
.umbled hair when through the cur.
aimed door she saw him coming,
a bunch of keys in his hand.
With a smothered cry, she fed up to
ler own room and waited, peerinB
through a tiny crack.
It was the same gray figure, with
lands deep In his pockets-the very
man into whose arms she
lad almost fallen two hours before.
lis heavy tread mounted slowly and
ounded in the room overhead, where
he crash Of a trunk had driven her to
despair that same day. She buried
Ter head in the cushions. laughing
Then arising, she sur.
eyed her radiant face in the tiny
mirror.
What a dear, sweet, lovely old
hing fate is" she murmured.