Graham guardian., 1911-09-01
A Love
Story
The Teller BrinGs About q
Real Ending Herself.
BY r. A. mitchell.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

BY +. a. MIICf1EL.
8 Copyright, 1870 by American Press 9
9 Association. 9
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
am an old maid. | have never had
a love affair and never expect to have
one. Perhaps this is why take mn In
terest In the loves Of other people.
Nothing Is 10 attractive 10 me as to
watch young couple drifting into
that current which ut first moves so
imperceptibly that they are not aware
they are In II. Indeed. so unconscious
are they Of being incipient lovers that
the fact from any one else.
I remember one day sitting ut my
window sewing when boy and girl
passed on the other side Of the rOad.
The boys straw hat was dingy. and
there was plenty Of ventilation In lts
crown His only other clothing was a
shirt and trousers. No shoes or stock
ings. nothing around his throat. hls
collar being open and displaying the
tanned skin. The girls clothing was
neither better nor worse. aud there
was about as much of It.
The two were evidently absorbed In
each other. What they were talking
about was too far from them 10 hear.
but It was Of vital Importance. II
may be that the boy had been kept
in" after school and they were indlg.
nant over time thus lost TO play. 1t
may be that some urchin had smashed
the china head of the girls doll.
Whatever Il was II was being discuss
ed with animation.
And ] maintain that these childish
interests are of more real Importance
for the time being than those which
come later. No addition to an adults
stock Of wealth gives the same test as
a new toy to one Of these little pco-
pie.
Often afterward I saw these two.
and always together In this they
were different from other children
who play. boys with boys and girls
with girls. ! learned that they were
Henry Morse and Lila Bunker. a farm
er's boy and farmers girl. Indeed.
we were oil farmer folk. all knew one
another. everybody being interested In
some degree at least In every one else:
a simple community and more than
usually free from the petty jealousies
common to mankind.
Henry Morse's father was deter
mined that his son should have a good
education. and the boy was sent away
to school. After this used 10 see Lila
going by our house. but no compa Mon
supplied Henry's place. She was al
ways alone. and fancied her think
ing Of her other self. But this was
simply fancy on my part. Az have
said In the beginning. not having had
any love affairs Of my own. ] conjure
up love affairs for others. In this
case Of Henry and Lila knew
nothing OF what was passing between
them except from observation. so
may be excused for filling In occasion
ally that the story may not seem toe
disconnected. AT the last was pres
ent and shall not have to draw or
my imagination.
When Henry came back from schoo
there was a more modish appearance
to his clothes and on bis manners
Poor Lila. who had remained on the
farm, had only an unadorned beauty
freshened by pure air and sunshine
They were now about sixteen years
old. though Henry was half a head
taller, and I could not see that theiI
interest In each other had waned
though the childish Inconsistencies.
that they were of different sex had
disappeared. used to see them sc
by the house together as formerly. bu,
the prattle Of childhood had giver
place to the more sober conversation
Of youth. often wished could heal
what they were saying to each other.
Henry did so well at school that hi.
father decided to send him TO college
I wondered what effect his four years
association with young men and won
en- Of the world would have on my pc
love affair. feared that Henry. hav
ing become used to the polished girl,
he would meet. would return to see II
Lila country girl lacking the air
and graces Of her sisters of the city
Would this ALLEVIATE him7 II was {,
be expected that It would. And though
country born and bred myself. don
know that those Of us who 60 to tn
city and acquire city ways are to b
blamed when we return and yield 4
dissatisfaction at country ways.
Henry remained away a year at col
lege before he came back to the farm
Then one July morning. when sittin
at my window darning socks. I locke
up. and there on the opposite side Q
the road were the couple had 6rs
noticed eight or nine years ago as chi
dren. Though Henry was plainl
dressed. his clothes were not countr
clothes. II seemed to me that he Nigh
pass anywhere as city bred youn
man. And Lila-how my heart wer
out to the poor child In her effort I
dress In q fashion more In keepin
with the apparel of those girls I
whom Henry had been accustomed.
was oil inference with me. but II wa
plain to see that she had prepared hel
self against his return to modify lib
difference between her and their habi
iments.
I wondered II he noticed tails and
II pleased or displeased him. Surel
her effort was not very successful. !
the country one may get city fashion
but II Is not every worker who ca