Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-10-10
CHAPTER |.
muSteTy
A Star Boarder,

A I the end OF warm spring day
~ III New York. James Stuart sat
"a IN the open window OF his
room on Washington square
smiling With sense OF deep JOY he
watched the trees shake the raindrops
from their new emerald robes and the
flying clouds that ticrked the western
sky melt into seas OF purple and gold
huckster turned into Fourth street
crying:
straw berries. raw-berries!'
And the young lawyer laughed lazily
A food OF tender memories stole into
his Leart from the sunlt fields of the
south. He had gone hunting wild
stra wberries with Nan Primrose on the
hills at home in North Carolina the
day be first knew that he loved her.
How beautiful she was that day in
the plain blue cotton dress which tit
ted her superb young figure to perfec-
ton. flow we'll be remembered every
detail of that ramble over the red hills
he could hear now the whistle of
Bob " hte sitting on the fence near
the spring where they lunched, calling
to his mate As Nan nestled closer
on the Old stile they saw the little
brown bird slip from her nest in a
clump of straw, lift her head and soft
~ answer
Look" Nan had whispered excited
ly There's her nest!'
He recalled distinctly his tremor of
sympathetic excitement as her warm
hand drew him to the spot, With pc
culiar vividness he remembered the
extraordinary moisture OF the palm OF
her hand trembling with eager interest
as he counted the eggS-twenty beau
ties. But above ali memories stood
out one AS he bent close above her
he caught for tie first time in his life
the delicate perfume Of her dark rich
hair and felt the thrill of its mystery
Its their little home. isn't it, JimT'
she exclaimed
i hope | can build as snug a nest
for you some day, Nam" he whispered
gravely.
And when she stood silent and blush
Ing he made the final plunge. Looking
straight into her dark eyes he had
said
II love you. dear Nam.
As she stood very still. looking down
In silence with a throb of feal and
aching tenderness he dared to slip his
arm around her waist and kiss the
trembling lips. And then he noticed
for the first time deep red straw
berry stain in the corner of her mouth
In spite Of her struggles be aughinCly
insisted on kissing it away
And then as dreamy smile stole
into her face she suddenly threw her
arms around his neck in passionate
tenderness returning with interest ev
cry kiss he had taken.
Strawberries"
The man looked up and drawed his
familiar cry.
Yes. yes" he shouted. Two boxes
TUT them on the stoop-and keep tin
change
He threw the man a silver dollar
and the white teeth OF the Italian sig
nailed a smile of thanks as be bowed
low lifting his dirty cap in acknowl
edgment
Nor was Mans beauty merely a mem
ory: it was the living presence. the
source of the JOY that filed his soul to
overlooking today, for she had crown
more beautiful than ever since net
mother had moved to New York.
He tad always believed that the rea
reason in the back OF Mrs. Primrose'>
shallow head for this move to the
north had been the determination TO
break his engagement and make a
more brilliant marriage for Nan. And
% when they left he followed
The mother had always profesSed for