Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1912-06-06
HEARTS
CROCHETED
By LOUISE OLNEY

Bessie Allen ran breathlessly back
to her new boarding place and
snatched up her fancywork bag lying
on the bureau. Mrs. Clinton, the
heavy landlady, met her coming out
Of her room and stepped aside wiping
her face beaded with Precipitation
from the hot summer morning.
why. Miss Allen, thought you
were gonc!"
80 I was. but l came back. For
got my crochet"
Crochet" Mrs. Clinton cried.
overcome with curiosity. What ON
earth do you do crochet for? You
must have an easy job"
mo. l crochet on the car to and
from the offlce." laughed the girl.
my land! Don't you know you'll
get written up In the papers? Who
ever heard of such a fool thing to do!
should think you'd want to be rest
ing yourself instead Of spelling your
pretty eyes on such nonsense"
1T isn't nonsense" called back the
gid from the porch. II love 1t.
IHat's why l came out here in Cam
den to live. Two hours q day on the
sar gives mo lot Of time to stick
to my knitting.
"Bst don't you feel sillyf" Mrs.
Ca1ntoa pulled down the steps and
followed her strange roomer out to
The walk They'll be guying you On
the CAR"
no: ~ this 10 the end Of the Mne.
! get the front seat and hardly any
one sees what I'm doing. Goodby.
Mrs.. Clinton" And she left the
scandaiized landlady casing after her
unconventional self az though she
were neither fsh. flesh nor good red
herring.
she really did not care what the
landlady or anybody in tho big. hard
city thought She had come here be-
cause she had no home. since her
mother died and she must earn her
living where best she could. She loved
home and home things-like crochet
and with characteristic good sense
she resolved to keep close to the
things she loved every moment out
side of business hours. It was the
oniy way she could be happy. for the
daily grind Of money-getting in
cruel world was cross to her home
yearning heart.
Az she took her place In the front
Of the car this muggy July morning
. young man followed and slid into
the seat beside her. He was tall and
good looking with gentle CLEAN in
bis blue eyes that argued a mind
broad and fine as his physical make
up. He watched intently as she
settled herself with graceful adjust
ments Of her dainty white linen
dress. crossed her diminutive white
canvased feet and withdrew her
thread and hook from her bag.
swAftly her fingers few. creating
cobweb something that fascinated
him. His eyes never left her during
the hours ride.
She was SO easy to look at from
Me tip Of her shell-like ears and the
Ntae curls at tho nape Of her neck,
brown against her white skin, that
he could only divert his gaze a few
inches to a momentary glimpse Of
her face as she turned to the window
inzreQuently to see where the car
stood. She was not stunning, Just
dear and lovable. Her sweet uncon-
sciousness Of him and Of all about
her gave him a protecting feeling
and he found himself resenting an
uncouth workman who pushed for.
ward and sat beside her. Morton for
an his immaculateness would have
hesitated to do that himself.
A pang Of Joy shot through him
AZ he neared his corner to see her
hastily fold thread and hook into her
/ bag and push the button. She got on
j at his corner. then! Cavalierly, he
rose and waited in his seat for her to
pass. She must have been conscious
Of his presence for the last hour, for
she looked up and smiled. 1t was
faint smile. Mundane people would
have said 1t existed only in his i'm
agination. But her great grown eyes
had swept up straight to his and
rested there long moment while a
sweet surprise awoke and glowed
away back In their limpid depths.
JOY Hooded his whole being, and as he
replaced his hat he followed her out
Of the car and watched her turn into
the building opposite his real estate
ONCE with conviction that he had
come into his own.
After that he watched for her at
lunch hour, loitered on the corner
for her car at night. but try as he
might he could only see her in the
mornings. He was up betimes to be-
stow more scrupulous care on his al
ways immaculate person. He found
a inical satisfaction in all his
scarfs and invested in many new
ones which necessitated correspond.
ing hosiery. He was Respondent, for
he was in love.
Every morning they sat thus - she
first. he second. In the car. And al
ways he waited for her to rise and
pass out before him and bestow the
smile. His only chance of expression
was in his answering smile and the
grace of his gesture as he raised hia