The chronicle=news., 1913-07-17
HER SHORT ROMANCE
sy CELIA nvsovGs sos,msoM.

0y CELIA hvRovER Ro0iNsoN.
Melissy walked slowly down the
F0sA. swinging hsr sunbonnet In hsi
haad. letting the little brssses stis
the soft hair about her facs. and drink
ting In tho punssnt breath Of the
pines.
Asiissy's dream was very sweet and
very bitter. 1hs had bsen only . girl
-Asiissy was thisty.eosr now-when
she had had her shost romance.
There had never bssn . man at Rix.
ton Corners could compare with III
ram. Msiissy thought him the hand
somsst and clsversst OF men And
he thought Msiissy - beautiful A. she
was good. and Hiram had felt there
was no higher praise than that.
II was ON au eveaing of Just such
IN April day that Hiram had nrst
kissed her aud she had promised TO be
hts wife.
Hut the long. sweet summer had not
passed before Hiram had grown cold
and captsous. changing 20 much that
Aolissy hardly knew him for the
sans ardent lover OF . few months
back. Tho girl was hiGh'spirited-
the broken woman smiled. sadly. ~
she remembered lhis-and on ons day
Of anger and rebellion shs had sent
Hiram away and he had never come
back 10 her again.
He had left The Corners. and dur.
ing all tho looS years since. Aslissy
had never heard from him. Vague
rumors had reached her. however.
that he had gone to Florida and had
mad0 money in turp~utine.
The camp meeting grounds were
q good ihre1 miles from Tho Cor
nsrs. and Melissy was very tired by
tho time shs had covered half the
way. She sat down by tho rad
side In tho shade of u big oak. fan
ming with the pink suubonnct. rest
ing the tired limbs awhile before 20
Ing on again. Tho sun was very hot
BY this time. and the punE-nt breath
OF Wild honeysucklcs aud the heavy
fragrance Of yellow jcsssminc made
Meiissy's head ache. She leaned
black against tho inosxy trunk with
closed eyes. listening to the mockins
bird up In the oak and thinking of
Hiram - and wondering why life
was 20 hard. and why he had
changed 70 towards her. Mciissy had
been too proud to ask for au explana
not b. too proud. II Hiram were only
hero.
A half hour later = mxn driving
down tho dusty road 1t \ rapid pace
drew up his horses sharply. with an
ejaculation Of surprise. Tho nEura
In the blue cotton dress leaning back
against the great oak was 30 still.
and the sweet face framed In the
heavy masses Of wavy brown hair
vas 20 white that he thought at nrst
she WAS dead. Hut At the ciatter Of
the team and his own strong voice
Melissy's slumber Vas broken and
she sat up. looking dsxed and = liz.
tie disheveled. aud rubbing her eyes
iiks = sleepy child. Then she
laughed aud hV face turned pink
a. she encountered tho look on the
bearded face. She put on her sun.
bonpet. hastily. and somehow began
to feel very Giriish and timid. Il,
had been . long time since Mciissy
had encountered that look In any.
ones eyes. but she had been = belle
for too many ycars not to know
when she had struck . spark Of ad.
miration.
II believe I must have fallen
asleep" she said. = little nervously.
II believe you did, said the man.
laughing.
1T was 30 hot." said Melissy. and
I am so tired. I am on my way to
camp meeting and got plum beat out
with the heat"
ITS getting pretty hot" said the
man.
Il reckon It wasn't the heat 20
much.' said Aelishy. but I've been
right poorly this winter. This Ia tho
nrst time I've been out for long
walk since January"
You ought not to have tried to
walk it, said the man. You aren't
strong enough. It's . good three miles.
at least, from your place"
Melissy looked surprise.
"IAnd!' she said. how do you
know? thought you were = stranger
in these pafts.' and she looked with
interest at the fne team and shiny
trap, and the tall, well-dressed figure.
"Melissy." said the man. his voice
hoarse and shaken. don't you know
met"
Melissy face turned as white as
tho little wilted roses in her belt.
For . moment she stood quite still.
like . frightened child. Then she
gave . glad cry: "Oh. Hiram,
Hiram It's been 30 long" and
burst Into bitter sobbing.
Hiram took her In his arms and
wiped away the tears.
1T has been long. Mslissy." he
said, but we'll hll our lives 40 full