The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-03-13
FLOWER OF ROMANCE

\ ~ MANI - ouRvs
The twins were just past twenty,
lonely, as just past twenty should
not be. Day after day froms their
i windows on the top floor of a small
| apartment building, they saw young
! people passing by, on their way to
play golf or tennis In the park. In
/ the evening they watched many q
carriage drew up to neighboring doors
and 60 gathering away with q fair
and frivolous burden
! The aunt and uncle who had rear
| ed them from infancy had come in
middle life to the great western city,
| where they neither had nor made ef-
fort to form friendly ties. The girls
! had been torn from school friendships
at IN age when these could not be
supplanted. The one or two neigh
/ bors In the building who had been
i kind enough to call were not inter-
esting socially.
| They knew better than to make
themselves unhappy by envy or COM
planning to unsympathetic ears: but
as the, :ae..>.ful days dragged by.
over and over they sighed to each
other: II do wish we knew some
/ body"
| The tenant across the hail let two
!, furnished rooms, whose large win
! dows opened upon the air-court. Della
and Bella had for their personal use
the two opposite communicating
rooms In their apartment, opening
| upon the same court, acknowledged
aperture, not more than. ten feet
across it's widest dimensions.
One evening as Della leaned out for
farewell glimpse Of the stars, pre-
| paratory to drawing the curtains for
the night, she almost touched head
! projecting from the opposite window,
and started back violently. 1t was
man!
! Il beg your pardon!" a deep voice
| exclaimed as the head was instantly
| withdrawn.
Bella. who had half heard the
words, in hurried curiosity looked out
of her window, and at the same mo-
| ment fourth person appeared oppo-
! site her, again a man. 1t was her
| turn to disappear in confusion, as a
second masculine voice craved par
don.
It was clear that there were new
, occupants across the way, equally
| clear that they were college boys. The
twins exchanged these observations
with excited embarrassment. Mean
| while, the two young men were spec
(, ulating animatedly upon the pleasing
possibilities of their discovery.
Matters progressed rapidly, and
| naturally, and in the due courses OF.
time there was to be dance given
| by one of the college societies. a
dance at which each member was ex-
pected to bring his particular best
girl Delaney O'Gorman and Ned
/ Clark, the aforesaid college boys
| were both resolved to escort 1.-THE
twins, or not to so at all. Every
art of persuasion they brought into
play. and after days Of timid refusal,
Bella and Della finally gave reck-
| less consent.
Bella's room had a door opening
| into the outer hall. The girls plan
ned to retire ostensibly as early; as
usual on the fateful night. dress for
the dance, and at $50, when their
aunt and uncle would be sleeping,
steal from the apartment. Morning
| would find them peaceful and unsus-
| pected in their beds. At the appoint
ed hour the twins, their hearts beat
Ling like pair of trip-hammers, made
successful escape.
Perhaps in the triumphant moment
| the carriage door was slammed with
unusual violence. At any rate, Aunt
Louisa stirred in her sleep. With me-
chanical vigilance she called: Della!
Bella!" There was no answer What
possessed her to remain awake she
lessness she arose for a drink of wa
| ter, stopped on the way to glance into
Dellas room, saw the bed empty,
rushed into Bellas room, aud col
lapsed upon the second unoccupied
bed.
A hundred terrifying thoughts seiz-
ed her. A hundred self-accusations
| and reproofs for undue sternness she
poured out upon her astonished hus-
band. After the first outburst of an
| ger and indignation against her
| nieces, she could only repeat over
and over: "They have elop%A! We
drove them to it! Why didn't we re-
alize?"
| Hours later. when the aunt and
uncle were trying to formulate a
course. of action, they we're startled
by soft rustling sounds 10 the hall.
Aunt Louisa clutched her husbands
| arm. Then she sped to the door and
flung it open before two frightened
girls.
"Where've you been?" she cried.
Where are those two young men!
Oh. Bella! Della!"
The girls flung themselves be-
seechingly upon their aunt, and kiss
ed away the tears.
Don't be angry with us, Aunt
Louisa! We wanted to have some
fun! We've been to a dance! We
were afraid to. ask you. Aunt Louisa!
Forgive us-we've had such beautt-
full time!'
"Aro vou orook3rc A. o.%l~o