Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-01-17
FLOWER OF ROMANCE
BY MARY l. BRAY


windows on the top floor OF small
apartment building, they saw young
people passing by, on their way 70
play golf or tennis in the park. In
the evening they watched many
carriage drew up to neighboring doors
and go gathering away with 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 an age when these could not be.
supplanted. The one or two neigh
bors in the building who had been
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 uneventful days dragged By,
over and over they sighed to each /,
other: Il do wish we knew some
body"
The tenant across the hall 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 its widest dimensions.
One evening as Della leaned out for
a farewell glimpse Of the stars, pre-
paratory to drawing the curtains for
the night, she almost touched a head
projecting from the opposite window.
and started back violently. 1t was
man!
81 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withdrawn.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 a fourth person appeared oppo-
site her, again a man. 1t was her
turn to disappear in confusion, as q
second masculine voice craved par.
don.
Il was clear that there we're new
occupants across the way, equally
clear that they we're 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 course Of
time there was to be a dance given
by one of the college societies, a
dance at which each member was ex-
pected to bring his particular best
girl. Delaney 0'Gorman and Ned
Clark, the aforesaid college boys,
we're both resolved to escort the
twins, or not to 60 at all. Every
art of persuasion they brought into
play. and after days Of timid refusal,
Bella and Della finally gave reck-
lccc consent.
Bellas 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!
ing like a 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: "Dellal
Bella" There was no answer. What
possessed her to remain awake she
never knew. After an interval Of rest
lessness she arose for drink Of wa
ter stopped on the way to glance into
Della's room, saw the bed. empty,
rushed into Bella's 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 eloped! 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 were startled
by soft rustling sounds in the hall.
Aunt Louisa clutched her husbands
arm. Then she sped to the door and
flung it open before two frightened
girls.
"Where'ye you been?" she cried.
Where are those two young menf
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 dancel We
were afraid to ask you, Aunt Louisal
Forgive us-we've had such a haoutt-