The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-07-17
HER SHORT ROMANCE
By CELIA MYRovER ROBINSON.

Melissy walked slowly down the
road, swinging her sunbonnet in her
hand, letting the little breezes stir
the soft hair about her face, and drink.
ing in the pungent breath Of the
pines.
Melissy's dream was very sweet and
very bitter. She had been only girl
-Melissy was thirty-four now-when
she had had her short romance.
There had never been man at Rix.
ton Corners could compare with HI.
ram. Melissy thought him the hand.
soonest and cleverest Of men. And
he thought Melissy az beautiful as she
was good, and Hiram had felt there
was no higher praise than that.
It was ON an evening Of just such
an April day that Hiram had first
kissed her and she had promised to be
his wife.
But the long, sweet summer had not
passed before Hiram had grown cold
and captious. changing so much that
Melissy hardly knew him for the
same ardent lover Of = few months
back The girl was high.spirited-
the broken woman smiled. sadly. 40
she remembered this-and on one day
Of anger and rebellion she had sent
Hiram away and he had never come
back to her again.
He had left The Corners. and dur
ing all tho long years since. Melissy
had never heard from him. Vague
rumors had reached her, however.
that he had gone to Florida and had
made money in turpentine.
The camp meeting grounds were
. good three miles from Tho Cor
ners. and Melissy was very tired by
the time she had covered half the
way. She sat down by the road.
side in the shade Of Z big oak, fan
ming with the pink sunbonnet. rest
ing the tired limbs awhile before 60.
ing on again. The sun was very hot
by this time. and the pungent breath
of wild honeysuckles and the heavy
fragrance of yellow jessamine made
Melissy's head ache. She leaned
black against the messy trunk with
closed eyes. listening to tho hooking.
bird up in the oak and thinking Of
Hiram and wondering why life
was so hard. and why he had
changed so towards her. Melissy had
been too proud to ask for an explana'
tion-Melissy felt now that she would
not be too proud, II Hiram were only
here.
A half hour later q man driving
down the dusty road at rapid pace
drew up his horses sharply. with an
ejaculation Of surprise. The figure
in the blue cotton dress leaning back
against the great oak was SO still,
and the sweet face framed In the
heavy masses of wavy brown hair
was so white that he thought at first
she was dead. But at the clatter Of
the team and his own strong voice
Melissy's slumber was broken and
she sat up, looking dazed and lit
tie disheveled, and rubbing her eyes
like a sleepy child. Then she
laughed and her face turned pink
as she encountered the look on the
bearded face. She put on her sun.
bonnet, hastily, and somehow began
to feel very girlish and timid. It
had been a long time since Melissy
had encountered that look in any.
ones eyes, but she had been q belle
for too many years not to know
when she had struck spark Of ad.
miration.
IL believe l must have fallen
asleep" she said, little nervously.
II believe you did," said the man,
laughing.
1T was 30 hot" said Melissy. "and
am so tired. l am on my way to
camp meeting and got plum beat out
with the heat"
TITS getting pretty hot" said the
man.
Il reckon 1t wasn't the heat %
much" said Melissy, "but I've been
right poorly this winter. This Is the
first time I've been out for q long
walk since January"
"You ought not to have tried t.
walk it," said the man. you aren't
strong enough. It's good three miles
ct least, from your place."
Melissy looked surprise.
Land" she said, how do you
know? thought you were a strange,
In these parts" and she looked with
interest at the fine team and shiny
trap, and the tall. well-dressed figure
"Melissy." said the man. his voice
hoarse and shaken, don't you know
mel"
Melissy face turned as white a.
the 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 so long," ant
J burst into bitter sobbing.
, Hiram took her In his arms ant
wiped away the tears.
1T has been long, Melissy," Id
said, "but We'll fill our lives so full
= Of happiness we'll foget the sorrow
Do you remember the dreams yol
used to have Of seeing the world, lie
lissy? Wei, we'll see 1t together