The Wahpeton times., 1913-06-19
FLOWER OF ROMANCE
BY MARY L BRAY.

AA0 sWAAAo WSE0 JVoI p88t twenty
lonely. ~ just past twenty shoul,
not be. Day after day from thei
windows on the top floor Of . small
apartment building, they saw youn,
people passing by, on their way Il
play golf or tennis In the park. Il
the evening they watched many /,
carriage drew up to neighboring door,
and go Gathering away with fail
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" ~.a.saaa;ass'4ss,.. -''~-''sssss:.a-s, .
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 came eo9Tt, diamoqd.sh
aparture, not more than ton feet
across its widest dimensions. :
One evening as Della leaned out for
q 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. It was .
II beg your pardon!" deep voice
exclaimed, AZ 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withdrawn: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 q man. It was hsr
turn to disappear in confusion, as q
second masculine voice craved par
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 course Of
time there vas to be . dance rfy9n
by one q the college 66s{stiss, a
dance at which ezck 6auber war es.
pected to bring biz particular oest
Eirl, Qs|eacay 6'6ormAA Ind Ned
Clark. tho Aforesaid Eeliese bosS'
were both fe1osv5a to escort the
e~lns. ef f8t q f. a ALL Every
hft Of BefsaasiSh they brought into
play Snd AFTER days, Of timid refusal,
Bella and Della finally gave reek.
less consent,
Bella's room had a door /ep4hine
sAto the outer hall. The ER4s plan.
ned to retire ostensibly u early al
usual on the fateful night. dress 70,
the dance. and at $3.50, when thei,
aunt and uncle wo0ld be sleeping
steal from the apartment. Morning
would find them peaceful and unsus
pected in theaf beds. At the appoint
ed hour the twins. their hearts beat
Ing 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
never knew. After an interval Of rest
lessness she arose, for a 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 unoccupiet
bed.