River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-02-13
CHAPTER /.
A Star Boarder.


80. in the open window of his
room on Washington square
smiling. With a sense of deep joy he
watched the trees shake the raindrops
from their new emerald robes and the
flying clouds that tlecked the western
sky melt into seas OF purple and gold.
A huckster turned into Fourth street
crying:
Strawberries, straw-berries!'
And the young lawyer laughed lazily.
A food of tender memories stole into
his Leart from the sunlit fields of the
south. He had gone hunting wild
Strawberries with Nan Primrose on the
hills at home in North Carolina the
day he first knew that he loved her.
How beautiful she was that day in
the plain blue cotton dress which fit
ted her superb young figure to perfec-
ton! How well he remembered every
detail of that ramble over the red hills
he could hear now the whistle of
Bob w bite sitting on the fence near
the spring where they lunched, calling
to his mate. As Nan nestled closer
on the old stile they saw the little
brown bird slip from her nest in a
clump of straw. lift her head and soft
ly answer.
Look Nan had whispered excited
". There's her nestv'
He recalled distinctly his tremor of
sympathetic excitement as her warm
hand drew him to the spot. With Pc
cuIiar vividness he remembered the
extraordinary moisture of the palm of
her hand trembling with eager interest
as he counted the eggs-twenty beau
ties. But above all memories stood
out one. AS he bent close above her
he caught for the first time in his life
the delicate perfume of her dark rich
hair and felt the thrill of its mystery.
Its their little home, isn't it, Jim|
she exclaimed.
II hope l can build as snug nest
for you some day, Nanp' he whispered
gravely.
And when she stood silent and blush
ing he made the final plunge. Looking
straight into her dark eyes he had
said:
II love you, dear Nan!''
AS she stood very still, looking down
In silence. with a throb of fear and
aching tenderness he dared to slip his
arm around her waist and kiss the
trembling lips. And then he noticed
for the first time a deep red straw
berry stain in the corner of her mouth.
In spite of her struggles he laughingly
insisted on kissing it away.
And then as a dreamy smile stole
into her face she suddenly threw her
arms around his neck in passionate
tenderness. returning with interest ev-
cry kiss he had taken.
''Straw-berriesr
The man looked up and drawled his
familiar cry.
Eyes. yes" he shouted. Two boxes.
Put them on the stoop-and keep the
change
He threw the man a silver dollar,
and the white teeth of the Italian sig
nailed a smile of thanks as he bowed
low. lifting his dirty cap in acknowl-
edgment.
Nor was Mans beauty merely a men,
ory: it was the living presence. the
source of the JOY that filed his soul to
overlooking today. for she had grown
more beautiful than ever since her
mother had moved to New York.
He had always believed that the real
reason in the back of Mrs. Primrose's
shallow head for this move to the
north had been the determination to
break his engagement and make a
more brilliant marriage for Nan. And
50 when they left he followed
The mother had always pr0fessed foS