The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-07-30


when your little muddy boot went
trampling down the earth about their
roots, | wanted to stoop down and
kiss It? SO lear everything about
you was) Not that evening at Rose
wood, with the arbor fragrance about
us. Il think ! shall always picture You
with roses all about you. Red roses
the color OF your lipsl) No. II was not
then hat IL beyan-nor that dreadful
hour when you fought with me to save
my life-nor the morning you sat your
horse in the box-rows in that yew-
green habit that made your hair look
like molten copper. No. It began the
first afternoon, when | sat in my mo-
tor with your rose in my hand! 1t
has never left me since. by day or by
night. And yet there are people In
this age OF airships and honking high
ways and typewriters who think love-
at-irst-sight is as out-of-date as our
little grandmothers' hoops rusting In
the garrett. All, sweetheart, l, for one.
know better!
Suppose | had not come to Vir-
ginia-and known you! My heart
jumps when | think of It. II makes
one believe In fate. Here at the Court
| found an old leaf~-calendar-it sits
at my elbow now, just as | came on 1t.
The date 1t shows is May 14th. and
Its motto Is: Every man carries his
fate upon a riband about his neck.
| like that.
That first Sunday at st. Andrews,
| thought of a day-may 1t be soon!--
when you and | might stand before
that altar, with your people (my
people, too, now around US. and ]
shall hear you say: I, Shirley, take
thee, john And to think 1t lie really
to come true! Do you remember the
text the minister preached from? It was
But all men perceive that they have
riches, and hat their faces shine as
the faces of angels / think | shall
go about henceforth with my face
shining, so that all men will see that
| have riches-your love for me, dear.
81 I'M so happy | can hardly see the
words-or perhaps 1t is that the sun
has set. am sending this over by
Uncle Jefferson. Send me back just
a word by him. sweetheart, to say ]
may come to you tonight. And add
the three short words l am so thirsty
to hear over and Overcome verb be-
tween two pronouns-so that / can
| kiss them all at once!"
> He raised his head, a little flushed
, and with eyes brilliant, lighted q
candle, sealed the letter with the ring
he wore and dispatched 1t.
; Thereafter he sat looking into the
growing dusk, watching the pale
lamps OF the consultations deepen t.
green gilt against the lapis-lazuli o.
the sky, and listening to the insec
noises dulling into the woven chorus
OF evening. Uncle Jefferson was lonl
in returning, and he grew impatien
= finally and began to prowl through tn,
dusty corridors like a leopard, ther
: to the front porch and finally to tn,
! driveway, listening at every turn 70
the familiar slouching step.
When at length the old negro ar
a peared. Valiant took the note h
II brought, his heart beating rapidly
and carried It hastily In to the candle
light. He did not open It at once. bu
sat for a full minute pressing It b.
tween his palms as though to extrac
from the delicate paper the believe
thrill Of her touch. His hand shoe
slightly as he drew the folded leave
from the envelope. How would 1t b.
gin1 my Knight Of the Crimso
Rose?" or Dear Gardener" (She ha
= called him Gardener the day they ha
set out the rosos) or perhaps eve
Sweetheart" It would not be lon
s only a mere "Yes' or Come to me
z perhaps; yet even the shortest missi,
\ had Its beginning and It's ending.
He opened ane read.
For an instant he stared unbelie
IN ingly. Then the paper cracked to
III ball in his clutched hand, and he mac
81 a hoarse sound which was half CT
m then sat perfectly still, his whole ia,
. shuddering. What he crushed in h
hand was no note Of tender Low
phrases; II vas an abrupt dismisst
The staggering contretemps stru'
IN the color from his face and left eve
nerve raw and quivering. To be mot
Ing to her. as she could be nothing
mimi ~ iSib a budSliy lnCiludllOu
laugh. Nothing to her!
m Presently. his brows frowning hea
TX, lily. he spread out the crumpled pap
and reread 1t with bitter slownet
weighing each phrase. "Somethil
TO which she had learned since she la
ed saw him, which lay between them
hit She had not known 1t, then, last nigl
ne when they had kissed beside the su
en- dial! She had loved him then! VIII
We could there be hat thrust them IRE
list ocably apart?
'se Without stopping to think of I
he darkness or that the friendly doors
irt the edifice would be closed, he caug
OF up his hat and went swiftly down t
lat drive TO the road. along which
DIV plunged breathlessly. % blue ST
spangled sky was now streaked WI