Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-07-30

ne? Not last night-nor the day we
planted the ramblers. (Do you know,
when your little muddy boot went
! trampling down the earth about their
roots, 1 wanted to stoop down and
kiss it? So dear everything about
you was!) Not that evening at Rose
wood, with the arbor fragrance about
Us. q think I shall always picture you
with roses all about you. Red roses
/ the color Of your lips!) No, it was not
/ then that it began-nor that dreadful
/ hour when you fought with me to save
my Efe-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 I sat in my mo-
! tor with your rose in my hand! It
! 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at-frst-sight is as out-of-date as our
/ little grandmothers' hoops rusting in
/ the garnet. All, sweetheart, I, for one,
know better!
Suppose I had not come to Vir-
! gtnia-and known you! My heart
| jumps when l think of it. 1t makes
one believe in fate. Here at the Court
found an old leaf-calendar-it sits
at my elbow now, Just as came on it.
The date it 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 day-may it be soon!-
when you and I might stand before
that altar, with your people (my
people, too, now around US, and /
| shall hear you say: Z, Shirley, take
| thee, john And to think it is really
| to come truei Do you remember the
text the minister preached from? 1t was
But all men perceive that they have
| riches, and that their faces shine as
the faces of angels I think I shall
go about henceforth with my face
| shining, so that all men will see that
l have riches-yOur love for me, dear.
1 am so happy I can hardly see the
words-or perhaps it is that the sun
has set. I am sending this over by
Uncle Jefferson. Send me back just
a word by him, sweetheart, to say l
may come to you tonight And add
the three short words I am so thirsty
to hear over and Overcome verb be-
tween two pronouns-so that l can
kiss them all at oncel"
He raised his head, a little flushed
and with eyes brilliant, lighted a
candle, sealed the letter with the ring
he wore and dispatched it.
Thereafter he sat looking into the
growing dusk, watching the pale
lamps of the consultations deepen to
green silt against the lapfs-lazuli of
the sky. and listening to the insect
noises duIling into the woven chorus
of evening. Uncle Jefferson was long
in returning, and he grew impatient
finally and began to prowl through the
dusty corridors like q leopard then
to the front porch and finally to the
driveway, listening at every turn for
the familiar slouching step.
When at length the old negro ap-
peared, Valiant took the note he
brought, his heart beating rapidly
and carried it hastily in to the candle.
light He did not open it at once, but
sat for a full minute pressing it be
tween his palms as though to extract
from the delicate paper the beloved
thrill of her touch. His hand SHOOK
slightly as he drew the folded leaves
from the envelope. How would it be
gin? My Knight of the Crimson
| ROse?" or Dear Gardener" (She haC
called him Gardener the day they haC
set out the roses) or perhaps ever
sweetheart" 1t would not be long
only mere Yes" or Come to me,
perhaps; yet even the shortest mfssivt
had its beginning and its ending.
He opened and read.
For an instant he stared unbeIiev
ingly. Then the paper cracked to
ball in his clutched hand, and he made
a hoarse sound which was half cry
then sat perfectly still, his whole fact
shuddering. What he crushed in hi,
hand was no note of tender love
phrases; it was an abrupt dismissal
The staggering contretemps strucl
the color from his face and left ever,
nerve raw and Quivering. To be moth
ing to her, as she could be nothing t.
him?" He felt CHASTITY inclination t.
laugh. Nothing to her!
Presently, his brows frowning heav
lily, he spread out the crumpled paper
and reread it with bitter slowness
weighing each phrase. Something
which she had learned since she las
saw him, which lay between them.
She had not known it, then, last night
! when they had kissed beside the sun
dial! She had loved him then! VIVA
could there be that thrust them irrev
t ocably apart?
! Without stopping to think of tht
darkness or that the friendly doors o
the edifice would be closed, he caugh
( up his hat and went. swiftly down tn,
drive to the road, along which h,
: plunged breathlessly, The blue star
spangled sky was now streaked witt
: clouds like faded orchids, and tn,
+ shadows on the uneven ground unde
5 his hurried feet made him giddy
7 Through the din and hurIy-burly of hi
thoughts ne was conscious of dimIy
: moving shapes across fences, tn
}. sweet breath Of COWS, and a negro De
r destrian who greeted him in passins
He was stricken suddenly with tn