Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-24

Suddenly she noticed MilIyfs sad a..
and recollection came to her s,..'s 80
"Oh, my dear" she added doubt,.,,1'
II quite forgot that you wants I.
and, well, MilIy. I always keen -
word, so guess better tslsrs.
Miss Allen at once that the bs, :
promised to some one else"
Milly leaned against the glass -.
and closed her aching eyes.
Miss Pettigrew waited. her uo-. ..
tie face sharply anxious over thu =. -
come of the matter. 1''
Never mind, Miss Petdgrev. ..,,
MilIy quietly. 81 think I'd bette, g.. -
n black hat. 1t viii be more uss,.,
Besides, you can make double ths ,r,-
ey by selling this one to EvaIyn An..s
"Milly, I am relieved" cried w..
Pettigrew warmly. 81 understand NJ,
you're doing #, and-well. you can psrt
out any black hat in the store, ana m
trim it for you, and 1t won't cost y,-
a penny"
Dick Madison was a young civiI o,
gineer in charge Of the construetio, !,
a new railroad bridge at sunny5roos
and Milly had learned to like him yery
well.
He had dropped into the store IA "a.
her, and Evaiyn Allen and her friend
had monopolized his attention. and i
the end they had carried him ava
with them under the pretext of ersm.
lining the steering gear OF their motor.
car. AS IL the chauffeur didn't know
all about that
So Milly went home early that night
with Mrs. Bemis' bonnet in nane,
bag and found delicious supper OF
hot waff1es and honey, but she could
hardly eat a moutbful. and when Mrs
Bemis questioned her closely Nils
burst into tears and ran away to bed
Milly was fighting battle with her
self.
She was telling herself that Easter
had deeper meaning than the wear
ing of new clothes, and she felt that
she was very wicked because she could
not place the spiritual significance Of
the great day above her own petty
vanity
But Milly fought the battle and Won,
and as a punishment to herself she de-
cided not TO have a new hat at al
She would wear her velvet winter bat
even If the day was very warm indeed
So she went to sleep with smile On
her sweet lips, and when she awoks
in the morning there was peace In her
eyes and in her heart
The following Sunday was Easter.
and, although Milly did not see Dick
Madison in the interval, there was
little song of contentment bubbling In
her heart-why, she could not have
told you.
Easter Sunday morning she took her
place in the choir, wearing her new
soft green dress and her black velvet
hat, under which her soft fair hair
curled alIuringly.
Senator Aliens family came in. Ev-
allyn looking lovely in her new green
suit, with the becoming green straw
hat
MilIy saw Dick Madison come in.
He walked slowly up the aisle, and
Mrs. Allen turned and beckoned him
into her pew.
Milly's heart almost stopped beating
for an instant; then it resumed its even
strokes, for Dick smiled polite refus-
al of the invitation and turned ints
the humble pew of Mrs. Bemis. where
he shared that little woman's prayer
book and bymnal with grave devotion
When 1t was all over Milly found
Mrs. Bemis and Dick waiting FOR ner
at the porch, and they went home To-
gether, saying very little, but strange
" contented. The Aliens motorcar
rushed past them, leaving cloud OF
dust behind, but the occupants did no'
appear to see Dick and his friends.
Dicks coming TO dinner" announe.
ed Mrs Bemis. I'm having Inea
chicken and ice cream. You tax 70
him in the parlor, honey, while Sc.
the table. No. don't want any nelp
In the parlor Milly composedly iasa
aside her hat and jacket. and DICK pu.
his gloves and hat on the square PAM
and faced the girl.
"MiUy," he said with a tremor ID n,s
deep voice, i've got an EASIER sn
for you-if you will accept it-ann svu.
acceptance of it will mean whole ~
TO me. 1t will make me the nappe
man In the world" He stole gianu
at Milly's rosy. downcast face ana NV
ing down n white hatbox from the "
ano, he placed it in her lap.
"Open IT," he urged.
MiIly united the white ribbons 49,
lifted the cover. From bed OF VIII.
tissue paper she lifted an exquisns
white tulle hat trimmed with ofsns'
blossoms and white satin ribbon. ..
..What is it," she whispered.
me:" ~,
Its for you If you'll accept IL L
a wedding hat, Milly, DARING -
know all about the green nat ss
Miss Pettigrew told Mrs. Bemis anu
nil about it. we understand "n
did ii, and it's a present from a., -.
Of us under condition that youn
you marry me-
Milly's hands tremoled' and
Then she lifted the lovely nat n ~
olsced IL on her sunny head. sne -
ID her blue eyes and met his gray osss
.eThat is my answer, DICK sue
pered softly.