Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-03

Il uOpe uOts buIu tuC LuihiSecA, ~
ing to take his departure. However.
I think your advice is good, Mrs
Petty; I will leave It with Miss Smith
at the shop; she a return 1t to the
owner. ! Am very glad to hear that
your rheumatism is better"
Thereupon Mr.. Flake forgot all
about the silk threads.
1t Glanced to rain the follow
ing Sunday, and the reverend gentle
man wore under his macintosh his
second best black coat,
Before he began his sermon that
morning he drew forth a handker-
chief, and with the handkerchief
came a rosy tangle of silk threads
He looked helplessly down upon
them and his embarrassed face
seemed to reflect the rosy glow.
Somebody Uttered and looked
around at Della Leslie. 1t was Me-
LISA Smiths little clerk.
Delia'r face was scarlet and her
long curling black lashes swept her
| cheek as she stared at the tips OF her
little shoes.
When Della lifted her eyes the
minister had carefully wrapped the
silks In his handkerchief and returned
them to his pocket. All his embar-
rassment had fed, and he was cool
and collected. He delivered his text
with a fine Inconsistencies that II,
subtly applied to his adventure OF the
day before.
Again the little clerk giggled n
glanced at Della. But Della did not
see or hear. The sermon sounded like
the distant murmur of drums; the
deep, rich tones of the minister were
blurred to her ears. All she could
hear was Eva Hawks silly giggle.
She remembered that 1t was In front
of the Hawks little cottage that she
had knelt to cut the threads from Mr..
Flakes feet. And she was sure that
Eva Hawk knew that the spool OF SIX
was Delia's; they knew everything al
Melissa Smiths shop!
Della Leslie was the first one to
leave the church when the service
was concluded. She fairly SKINNED
over the ground on her homewara
way. She didn't go to the evening
service and the very next morning she
boarded the early train and went TO
her sisters, in Branchville.
Della didn't know that the minister
missed her dark. vivacious face from
its accustomed pew. She didn't know
that he called twice upon her Aunt
Harriet, with whom she. lived. for
Aunt Harriet wasn't given to letter.
writing, and believed firmly in the
adage that mo new is good news"
And after several weeks had elapsed.
and Aunt Harriet had at last written
and suggested that she was needed at
home. Della reluctantly came back to
Glenwood. 1t was Just at twilight
when she arrived and, without wait
ing for the clumsy station stage. she
walked down the long hill toward the
white cottage on the shore.
A whippoorwill was singing In the
orchard and there was the fragrance
of roses mingled with the salt SAVIOR
of the sea.
Della paused at the gate. She felt a
quickening Of the pulses in the sense
of being home once more.
Some one came down the path from
the front door. but she heard no
sound save the rush OF a or the
beach and the throbbing notes OF the
w~hippoorwill.
A warm hand was laid over her
own on the gate. and she started
and looked up into the tender eyes oil
the minister.
"I thought you were neve coming
home again." he said softly.
Della blushed and hung her head
The moon came out and searched hel
face and betrayed something to Jere
my Flake.
He put a finger beneath her round
chin and lifted her face 80 that he
might look into her shy eyes.
when one has shared a victim
with rosy threads-it Is cruel to rur
AVA and leave the captive, bound
he whispered.
And when the engagement was an
nounced the gossips Of the parish
, said they were not a bit surprised.
when a man carries a girls EN-
broidery silks In his pockets, wta'
can you expect?" they asked. but ever
: then they did not know the whole
story.
Copyright, 1914. by the Mcclure Newspa
> per Syndicate.)