The Washington herald., 1914-07-08

the butter and set the wooden bow
with It's golden mass Into the icy spring
Then she went back to the house =
do wonder what inS the worlds keepin
herH' she remarked upeasiiy. II guess
I'd better md opt
| She went to, the kitchen. changed ths
damper 10 the; stove 70 keep the Ore
alive until she returned. got = sunbonnet
and started down the path. y
ItNhad been a rainy. cold spring. but
the shrubs and Iilac bushes had beer
covered with buds for days. ready tc
| open at the first kiss Of warm sunshine
This morning the weather was bright
and beautiful and the feathery lavender
blossoms OF the hlacs, now In fun bloom
were swaying gracefully In the soft
breeze. Their perfume came 70 Miss Ade-
laide as she made her way down the
crooked path TO the gate. Gradually the
mysterious wondef OF spring came over
her. Something, almost a pain. gripped
her heart She shut her eyes and stood
swaying dizzily. The soft. warm air. the
| exquisite smell OF the flowers, an oriole
near by with Its clear sweet call! The
wonder OF everything! Unconsciously she
put her hand to her breast, What waI
1t. this queer Juggling at her hearth
The years had passed In solemn array
! since the time OF her trouble and each
had had Its share In hardening her
against the man whom she had once
loved. Yet today, here under the nlacs,
memories came rushing along in an ire
sistible flood. Now that she was back
past the bitterness. the sweetness OF lost
days was overpowerlng.
Suddenly she drew herself up and
opened her eyes. Such silly nonsense for
| an old maid! This foolishness Of VIII
and Fanny's must be affecting her brain!
Shed soon put q stop to all that now.
With determination she marched down
the road and up the path to the Wyman's
The sideShoor opened into the sitting
ropm and she made for that.
Then she saw wills horse and buggy
tied under the big walnut tree No won
der the girl was late! She felt tempted
to break a switch nn a nearby bush.
But without losing another instant she
strode into the house.
sense OF unusual order and quiet
struck her. II was almost as though
some one were dead-or perhaps a we'd
ding The best silk quilt was spread over
the sofa, a vase OF Iilacs was on the sew
ing table and some tulips on the mantle.
Then in the parlOr she heard voices. She
recognized Fanny's. then Mrs. Wyman's
and Wills. But there was another heavy
familiar!
She felt herself growing cold and sank
into aschair. I'm glad you like the
combs. Fanny" some one was saying.
'I picked them up when we anchored at
Naples last time. Please keep them to
remember me by" And the voice went
on. Then there are some things from
Japan. and that box came from Egypt.
And here Is a set OF coral / set great
store by. Beads. a little carved cross,
earrings and bracelet. TO match a little
coral brooch I once gave dear friend
OF mine"
The voice was Elmer Jenkins. Miss
Adelaide grfpped the arms Of the chair
hard to keep from fainting. He had
given her a coral brooch once in the
old happy days!
'How-hos Is your aunt. Fanny FL
mer's voice went on. That's fine! /
wonder. Maria, II she'd see me IL I'd
go over"
Miss Adelaide did not hear the reply.
She had been eayesdropping long enough.
She must get away quickly.
She flew down the path, and along the
road home. Under the lilac bushes she
stopped again. Her heart was full TO
bursting. Suddenly she caught an arm
full Of the foveT-laden branches to her
breast, buried her face In the blossoms
and sobbed out the sorrow of the years.
Fanny came home without the crock.
Her aunt was in the kitchen busy with
dinner
The girl stopped in the doorway. sud-
denly remembering her errand. 'Oh,
auntie, I forgot the crock!'
"An right. dearie. Come here a min
cute, Tell me. Are you sure you love
wm?'
Certainly. auntie." wonderingly. hes
the dearest boy in the world"
We'll. II you want to marry him, /
won't object any longer"
''oh. auntie, you darling! You're Just
the
''There-there! I suppose you'll want
to tell MIN right away. There he is now,
yonder. crossing the wheat field. And
here. wait a minute, honeyl My, but
you're in a big hurry l heard that his
father was home. I used to know him.
He was a Very good friend Of mine once.
You can tell Will I'd be pleased IL his
father would call