Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-07-24
It WAS GREAT JOKE
Engaged to Daughter, Fortune
Seeker Changes Mind and
MarrieS Girls Mother.
ex 3. J. KRONER.

all the hard work all the business
absorption and worry, all the great
affairs of life which had occupied his
time during the strenuous years fol
lowing his graduation from college,
had not erased from his mind and
heart the memory of dainty care-free
Laura Tolman, his old sweetheart oil
the college days.
He had suspected this before he re-
turned to the old scenes; now that
he was here the conviction came to
him with crushing force. Every
shaded walk. every leafy retreat
every part of the old college build
ings and the campus seemed to be
alive with her presence. AS ne
walked the old familiar paths he
seemed to hear the music of her girl
sh voice and to catch the very aroma
of her sweet presence.
With groan he admitted it-he
hao failed utterly in the task he had
set himself out to perform. He had
gone away that day when her en-
gagement to Bently was announced
determined to forget her The strug-
gle that afternoon had been hard
one, and many times he had thought
of the river as the most peacefui
haven he could find. Finally his
pride had triumphed, and. setting his
teeth with that peculiar gritty motion
the fellows on the gridiron knew so
well, he had said to himself:
Claude Belknap, brace up. Where
is the spirit of your forebears? Are
you to let chit of a girl ruin your
life-especially girl who throws you
over for fellow who is only after
her money!"
And so he had gone bravely away
with a song on his lips. but with
gloom in his heart He had worked
hard, and not without success. The
very whole-heartedness with which he
threw himself into his work and
which was born of his desire to so
occupy himself that he would forget
the laughing face and saucy eyes OF
his college sweetheart, drove him on
to success. He had taken up a siren
uous profession, and 1t had carried
him to many climes and into much
danger.
In the stress and heat of the bat.
tie with fortune he had fattered him
self that the old wound had healed
and finding himself in the near vicin-
ity of the college town. he had rash
ly decided to revisit the old scenes
Then like the rush of the tide came
the realization that he ever would love
the sweetheart of his youth, wherever
she was and whatever her condition
or relationship. The realization
frightened him when the thought
flashed across his mind that she was
the wife of another.
Heartsick with his own reflections
he sought to escape them by calling
on Miss Carrie Sample, who still lived
In the town, and who had been a
great chum In the old days. He was
given so warm a welcome as to make
him forget for the moment the bitter
pain in his heart. The conversation
naturally reverted to the old college
days and the old boys and girls. Bel
KNAPP had been abroad so long and sc
occupied with business that he haC
lost track of them to a considerable
extent, but Miss Sample. having lived
all the years under the very caves o.
the old college, and being a gossip,
lady knew where nearly all the ole
classmates were, who they married
how fhav xuara rroonarfno ond oil III.
other details which 80 delight thu
feminine heart.
The conversation was animated an,
extended, and Belknap for the tim
being forgot his heartache under tn
magic of this clever and friendly III
tie woman.
1t was when she dragged forth from
a sacred drawer a bundle of old elias
. photographs that he was most pain
! fully recalled to his great sorrow.
"Oh. but do you remember this pic
mic we had" she exclaimed, shown
photograph in front of his yer
nose.
Did he rememberf The bloc
rushed back into his heart at tn
memory until he thought he woul
. faint. 1t was a snapshot OF a grou
, at a picnic, the girls adorned wit
the boys hats, and the boys wearin
the feminine millinery. 1t was jun
outside an apple orchard surrounde
: by high stone fence. over which bt
at a perilous height hung a bough
luscious fruit. In the very center
the picture was Belknap, and perche
audaciously upon his shoulder wa
/. Laura Tolman, supported by his stron
and steady arm. picking the apples an
throwing them down to the laughin
comrades below. Did he rememb,
that picnic? 1t was the day whe
\ maddened by the contact with h
: dainty self, he had poured forth h
love and then. frightened at his ow
audacity. had stammered and failt
| to ask the vital question
p The photograph brought back q
q the memories of the afternoon, al
aroused all his latent passion- As