The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1915-02-04
jOHNSON'S ROMANCE
BY HAROLD CARTER.

Hale told this story at the club. II
had no moral, and the end was sad;
still, there was something in the tell
ing of it that held us. Archie Croth,
ers had leo of by saying that there
was romance in every life, even in
that of the most prosaic of mortals.
IF you know where to look" said
Hale. Then, after a pause: Il never
spoke Of my friend Johnson, did ~
Nobody present had heard OF him,
and Hale took up his story.
You can Judge the prosaic nature
of the mar from his name. Nobody
called Johnson ever figured as a hero
Of fiction. He was a little, sandy.
haired man Of about thirty, with one
hobby: travelling.
johnson worked for an insurance
company in New York and he used to
spend his vacation every year visit
ing all sorts Of little places that no
body thinks about. This happened to
him In a little town somewhere In
Nova Scotia, with a big cathedral in
1t that had been erected a century ago,
when the town was bigger than 1t is
today.
johnson found the little place all
afutter, for a party of visiting royal
ties was staying In 1t. Being an in
quisitive sort of man he learned that
Alicia vas there with her
the prince of Stuttgart, and
that the young duke of Gronstadt was
to arrive the anne day. The princess
and the duke we're engaged. but they
had met. .a :
johnson arrived on q Saturday
night. and on Sunday morning he
went to the cathedral to worship. He
noticed that a lot Of people seemed to
be going, but, being supplemented,
be did not connect their presence
there in such numbers with any desire
to see the prince and his daughter
The floor pews were all packed, so
Johnson went up into the gallery.
That was packed too, except for one
pew toward the end, containing room
Tor half a dozen occupants, and an
other pew behind 1t. These two pews
surrounded by a brass rail, and
t occurred to johnson that they were
probably private. However, the only
occupant Of the front pew was q very
pretty young lady. with a parasol and
/ prayer book. and the pew behind
no occupants at all. Johnson
lesitated the fraction of a second, and
hen he sat down in the young Iady's
~
He saw her looking at him rather
trangely, but just then the service be-,
an, and, after an instant of hesita-
the young lady extended her
book toward him. Ase
II can't tell you whether or not
ohnson had ever been In love, but
Undoubtedly he was at that moment.
girl was about twenty-three or
our. rather fair, with a pair of blue
yes whose glance johnson found
imself trying to catch. At last he
Id catch them, and there was such an
xpression in them that Johnson did
OF know whether he wao kneeling
n his knees or his shoulders.
"They kneeled down side by side,
nd neither Of them was paying the
'ast attention to the sermon. If love
t first sight is not a myth, that was
case Of 1t. Johnson caught the
IRIS glance again, and now the look.
as unmistakable. And still neither
them knew what the clergyman
as saying or doing. They were in a
.iryland together, alone in the midst
the crowd that packed the cathe-
al.
THE girl was so close to him that
)hnson's mouth was almost against
or ear. Their hands touched over
. prayer book. Now she was speak
6.
This is very unconventional she
sispered.
Yes answered Johnson. 81,
you knew how l have longed
meet you. and yet how frightened
have BEEN she said. When did
arrive?'
Last evening, answered Johnson;
d 1t all seemed perfectly natural to
We arrived yesterday, too said
9 girl. raising her eyes to his.
ush! Don't let the people see that
are talking. We must preserve
corum, mustn't we?'
What is YOUR name?' he whis-