Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-09

there's your music, and your French.
and all the other things"
Wonderful, isn't it," The long
curving black lashes droop over the
big eyes as they muse. Here were
we. shaving away, but cheerful, be-
cause mothers bravery would make
any one cheerful, when along comes
this mine in which father held some
mislaid stock. and it's paying us re-
markablyi Why, it gave us two thou
sand dollars last month! Look at
me-"
Would any one. to say nothing of
Billy Lane, need a second invitation
Billy's machine in sunshiny Vanheus-
ter Square? She wears a gown which
has been expressly made to fit her
adorable little figure; and such a
beautiful, slender. rounded, petite
figure it is! The gown itself is u
marvellous creation, and its materials
and colors are selected to be exact
ly the thing which should go with
oval cheeks, and a delicately tinted
complexion, and black ringlets and
dark luminous eyes, and Springtime.
Billy Lane, thus boldly invited to
look, does look, and looks to his
hearts content; and there is that in
his eyes which makes Tavy drop her
own, clear and steadfast as they are
and warm flush steals up into her
cheeks. So she climbs into Billy's
car to hide it; and what should Billy
do but follow her! He is William
Lane when he looks at his watch.
We've loafed around this old
square for nearly an hour!" he
eXclaims, as he starts the runabout.
Just because l had to find my
poor little keepsake gold piece" she
contritely replies. Then she laughs
But anyhow we did find it,"
III send a carpenter up there to-
morrow to repair the damage"
promises Billy. suppose we take
Mummy Stuart out the road some
where for dinner? I've only half a
dozen letters to sign at the office,
and then I'm free"
So to the office they go, and find
Spring even there for the snub- -nosed
city bred office boy leans Imply out
of the window, with some wistful
hereditary instinct for rod and line,
and hook and worm. Back into
Billy's room; and Spring there, too.
A little branch of apple blossoms in
drinking-glass on his desk. The
letters are ready, and he signs them
| in hurry. Tavy looking over his
shoulder and admiring his strong,
free signature. She is so adorable
when Billy looks up that he drops
his pen.
"Tavy'"
She begins to tremble. There is
something in Billy's tone which tells
her far more plainly than words that
the inevitable moment has come. Billy
is going to propose, and it is Il very,
very fluttering moment.
'"Tavy!" He is on his feet now.
He is so big and so tall, so overwhelm-
ing. Tavy shrinks little from him,
but not far, not very far II love
you" Straight out like that, no
stammering, no approach, no leading
to the subject at all, just a plain,
plump outburst. He strides to her,
one long, swift step, and the next
thing she knows, Tavy is in his arms,
both his arms! They are wrapped
closely around her, so tightly that she
can feel the beating of his heart. Or
is it her own, pounding and humping
away like that? She can scarcely
breathe. Her breath flutters, and her
cheeks are burning. Now he is kiss
| ing her, again and again and again!
I Her cheeks, her brow, her eyes. her
| lips, and his own are like flame. II
! love youi l love youl L love you!"
! over and over he is saying that, over
and over. and little Tavy presses limp
| in his arms; and when his lips seek
hers, her lips cling, too!
A little space, a space in which
| the whirling worlds within them re-
adjust themselves to their new
| spheres. in which Billy and Tavy call
! back time and place and season, and
put them in their proper order; and
then Billy, smiling down at her in
wide-eyed wonder that all this miracle
could have happened, kisses her once
more and reminds her of something
You haven't answered me-"
| She darts a happy smile at him.
/ but there are little imps in her violet
/ eyes, imps in her twinkling curls
! imps in her fleeting dimples, imps in
the curving lips; but the lips are
tightly closed, and she hides her face
/ in his coat.
II asked you a question, and you
| great severity.
The flushed face reveals itself for
a moment, but all the imps are still
twinkling there, then the oval cheeks
are hidden against his coat.
Will you marry me?"
Another flash of the dancing imps
She is tantalizing, ravishing - oh
everything wonderful which words
have not yet been invented to ex-
press! But Billy is in a quandary
He ponders a long time as to how he
shall next go about it. While he is
still pondering. Tavy suddenly pushes
back from him. The imps are gone!
| Ihe race is SWeetly serious, and the
big eyes, steady and strong and clear
are dark gray now. But there is
much more in them than color - love
and truth and eternal fidelity!
Yes, Billy" she gravely says.
mo" The tense, strong voice is
that of John Doe. He stands in the
doorway, and on his face there is G
look of such horror that Tavy shrinks
back into the embrace of Billy's arm
in terror at this wild-eyed stranger
II would rather see her deadl"