The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-07-25
How Nicholson's $ Court
ship Was Begun
By F. A. mitchell.

eonaihs TO set Of Dickens worlS che
oesah TO appear interested scannin,
Tue volumes more carefully. A librarian
was passing. and the girl called her
IS inns the only set Of Dickens works
In the library!' she asked.
oe'ieve 1t Is. Yes; I'm quite sure
we haven't any other. What volume do
you want?" Wv
out" wins 10 pe
nes pardon; here is Dombev G.
Son, said Nicholson
VI. | wouldn't think of depriy,no
you OF it, said the girl.
i have nearly finished it. bur I shan
nu' pe able to just now l beg YOU TO
NOT on any account. SO long as Won
ike reading it,"
,,M "ell' then l will complete it. 1
snail 10 SO in few minutes"
ION hurry. l shall not get away
from the library for some fine,
sue lelt the alcove. and Nicholson nra.
'ehded TO resume his reading but in
siead he followed her with his eye as
sue daWdled over the shelves. now
ana again taking out book. turning
.ne pages Tor awhile then passing on
70 another Nicholson noticed her
pose as she stood on one foot, the 9th
er lncased i'll slender boot showing
eeleatIn! her skirt the boa dropping on
her shoulders adding to the picture.
Nicholson wore a tiny bunch Of for.
getmenots in his buttonhole. When he
mad kept the book long enough to have
made pretense of finishing 1t he took
one OF the flowers from his buttonhole
and placed it between the leaves of
the book; then. going to where the
young lady was doing her literary
browsing, he handed it to her.
Are you sure you have finished itY'
she asked
Quite sure-that is. for this time
Shall doubtless read it again, or rath- !
er parts that are favorites of mine"
Il shall return it within week | !
am quick reader"
DO you ever note parts of books |
that especially appeal to you?" he ask
ed, looking at the forgetmenot that
hung without the leaves.
Sometimes" she replied, her eyes
directed also to the flower Then |
thanking him for his kindness in let
ting her have the book she had come
to the library for she bowed an adieu
and took it to the loan desk, where it
was duly stamped and handed back to
her
A few days later Nicholson went into
the library at that hour in the after
noon when young women 60 gadding
He had not been there long when the
young lady who had wanted "Dombey
& Son" entered. Nicholson retreated
into an alcove where he could be In
the shadow and look out at his charm
er who was under the skylight In the
center Of the library.
Sometimes very big thing will fail
to move one. and sometimes a very lit
tie thing will give one the emotion of
his life very little thing at this
juncture set Nicholsons heart beating
wildly. The girl wore faded forget
menot in her corsage.
Here were two persons Of opposite
sex who had met, conversed the man
had offered token in his own deli
cate way, the girl had accepted It, and
it would naturally be supposed that
this warranted Nicholson's presuming
that it involved an acquaintance.
Nevertheless he did not take advan-
tage of the situation. He considered
the moves on both sides had been
worthy of pair of thoroughbreds.
had no idea of making
false move. Instead of walking past
the young lady. looking at her and
giving her an opportunity to give him
a nod of recognition. he got out of
the library by the front door, while
she was in the rear Of the building.
too much would depend,
should he meet her face to face, upon
what she might decide to do. II she
lid not recognize him there would be a
fork in their paths which might never
bring them again together. At any
rate. Nicholson decided not to hazard
a rebuff.
The next day he went to the library,
found "Dombey & Son" in its place
On the shelves. took it out, opened it
1t the place where he had inserted the
'orgetmenot and found visiting card
which had apparently been left there
'or book mark. The name engraved
IN it was Miss Ella Stanley. Nichol-
,on took out a Russia leather case.
out the card in it and walked out OF
he library like one who had achieved
/ signal victory.
1t must be admitted that this is a
Tery unsatisfactory place to close a
story. Nevertheless 1t must be closed
lere. for Nicholson, who told me the
;tory himself, did not proceed any fur
her with it. He married the girl who
wore his forgetmenot and who care