Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-11-14

At me station William, descending
from the street car, found that he had
six minutes to spare. Reassured OF
so much by the great clock in the sta
ton tower, he entered the building
and, with calm and dignified steps
crossed the large waiting room. Those
calm and dignified steps We're taken
by feet which little betrayed the trem
ulousness of the knees above them.
He made sure that the person he
sought was not in the waiting room
Therefore he turned to the doors which
gave admission to the tracks, but be,
fore he went out he paused for an In,
slant of displeasure. Hard by the
door stood telephone booth, and from
inside this booth little girl OF nine
or ten was peering eagerly out at Will
liam, her eyes Just above the lower
level Of the glass window in the door.
Even prospect thus curtailed re-
vealed her as a smudged and dusty
little girl. To William she suggested
nothing familiar AS his glance hap
pened to encounter hers the peering
eyes grew instantly brighter with ex-
citement. She exposed her whole coun-
tenance at the window and impulsively
made face at him.
Three seconds later the dusty faced
little girl and her moue were sped ut.
terly from Williams mind. For as
the doors swung together behind him
he saw Miss Pratt. There We're no
gates nor iron barriers to obscure the
view, There was no train shed to
darken the air She was at some dis
lance, perhaps 200 feet, along the
tracks, where the sleeping cars OF the
long train would stop. But there she
stood, mistakable for no other on this
wide earth.
There she stood-a glowing little fls
ure in the hazy September sunlight
her hair an amber mist under the ador
able little hat, a small bunch Of violet!
at her waist, larger bunch Of fra
grant but less expensive sweet peas II
her right hand, half dozen pink rose!
in her left, her little dog Flopit in thu
crook OF one arm and one pound DO,
Of candy in the crook Of the other
heffable, radiant, starry, she stood!
Near her also stood her young hostes!
and Wallace Banks, Johnnie Watson
and Joe BuIlitt, three young gentlemen
in a condition Of solemn tensity. Miss
Parcher saw William as he emerged
from the station building, and sh'
waved her parasol in greeting, attract
ing the attention of the others to him
so that they all turned and stared.
Seventeen sometimes finds It embar
RAISING, even in state Of deep emo
ton, to walk 200 feet or thereabOu
toward group Of people who stead
tasty watch the long approach. An,
when the watching group contains th'
lady of all the world before WHOM
one wishes to appear most debonair
and contains not only her, but severa
rivals who, though fairly good hearted
might hardly be trusted to neglec
such an opportunity to murmur some
thing jocular about one No, it can
not be said that William appeared t.
be wholly without self consciousness.
In fancy he had prophesied for THU
moment something utterly different
He had seen himself parting from her
the two alone as within cloud. HI
had seen himself gently placing hi
box Of candy in her hands, some O.
his fingers just touching some Of herr
and remaining thus lightly In contac
to the very last. He had seen himself
bending toward the sweet blond heat
to murmur the few last words Of sim
pie eloquence, while her eyes lifted II
mysterious appeal to his. And he hat
put no other figures, not even Mis-
Parcher's, into this picture.
Parting is the most dramatic momen
in young love, and If there is one tim'
when the lover wishes to present {
lofty but graceful appearance it is q
the last. To leave with the loved on,
for recollection final picture of man
ly dignity in sorrOw-that, above al
things, is the lovers desire. And yet
oven at INC UeSllhtuS VI " AlALhAh . SoN
foot advance, later SO much discussed
he felt the heat surging over bis ears
az he took of his hat, thinking Il
wave it jauntily In reply to Miss Parch
or, he made but an uncertain gesture
Of it, so that he wished he had no
tried it. Moreover, he had covered lesI
than Z third of the distance when HI
became aware that all Of the groul
were staring at him with unaccount
able eagerness and had begun to laugh
William felt certain that his attir'
was in no way disordered nor In itsel
q cause for laughter All Of these PEG
pie had often seen him dressed as h
WAS today and had preserved thei
gravity. But in spite Of himself h
took of his hat again and looked t.
see If anything about 1t might explain
this mirth which at his action in
creased. Nay, the laughter began t.
be shared by strangers.