Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-05-04


effort was not very successful. In the
country one may get city fashions, but
1t Is not every worker who ~an make
them up. But in the few moments they
were passing 1t was impossible for me
to tell II there had been any change In
Henry's feelings for Lila. So pieced
out the story In this wise: Henry was
beginning to see the difference between
her and the girls he had met. mean
by "her' her clothes-a certain def
cheney in what city people call chic.
/ am not referring to Lila as soul,
not even as body, for in bodily beauty
she would doubtless far surpass many
a city girl. Well, what do l refer TOT
Why, clothes and manner; that's all.
After this Henry seldom came home
during vacations. heard that he
usually went camping with his fellow
students. At any rate, lost track Of
my lovers | was reluctantly obliged
to consider my story, II not finished, at
least passing through stage Of inter-
ruption. Henry had become interested
In q career which would have moth
ing to do with farms or farmer people
When he was graduated learned that
he was intending to study medicine
But before no entered medical col
lego his father, who spared no expense
on his education, sent him abroad.
When l heard of oil these matters,
which were taking him farther and
farther away from provincialism and
his provincial sweetheart, groaned In
spirit, for l saw that my love story
was likely to end In nothing.
1t was some time before Henry was
to leave the medical college that I
heard bad news Of Lila. They said
she had some trouble that was drag
ging her down, but the doctors could
not discover what 1t was. They could
not diagnose it-that is what they
said Of 1t. Her father sent to the city
and brought a doctor to the farm espe-
cially to sec II he couldn't tell what
was the matter with her. The doctor
said he couldn't find any organic trou-
BILE, whatever that means, and the only
remedy he thodght might benefit her
was change Of Scene. He advised her
father to take her on trip. But
Farmer Bunker couldn't afford to do
that, and Lila didn't care to 60.
l considered this merely part Of my
love story. 1t was plain to me that
Henry Morse had drifted away from
the little girl l had seen him going by
our house with when they were chill
dren, and the parting was killing her.
They say story writer's often fall In
love with their imaginary characters
Therefore it's not strange that a story
creator like myself should fall In love
with real person Of flesh and blood
had always known the Bunkers, 80
went to see Lila. That was In the
spring-May, think. found her sit
ting In an easy chair at her window.
pale, languid and without interest In
anything II may DO that she OWNED
by my bearing toward her that knew
what was tho matter with her At any
rate, when l went up to her, took her
hand and drew her head down on my
shoulder she left 1t there and seemed
to get relief from the tears that came.
While she was weeping on my shout
der I was thinking. Not having any
lover to bring back for myself, wish.
ed could bring back one for this poor
girl. And formed plan.
But 1t was some time before l car
ried 1t out, not till summer came,
Then / told Lllas parents that l
thought 1t would do her good to come
and make me n visit Since Lila said
she would like to do 30, they consent
ed, and within few days she was In
my room, the room from which I had
first seen her go by with her child
lover. said nothing about Henry
Morse either as boy or man any more
than II he didn't exist. But when ]
put Lila In an easy chair at the very
window from which / used to watch
her and him, and thought Of her as she
was then and saw her as she was now
I made up my mind that II l was go
ing to make a good, real story OF her
case couldn't rely on things to hap
pen themselves I'd have to bring them
about myself.
was thinking, too, that my love
story had been going on long enough,
and It was time Il was brought to
close. Besides, Lila was so weak that
I feared In her condition she'd contract
some real disease. so | wrote DIR.
Henry Morse, who had lust been ad-
mitted TO practice, that had patient
In my fnmlly who was dying OF some
dIsease that none Of our country doc
tors could tell anything about, and
would pay him whatever he asked II
he would make flying trip and diag-
nose the case.
He wrote back that he remembered
me very well and would run down in a
few DAYS.
or course I didn't LOT ON IN Lila wbat
I had done she. noor child wasn't
dreaming wbot nm Influence NV seeing
her 90 by nv window 40 many wears