Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-02-22

anu Il poor substitute. hS1iC DcJLL~N+ h2-N-
ney's moist hand.
4 guess [ understand" she said. "Tll
attend to your wedding things, Sidney.
Well show this street that even Chris
tine L0renz can be 0utG0ne." And, as
an afterth0ught: 4 hope Max vii
son will settle down now. He's been
none too steady"
It was late when K. got home. Sid
ney was sitting on the low step, wait
ing for him. With q long breath
of content, K. folded up his long length
on the step below her.
"Weu, dear ministeTing angel" he
said, chow goes the world"
Things have been happening, K"
He sat erect and looked at her. Il
was a moment before he spoke. He
sat looking ahead, his face set. When,
after a moment, he spoke, it was to
forestan her, after all.
'I think I know what it is, Sidney"
"YOu expected it, didn't y0u?"
Its not an entire surprise"
"Aren't you going to wish me hap
piness?"
IF my wishing could bring anything
good to you, you would have every
thing in the world
His voice was not entirely steady,
but his eyes scliled into hers.
Gam I-are we going to lose yog
soon?"
II shall finish m@ training. I made
that a condition"
Then, in a burst Of confidence:
II know 50 little, n, and he knows
so much. [ am going to read and
study, so that he can talk to TO about
his work. That's what marriage ought
to be, a sort Of partnership. Don't you
think SOP
K. nodded. His mind refused to go
forward to the untbinka5le future. Ia.
stead, he was looking back-baclz TO
those days when he had hoped some
time to have a wife to talk to about
his work, that beloved work that was
10 longer his. And he had lost her
absolutely, lost her without q struggle
to keep 'her. His only struggle HAD
been with lamseIf, TO remember that he
had nothing to offeG but failure.
Sidrey's eyes We're on the tall house
across 1t was Doct0r Eds evening
office hour, and through the open win
dow she could see a line Of people
waiting their turn. They sat .immobJe
inert, dOggedIy patient, until the open
ing Of tile back Office door promoted
them all one chair toward the consult
ing room.
Il shall be just across the Street, -
she said at last. Nearer than l am
at the hospital"
you will be much farther away.
You viii be married"
"But we viii still be friends, K?'
Her voice was anxious, q little puz-
zled. She was often puzzled with him.
"Of course"
But, after another silence, he as
founded her. She had fallen into the
way of thinking of him as always be-
longing to the house, even, in a sense,
belonging to her. And now
Shall YOU mind very much if I tell
you that am thinking of going away?''
tx. I"
"AIy dear child, you do not need a
roomer here any more. I have always
received infinitely more than I have
paid for, even in the small services
have been able to render. Your Aunt
Harriet is prosperous. You are away,
and some day you are going to be mar
ried. Don't you see-I am not needed?'
"That does not mean you are not
wanted"
Il shall not go far. III always be
near enough, so that I can see you''-
he changed this hastily-''so that we
can still meet and talk things over.
Old friends ought to be like that, not
too near, but to be turned on when
needed, like a tap"
"Where will you go?"
1.-THE RosenfeIds are rather in straits.
I thought of helping them to get a
small house somewhere and Of taking