Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1918-01-10


| prisonment.
partly to make me interesting, partly
because it isn't my secret, partly be
causeI really don't know. Will you
forgive me?"
after waiting all day for tele
phone call that never Gamer" coun
tered.
But I was not to telephone unless
! needed you; and I did telephone
when I knew all was right. You had
left"
"Just now?"
"a very few minutes ago, to tell you
that would be here surely for dinner
and for you to come"
"But you knew l would come"
said, smiling. "You were certain OF
that"
because you would not say good.
by? But wanted to be more than
sure. for I wanted to thank you. !
couldn't, somehow, last night"
"That is unnecessary" I spoke
gruffly, for / did not want to receive
gratitude under false pretense. / had
done nothing.
But must say it. When left my
home l was burdened with admoni-
tions because l had never been alone
from home before. My mother told
me how to deport myself in every con-
tingency, and last night was contin-
hn oh n
little moue, shaking her head. Il did
not behave at all right last night"
she said. when you offered assist
ance, I should have leek at you dis
dainfully and coldly said, Pardon, but
do net know monsieur When you
sat down at my table I should have
called policeman, for my mamma
had warned me against strange young
men"
My heart gave bound. She had
placed me in the category of danger
Gus youth rather than fatherly advis-
ers.
She went on in happy raillery: $50
! misbehaved in an unseemly manner,
trusting you and accepting your help,
for which l beg your pardon. But my
mamma had also enjoined me to ex-
press proper gratitude for courtesies
done me, and that, too, / forgot last
night. 1t was an altogether improper
day, yesterday, for in everything dis
obeyed mamma. Tonight I am being
good again."
"You are going to obey by express
ing gratitude?"
II am. 1 will carry out her admon-
itions. Gratitude is my excuse for be-
ing here with you, and gratitude shall
be the theme of my discourse. 1t is
a gratitude evening""
"And here is a reason for gratitude" !"
! remarked as Francis brought on a
soup tureen and began service.
1t was gratitude evening, for her
heart was filled with happiness and
her mind freed of its anxieties. She
gave me thanks each minute of her
being there, nor did she say one word
more of thanks aloud. She was my
friend of long acquaintance, of COM
plete understanding, and of frank llk-
ing. We talked of ourselves mostly,
and intimately, find similarity Of
dispositions, enthusiasms, sympathies,
humors, and moods. l found she was
older in thought than l had believed.
and that was younger than my years.
There was but one note of sadness
In our pleasure, that this evening
would be the only one. She would
leave the nsxt day, where she did not
say nor did ask. 1t was part of the
secret which was not hers. l kept
that regret in the back of my brain
that it might not spoil the happiness
of the few hours left to us, salving
the sore with the thought that |, too,
would soon be far away in new adyen.
lures. This meeting was to be an in
cident in my life, made momentous
by the fact that had been so shut Off
from opportunities to meet young
women of her kind and attractiveness.
That the same regret was in her
thoughts would never have entered
my mind had she not spoken it frankly
in the last few minutes of our meet,
ing.
'These have been two wonderful
evenings for me-" she said wien a
partial eclipse Of the restaurant lights
indicated a desire on the part of the
proprietor and employees to discontin-
lie the business of the day. We were
the only people left at the tables. Il
have been made TO feel more and
greater emotions than in all my life
before. have know. fear and ankle.
ty, the dread of apr ihension, and the
mortal funk OF disappointment. That