Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1918-10-11
Her
Mistake

By MILDRED WHITE

nnlcie sat apart and looked tear
fully across the moonlit bay. Her
heart was not in this impromptu
merrymaking.
A friend had called her up just as
the sun went down, begging that she
would persuade her brother Bob to
drive her over to the park for pic
mic lunch, with a moonlight sail on
the lake to follow. Bob had been
eagerly agreeable, and soon after their
big car was safely parked near the
monument Dulcie lost her brothers
companionship, as he Immediately at
tached himself to one of the girls.
Dulcie was glad that the laughing
departure of the party for the lake
ride left her in retrospective solitude.
Walking backward in little separate
groups, they had not noticed her alb
sence. All day long the girl had
longed to be alone to think things
out, to fight down the great barrier Of
pride which had caused her such
useless misery.
Ronnie was going to war. That was
the uppermost thought. Tomorrow he
would be on his way to camp.
OF course 1t had not been Ronnie's
fault that the two were obliged to
play in the same club orchestra; they
had merely been selected as the most
skillful players. That the girl must
clan should be unusually attractive
was not Ronnie's fault either; but in
the evening darkness of the park with
the tears still upon her cheeks, Dull
cie's chin tilted detiantly; there was
no reason why ROnnie should have de-
voted all his spare hours to practice.
Dulcie's presence being unnecessary
at these club reliearsals, she awaited
her lovers return upon her own We
randa; and her grievance grew. Had
Ronnie not been hers to command,
since the time he had carried her
books from school? What right had
a blonde violin girl to usurp that
which was hers? OF course Dulcie
would not deign to put this in so many
words Her attitude alone spoke her
displeasure.
1t was, therefore. perplexed young
man who, after one of these "waiting'
evenings upon the veranda, was dis
missed with GOODNESS at an early hour.
The final break came upon that night,
when he, all unsuspecting of tragedy,
walked to those same veranda steps
with the violin girl at his side. The
girl, as he raised his hat in departure,
had smilingly asked him ''to come
around to the house for moment,
and she would give him that music"
Ronnie had gone; when he came
back to Dulcie's veranda Dulcie had
disappeared. 1t had taken some in
genuity upon her part to avoid him
since that fateful time, but Dulcie had
persisted. Twice, upon Ronalo's &C.
copied calling evening, her mother
after puzzled search of the house
for her daughter, had been obliged to
tell him that she was not at home.
Receiving no explanation or apology
for his sweetheart's absence, Ronald
remained away, while the rehearsals
continued AS weeks passed they met
occasionally upon the street. After
one swift, questioning glance in the
direction of Dulcle, apparently uncon-
scious of his presence, the young man
had squared his shoulders and passed
on, hurt look in the clear eyes. But
now, like some great hand brushing
aside the petty jealousy and heart
burnings of the past, came news OF
Ronald's going to war.
"Oh! he would be brave!" She
choked little at the thought. Gould
she let him go with no kind, encour-
aging word?
Dulcie sat up and looked at her
wrist watch; already the choice was
out of her hands. When Bob came for
her it would be too late for hope of
finding Ronnfe. Early in the morning
the troop traip was leaving. Hope
iessly she arose and made her way to
Monument square, where the auto
was parked. She had no wish to meet
her friends again this night.
Like a tired child Dulcie crept into
the back empty seat, drawing the dark
robe over her body. Grief Is weary
ing With a loud, quivering sigh she
closed her eyes and slept. Half
dreamily she realized that her brother
had slipped into the front seat, evil
IDENTITY having seen her sleeping; cas-
lily the car swung about and rolled
down the broad avenue. Silently Dull
Gle lay and blinked at the stars. At
last she spoke:
ooh, Bob" murmured her saddened
voice, "do you think it would be too
late to go and find Ronnie? OF course
it would be-" she added hastily,
''but"-her voice broke-'1 do so want
to bid him good-by."
For moment there was no reply;
then the car came to an abrupt stand
still, while the driver stepped quickly
over to the rear seat.
"Dulcie, as I'm alive" cried a dearly
familiar voice, and Ronnie the soldier
clasped his sweetheart in his arms.
II don't know how you got here" he