Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-02-21
Her
One Romance
tcopyrishs 1919. western Newspaper usioa.
By RUTH EVELYN PETERSON

~Wnltert WaltcrT
"shhi" ordered Miss Dorothy wor-
den. and waved a scarf toward the big
wire cage hung from the top Of the
porch.
she flushed and vas generally en-
barrassed. for some one was passing
the house. and Miss worden was n sen
sitive soul and experienced q certain
sense OF outlines. But 20 the passer-
by the sudden outburst Of Miss wor-
den's well-known parrot conveyed no
secret. A name. and a common one.
had no particular significance to unen-
lightened ears.
There Ind been an hour OF quite
rare romance In the lonely life of Miss
Worden, but she had hidden its details
and even Its memories from an out
siders. She was thirty and designated
as an old maid.
Fnte had been kind 70 her. A broth
er, fortunate In his business Affairs
and generous In his gifts TO his only
sister, had provided her with a cory
home and a settled income. She was
naturally sweet tempered. she had not
allowed her sympathies 20 grow old
and she WINS the favorite and confidant
OF all the younger set of the town.
Lovers had passed her by. For six
years after girlhood the care of her In
valid mother had taken all her time
and interest. BY that time she was
twenty-eight. and with a sigh she had
accepted the inevitable.
Il am quite on the shelf" she told
one Of her near and dear friends. "And
that Is not a very sad fate. for have
never had time to think of love and
cherish any romance memories"
But sentiment came TO Miss worden
with visit for two weeks at n summer
resort. The doctor had advised her
that she needed and deserved n change
and a rest after the death of her moth
err. II was one day while strolllng down
the beach that a well-dressed but unob-
trusive gentleman half paused as he
passed her. She was seated watching
the waves and the sporters In the surf
when the same man passed her. She
noted that he slowed down In his pace.
He hesltated. then he lifted his hat
and approached her.
Pardon me, II l have made n mis-
take" he said courteously. but are
you not Dorothy Worden-forgive me.
Miss Wordenr"
THAT is my nnme," acknowledged
the lady. May ask"
But his clear, honest face had be
come radiant. He extended his hand
readily and. somehow won with those
friendly earnest eyes. she allowed her
own TO rest In his.
"You don't remember me-" he smiled.
Il don't wonder. I made little impress
sion with my personality when l was
boy, less as l drudged along as a
man. I am an old schoolmate of yours.
I am Walter Clyde"
Her face lii up In turn, All. she fully
remembered him nowl II was like
traverslng a page from an old treas
ured book TO go over the Incidents Of
their early childhood. She recalled
how he had spelled her down, and he
related an incident where he had been
punished for some trivial fault and
she had waited TO go home with him
and comfort him, IL was a delightful
week for these two lonely odes. He
told her Of his daily work. He was a
travelling salesman. and she In turn ap-
priced him OF her life history since they
had parted. Playfully he called her
Dorothy, and asked her to address
him as Walter. as she had done In the
dear old days OF childhood.
81 am coming TO see you next time
my route covers Milton" he told her,
and when they parted Dorothy felt as
though suddenly she had been turned
away from newly found paradise.
And when Miss Worden got home II
was comfort TO speak his name TO
herself. But wise old Polly heard her,
and hence the call, loud and mlschiev-
Gus, whenever the observant parrot
that II teased her.
II was three months later when a
lonely man turned his face In the d.
rection OF Milton. He had his longings
TO see his old-tlme school friend. He
had his mlsgivings also. Somehow
that chance meeting with Miss Wor-
den had filed his life with a new inter
est. Did he exaggerate In his concep-
ton OF the warm interest she had
evinced In his affairsf That might have
been simply a friendly aud courteous
act.
Walter Clyde reached Milton and In
qulred his way TO the Worden home.
He located II. The neat rose-scented
garden, the vine-embowered cottage en-
chanted him. He found Miss worden
abs nj from home, probably shopping
In town or visiting a neighbor. He sat
down on the porch step, wondering II
be would be welcome.
"Walterl Walteri"
He started to his feet. At first he
believed II was Miss worden calling