Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-07-31
THE GIRL
BY MILDRED WHITE

Billy rode gloomily through the flow
| er-scented dusk, his head, usually held
| in soldier erectness, now dropped as
his eyes followed the line of road. 1t
was over at last, his one dream Of
| love.
Billy'S life, before the girl had come
into it, had been routine of home
and duty, enjoyable enough, but after
he had seen her there was no more
| ordinary routine, no enjoyment in any
thing but the rapture of her presence.
Yes, that is the way that Billy felt.
She had entered the entertainment
hall of his home town one evening,
| and had by chance included him in her
| cursory gaze. Then something DOR
mant had leaped to life in Billy's heart.
| He had heretofore scoffed at love at
| first sight-"imaginary nonsense" the
matter of fact Billy had called it--but
on this occasion he turned to a COM
| panion.,
"Who?" he demanded confusingly,
| but the companion understood.
"Guest of the Hunters" he replied.
Suddenly, as though the girl herself
was obsesSed with the same strange
magic, she looked wonderingly back
at Billy. Across her lovely face fitted
| a seeming glance Of recognition, then
| her eyes had been lowered demurely
| as she passed on into seat.
| Billy fretted through the entertain
| ment in his eagerness to meet her, and
fought his way through OBTAINING
| friends at it's conclusion, to find the
girl missing as he reached the end of
the aisle. Billy sat until late hour
| that night, making various possible
plans to gain the coveted acquaint-
nnce, his chief difficulty being the
removed social position of the Hunters.
Long had the wealthy copper mans
| family lorded it over their towns
people, and Billy was decidedly out Of
| class. The girl too, his friend con-
| fided, "came from a wealthy family"
| And though Billy was poor, a pauper,
no doubt she would consider him, here
| was the love Of one night, laughing at
| obstacles and scheming for victory.
But Billy's best laid plans failed utter
| Y, until the night of his enlistment.
A reception was given to the boys
| preparing to answer their country'S
| call, and she was there. More beauti-
| full than Billy in his wistful dreams
| had fancied her, was the little guest
of the Hunters. Then again, as though
answering his silent yearning call, she
looked back into Billy's eyes, and mi
raculously crossed the room to his
side. The pretty color came and went
| in her cheeks as she had advanced to-
ward him, and he was ready, with
reassuring greeting.
ct want to shake hands with our
soldiers" the girl said, II want to wish
you WELL"
It was the companion again, who in
troduced them. And Billy had been
privileged to see her few times since.
These chance meetings were his rosary !;
happily he counted them "oer and
GER" while nearer came the time OF
his departure for camp.
Striding savagely about the room,
Billy acknowledged that so few meet
ings could not justify a confession of
tlove, and he further bitterly realized,
that his position could never warrant
that confession. So Billy had hidden
the girl goodbye, holding her hand in
| the clasp of q friend, and murmuring
| t'that it had been a pleasure to know
| her." She had smiled brightly over
! the farewell, and assured him of her
| admiration for his courage; so it was
all over, and as Billy now gloomily
rode along, he came to the sign OF the
| 'sRed Cross Benefit Lawn Fete," and in
hope that he might see the girl once
more, he left his car and passed in be-
meath the bunting.
But his searching eyes were unre-
warded. Before him a gypsy tent
fiounted an invitation, "Come in and
have your fortune told" and Billy went
inside Then for a moment he stood,
his heart pounding maddeningly, for
it was the idealized girl herself, VINO
in charming gypsy costume knelt in
the center of the tent.
"Your fortune sir?" asked the girl,
ana tUere WAS liz 1eSoSHilAoh IL AAS'A
professional gaze.
Billy collected himself with an eff
fort and held forth his hand.
The girl bent low, reading his palm,
while he longed wildly to kiss the
flowers in her hair.
Tomorrow" she began, "you start
upon a long journey, much OF sorrow
and strife will you see, but your return
will be-triumphant, all joyful"
'Not joyful" whispered Billy. Cues
tioning, her eyes met his. IF the
woman love, would be waiting to re-
joice with me, that only could be true"
The dark eyes were sympathetic.
"The woman you love has refused
your
81 have not dared to speak my love-"