American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-10

4 surprise. When an old friend
leaves you at a time Of a great crisis
In your life. without even q good-by.
and FOR O whole year forgets that you
ever existed, q letter from such a one
Is apt to come as a surprise don't you
think so7 Since you are alive and are
good enough TO feel an interest In
knowing that | am too. | don't mind
telling You that | am teaching music
here In Chicago and like my work very
much. / have no husband In sight, and
If I ever acquire such u possession, II
viii be because his pockets are SO well
lined with gold that 1t would be folly
for me to let him slip through my I'm
gers. At present ! am very well and
contented. Sincerely.
"BESS COURTLAND."
n Bess could have seer Dempster
when he rend his letter all idea that
he regarded her c~arelessly or that he
| was deceived as to her own feeling for
him would have vanished as q June
frost. AS II was. she never knew how
she managed to live through the next
week until an answer to her letter ar
rived. Then, one morning, as she was
leaving tile boarding house for the
studio, the postman handed her nnoth-
err envelope benrlng The familiar writ.
Ing, and she almost ran to the little
park, where she sat down on a bench
to open It.
dearest GIRL she read. 81 am the
man you are after-the possession you
really ought to acquire. My pockets
are 80 well lined with filthy lucre that
I'm bent with the weight Of 1t. 1t
would be worse than folly to let me
slip through your fingers and nothing
could possibly suit me 80 well as to
lodge in those same fingers forever.
Seriously, Bess, don't you still cart ii
little? I'm in a position now to ask
you to marry me-will your You'll
never know how | suffered because !
WINS not able to ask this when your IA
Their died and left you so little; but d
peculiar round of circumstances over
took me just then and left re no al
tentative. My little sister, who was
out here visiting, met with a terrible
uftiutlLf WitNH ntttNNitntth " q y
difficult operation, and my resources
we're so taxed to take care OF this stu
alton / did not dare assume another
obligation. / left without seeing you
and I've remained silent because die
not wish to stand In the way of your
comfort elsewhere. Perhaps | die
wrong, denr; but my heart was righI
and | ask TO be forgiven. ! have never
ceased to want you, Bess, and now, thu
remnant of my savings, happily invest
ed, has brought me returns which per
nit me to ask you with u clear con
science to share my lot. I'm cominI
East for my answer and shall prob
ably be with you almost as Don a
you read this. Always your lover.
, BILLY"
, When she had finished reading, tear
/ blinded her and little shivers of sham
chased themselves up and down he
' spine at the thought Of her sordlt
! ness but through the tumult With
/ her, her heart kept singing, "Bllly
Q co~mlng-Bllly is comlngl |" She ha
! only just removed her wraps Mt tn
/ studio when Billy came, and Their
from the snfe shelter of his arms, sh
/ said TO him;
n "Billy. dear, I'd have jumped at th
chance TO share your lot any time an
/ any place, II you hadn't had a thin
O In all this world but a penny with
n hole In ltl'