The herald., 1919-11-27


Like one In happy dream Miss
Adriana put on the things and pres
emily .Delmar came in wearing his eve.
ming clothes.
Ii Would she 60 with him to see the
play the young people of the town
were giving. "A Rose Of Old Dixie"
With her face like the dawn Miss
Adriana watched the players. Iva
Ellsworth was the Dixie Rose, q witch.
ing heroine; Paul Nelson, her lover.
Iva played her part with brilliancy,
but Paul's heart prompted his acting.
1t was fervent, real.
Delmar's mind was torn with indie
cisi0n. But near the end Of the play
he looked at the little lonely woman
beside him, for the time pathetically
happy, and quite suddenly his mind
was made up.
"Auntie," he said abruptly to her
when they were again in her living
room, "will you let me come live with
you? Mother doesn't need me; she's
going to be married soon to DR.. Ash
'other. If you'll let me I'll move my
desk and other things over tomorrow"
Miss Adriana's happiness of the eve
ming, compared with the new Joy, was
as drop Of water to the ocean.
That evening Iva Ellsworth received
Bouquet Of pink carnations and q
note that asked her to pardon the
writer for breaking his promise to call,
and begging her to accept his congrat.
ulatiOns on the success Of the play.
Il didn't get what 1 wanted for
Christmas" the note ended. II didn't
dare. in the face of things. to ask
for it."
For several months the world held
no happier creature than Miss Adri-
ana. Then she observed that Delmar
had occasional fits of abstractedness,
unnatural to him. Gradually It
dawned upon her that he was troubled
over something.
Where is that pretty Ellsworth
girl now, Del, do you know?" she
asked him tentatively one morning
early III december.
He started at her question, and she
noticed with sinking heart that the
paper he had shook q little.
Bryce Garth told me yesterday Paul
Nelson was married." he answered her,
"and though Bryce didn't know to
whom, II think it must be to Miss
Ellsworth, auntie."
Later in the day, searching for q
lost cuff button of Delmar's, she came
upon picture of the girl.
He loved her-he gave up asking |
her to marry him." her troubled mind |
reasoned, ito make a home for me.
And now he is grieving for her!"
As the weeks passed Miss Adriana
paled under the weight of her secret |
trouble. Delmar became uneasy for
her, and few days before Christmas
sent her to the nearby city to see one
of his friends. fine young physician
there.
That afternoon while crossing the
street to the railroad station Miss
Adriana felt herself caught and pulled
back just in time to escape being run
over by heavy truck that came
around the corner. The girl who
saved her helped her to the ladies'
sitting room Of the station, but when
her train came a few minutes later
she was too shaken and nervous to
attempt to board it.
"Oh, what will Delmar think when I
don't come" she exclaimed.
"Delmar" The pretty girls cheeks
grew a deeper pink, and Miss Adriana
knew her to be IVA Ellsworth.
my nephew, Delmar Halstead, with
whom I live in Review" she explained.
"Why, Review is only twenty-five
miles," cried the girl; I'll telephone
him and he can come for you in an
automobile"
When she came back Miss Adriana,s :
lips trembled over q question. L
"Are you-are you married, my
lear?"
When Delmar came Miss Adriana
vas able to smile in wan gayety at
him.
Where is the lady that saved your
he asked presently as he knelt beside u