The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-11-19
The Secret of
the Birch
BY JESSIE e. siIERWIN
(Ceryri6he. 1915. BY the Wssesrn News
- paper unien.l

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ICspyrisht. 1915. ~ the wsstsrn News
paper Unisn.l
Hardscrabble farm was well named
and when John Lyle died and left til.
place to his son Allan, the lattel
viewed his heritage with grimness, bu,
resslve.e .. "
Y am going to change it-at least
help nature along" declared Allan to
hislsister Meta. 1.-THE thousand dollars
father 10 closely boarded and left us
will just about fix things up spick and
span and quadruple the crops. Give
me Just one year Of my own way, and
nj show you the modern little farm
It san Daviss county. Then"
Allan drew in his breath and, his
eyes fixed upon distance, sparkled with
asfefex Of the golden picture he men,
tally viewed. Meta smiled secretly.
The artful mink well knew the impell-
ing ideal Of the moment-Lura Willis.
She was the daughter Of q neighbor
with q large family, and the only girl
Allan had ever loved. Outspokenly,
they were as yet no more than friends,
but all Rockton decided they would
mate some day, and Lura silently but
delightfully."- blushed when the soft i'm
parchment was limited at by her girl
friends. Al to Allan. his dream Of life
was to see Lura queen Of Hardscrab-
BE developed into an Eden spot
through his cherished ideas OF inten-
hve farming. Lura came over to see
Meta one day. with . bewildering piece
Of news. i'8s
What do you think !" she spoke,
'my rich relatives in the city, Uncle
Reuben and Aunt Deborah Hunter,
have sent for me to come and live
with them. You know they are very
wealthy and have no children, and
they write that must live with them
for year and 60 to seminary near
their home. and when the year is over
decide to become their adopted daugh-
ter or return home, as elect"
That is grand !" replied Meta cheer
ingly, but by no means enthused. "Of
course you will see lots Of the world
and live in luxury, and all that; but
what about Allanr
"Why. what do you mean?" muir
INJURED Lura equivocally and flush
Ing and paling by turns. +
''He will miss you dreadfully, Lura,"
said Meta. "You don't know how much
he thinks of you, dear"
"No, DON'T" huttered Lura; 'but
I hope he does. He has been true,
rood friend, and shall miss him,
too" Zero.
-Lura, said Meta with some grav-
ity, you are perhaps more to him
thah he to you, but don't forget him,
the dear fellowl Iwant to show you
something" and Meta led the way to
Q silver arch in the garden. Upon IL
q knife had cut the outline of two
hearts entwined.
aLura's eyes expressed suppressed
sentiment as she Viewed the present
ment, one day originated by Allan
when they were together. Both had
laughed in, gentle badinage over the
tine-worn nonsense Of lovers, but now
Il had deeper meaning for, removing
l small section Of bark Of the birch,
Meta revealed an aperture.
This seems to be Allan's treasure
house." said Meta, "and I thought It
right to have you know what it con-
tains. See, little mementoes of his
acquaintanceship with you," and Meta
brought to light q faded nosegay, a
four-leaf clover, a cherished
BIT Of ribbon and some scrawled sheet
" paper. 81
''What are those1" inquired the curl.
Dus Lura.
aPoetry-or Allan thinks 1t is. Here
d the beginning Of one: Dearest
Lura, to you will be true"
Lura seized q pencil lying in the
unique cubby-hole and wrote under
The line: "And I, sweetheart. the very
same to you" and, kissing the scrap Of
paper, and all emotion and bushes, II
Lura ran away as Allan was seen ap-
pfoa ching in the distance.
Allan did not see Lura again before
she went away. Perhaps her overt act
81 liking for him embarrassed her;
perhaps she hesitated as to commit
ling herself before she saw what the
new life before her would bring. Meta
.0ld Allan Of the incident Of the birch
tree, and his face frightened, and the
day that Lura left he started in with
his farm work with zest born of cour-
age and hope.
What long, dreary year that was /!
Once month Lura wrote a pleasant
etter to Meta. She named Allan in a
friendly way, but most that the broth.
sr and sister heard was from outside
sources. They learned that she had
,ecome quite a society belle among the
Hunter set, and had grown more beau
iful than ever. Then one day came a
,fief note to Meta. It mentioned that
he Hunters had come upon financial
lisaster; that they had tried to induce
ara to wed wealthy, but obnoxious
nltor, and that she was coming home