The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-01-23

hope" hr said fonscly. lie held ont
his hand, ~Good.hy litllc chum~
Quiet. passive. her own hand lay IN
hts for brief moment.
"Good.hy Dick hope everything
win he we'll" she answered briefly.
Outside ~ the evening dusk he look.
"a M NJ the stars as men have locked
FOR comfort through the ages. "She
understood 80 20 nm old country
farm with me; even love cannot make
The sacrifice Wen, perhaps there Is q
destiny tim, shapes things for the hes,
after all. he thought TO himself
The next day he took the early train
for the city, purchased some gifts for
his father and mother. and started
homeward II was evening when the
train dropped him Mt the quaint little
station OF the village beyond which his
fathers farm lay.
He found one Of his fathers men
waiting for him with the span OF
horses that was his fathers delight.
They drove home In silence. As the
great farmhouse doomed through the
friendly dusk. Dicks heart thrilled a
bit with pride. II was splendid home
Of It's type, keeping the stern hut
beautiful lines OF the old architecture,
into II most Of his fathers money had
gone through the hard years. The
lights cleaned out--the homelghts
that always seemed so chcerful-nnd
soon the span drew up before the door
He jumped out, rushed In, and
caught his mother In his arms; then he
went to his father. and the trembling
pressure of the sick mans hand was n
blessing and II henediction. He turned
from the invalids chair to go to the
han and stopped, staring.
In the door stood a girls figure her
smooth. oval face, rosy under the
light; dark.eyed and dark.haired, she
stood there. Ruth In spirit and form!
He rubbed his eyes as he staggered
and gasped her name.
With n laugh half teary, half merry, |
she came 10 him and put her arms on !
his shoulders, looking up into his eyes. I
Dick" her voice said aren't you
glad TO see me?'
He caught her tightly 20 him. Ruth,
what does II mean?"
''It means inst this: that If YOU do
intend TO leave me behind I do not
intend 10 he left thought when you
said good-by that you didn't want me-
YOU acted $3.50 funny. Do you?"
"Do I? Oh little sweetheart, you
don't know--you don't; but do you
mean that--that--"
81 mean that where you 60 my dear,
] want To go--even to the very end
Put this place"
III is n beautiful home. You forget
that father spent his boyhood and ear
~ days at just such beautiful
place"
gruff but tender voice broke in.
"You bet ] did And now you young
sters put off your love-maldng for n
lItiIf. 4 wait w fiSh LINN hbbul H@''fi' b.,
Of the trout brooks around here. I'm ,
going fishing IN the morning."
Dick had whlrled about to find him [
self facing Mr.. Leighton whose hand {
was out
AS their hands met firmly Leighton's ]
voice lost It's banter and his eyes were
steady. though there was a twinkle IN
hem Dick, J shall he proud to have
you for a son-as ] would have told {
you N the college if you had asked 1
ne; and ms regards your future wife, t
ct me tell you that she has been c
brought up in the good old-fashioned 1
way. She Is Of the hills, she belongs :
o the hills and Tn mighty glad "A man
" the hills has won her That's Il
numbering long speech for me to
make but guess you see how feel c