Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-12-31
The Little Countess
By MILDRED WHITE
q. 1920. western Newspaper Union }

alone, could tell them. Love stories
find their way to me without seeking.
and even the awe-inspiring Reverend
Philip has his love story. But the
end of it, Perhaps that may not
tell you yet. who knows?
1t was not strange that a young
woman who had heard him preach
should come every week thereafter to
listen to his brilliant addresses
Throngs came to hear Philip.
The young woman VINO came faith.
fully and unobtrusively, was also un-
like other yomen of the vast con.
gregation, yet one could scarcely tell
why.
And when she had heard him
through from her seat behind white
pillars. the unknown young woman
would slip our into darkness-and be
gone.
Friendly ushers endeavoring to give
her welcome, failed in their purpose
1t was on night of unexpected
summer storm that she came unan.
nounced into the Reverend Philips
study
you knew. did you not, she asked
removing her wet hat. "that l would
come sometime?" The sympathetic
quality of her voice thrilled the great
man. Without reply he pushed for
ward a chair.
Il am well, you may call me
Olivia" she said.
"You have noticed me at service"
The clergyman bowed.
And when | was not at church,
she went on-''you missed me, know.
"From the gallery / have watched
your searching eyes, and their disap-
pointment. and it made me glad.
have known that same disappointment,
when l could not come-to see you.
but that" Olivia waved the sub
ject aside.
rs not what came to say. want
your advice for a friend.
yours will be wise advice and just
My friends is in need of council. She
has made a mistake of her life, and all
at once the realization comes to her.
She lives. poor lovely soul--across the
big ocean, among people who though
kind Will always be strangers, speak
ing another language of life. If not OF
speech. She married, you see, into
foreign nobility, and it was not for
the title Countess alone, that she did
SO, nor for the jewels and honors that
went with it. But just" olivia smiled
wistfully-'for an acre of flowers"
she said.
Can you understand the impulse?
But, of course, you cannot She had |
been obdurate to her family's plead |
ing during trip abroad. that she ae
cept the counts offer of marriage
fiattering offer, in that my poor friend |
possessed no money. But at last |
when they showed her his acres of
flowers" Olivia gazed medltatively |
down on her small rlngless hands:
II think The girl married the flow.
ers," she added sadly.
II can only explain it that way"
Philip spoke his first word.
"And now" he asked tensely.
my poor friend wishes to be un-
married." she answered him; "she
wants to live her own life in her own
way"
But the man, this count" the
clergyman asked, has he deserved her
desertion? Is he unworthy?"
Olivia shook her head.
THAT is the great trouble" she told
him.
THE count has been in every way
kind, q good and indulgent husband"
Yet she would leave him. She
would make him suffer for the within,
the desire of a moment. What sort
of woman-is this, your friend?"
81 don't know" Olivia said tremu.
lousy.
Il don't know. Perhaps love has
found her, perhaps, she would seek
her own"
Silently she waited, looking into
Philip Forrester's eyes; firmly his
hand closed over hers.
"Chnd." he said gently. Love nos,
is not of her seeking. You have esked
my advice. Your poor little friend
must keep her troth. If she is brave
and true, she win keep her acre of
flowers blooming-his life garden, and
hers"
Olivia picked up her wet hat.
$50" she murmured
''You would send me back" ;.
at is right that you should go back,
Countess Olivia" Philip answered
steadily.
From the door she smiled at him.
I'm my garden there wiz be always
white flower OF remembrance for
you" she said.
Philip Forester is not melancholy
man. His happy laughter is vel
known. The little countess smiles
when assure her of this. as we stand
in her faraway garden.
Had No Indian Connection.