The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1920-05-21

of ermine around her and then caught
her close to him with arms that treIn-
bled a little Happiness lighted her
eyes and curved her smiling lips.
You're beautiful, Milly," he said,
ana then added, unsteadily, land
you're mine. You make me think of
spring, eternal spring, and apple trees
in bloom
She had made good beginning, Mil
ly thought. as he slipped his arm
back of her in the automobile and
bending toward her. whispered, 'Lets
go home little early. I'd like you all
to myself for a while"
But her period Of happiness was
doomed to be short. Juanita was al
ready in the ballroom, regal, superb in
sheathlike white satin, and from the
time Dick entered the room everybody
there was Instantly aware of the aston
ishing fact that Juanita had evidently
| changed her mind again and that she
not only openly wanted Dick, but that
she had also decided to take him. That
| it would not be an effortless task was
foregone conclusion, for everybody
knew that Dick had adored her and
| that he had been crushed when she
had Tilted him.
Milly was instantly surrounded, for
men naturally gravitate toward beauty
| as flowers grow toward the sun, but
| she was not so entirely surrounded
| that she did not hear Juanitas soft
voice murmur to Dick: Dick, DEAR
I've missed you terribly. See, I've
saved half of my dances for you"
In the ear turned little toward
| the two Milly heard Dick say: "Well,
you're mighty kind, but I'm fully up
all but one" and Dicks voice was re-
assurngly steady. There was not a
| hint of regret in 1t.
| Even when the news of their engage
ment spread like little running for
est fire in the dead leaves of small
| talk, Juanita still angled for Dick
| Milly'S heart under the soft green tulle
was as heavy as lead, She was just
a dog in the Manager She could never
make Dick happy and she was keep
| ing him from Juanita, who could crown
his life with joy. Behind some palms
that screened them from the ballroom
where they were sitting out dance,
Milly turned to Dick and stripping off
her shining new engagement ring, said
heroically: 'Dick, you've always
loved Juanita. l want you to be hap
| by. Nothing else matters to me-"
She was wholly 'unprepared for what
followed, for Dick seized her in arms
that appeared to have been hungering
for her for untold ages. He kissed
| her with a passion that kinded the
fire Of her own. His heart pounded
| like the heavy waves of an angry sea.
| "Oh, Milly, girl" he said brokenly, II
love you more than l ever loved any
body before. | never dreamed that
there could be girl in the world for
me like you, so beautiful, so sweet, so
| unseltish. I think that have been in
love with you ever since I called you
| 'Freckle Face Remember, sweet
| heart? / feel a blissful cOntentment
with you that l never before expert
enced You're my girl You're going
to be my own dear little wife. When,
Milly dear? Don't put me off
found out today that l could buy the
Henderson place, way up there on the
hill, If you like 1t, dear. Home there
with you waiting for me- When,
Milly? / love you so. When?"
He was not to be denied. "Soon,
Dick, If you really want me-" she said
happily, but there were tears in her
eyes when he leaned down to kiss the
sparkling ring on her finger and the
little pink palm that fluttered in his
hand like a homing bird.
Life had not cheated them out OF
the thrill of their great moment after
all.