Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-05-27
ROMEO
BY LOUISE M. ADDISON.

more Famous romeo OF blh W. ''ulh
make loving and impassioned speeches
when he wished. But he didn't always
wish When things went smoothly RO-
meO was merry bright and conversa-
tiona But if anything happened TO
rune his feathers he could be as tenn
peramcntal as any grand opera star
becoming 10y mrns silent mOrose and
irritable Nevertheless he had his
fav0rites. 90 whom his words were low
ing. ana his accents sweet. though the
unlnitaied might have found his voice
q triHe harsh For Romeo was
parrot whose dearest and most de-
voted friend was aged Mrs Scott, his
owner for 20 years. and whose bitter
/ est enemy was her grandniece. Hes
/ ter, aged seventeen.
Hester had no respect. II seemed.
either for Romeo's years or his wis
dom She was In the habit Of slyly
poking him I'm the ribs OF teasing him
when she wanted % little amusement
for herself or her friends of off r.nc
him gifts iu . houey-sweei voice when
he was fast asleep, and of Withdrawing
them when he was sufficiently aroused
to accept the goodies she tempted him
with. Romeo bore the laushter that
followed vaianly. But he acquired
an mplacuble hatred for Hester file
did not spuuer or make fuss. ms a
narrOf should have done he waited.
and bidcd his time. He was old and
wise, and reasoned th0t some day the
many blows TO his comfort and dignity
would be avenged.
Hester, meanwhile, faced the world
morrily. little dreaming that the future
MIGHT bring undesired complications
into her life. True, she had fallen off
I'm her studies but studies we're a bore
anyhow. and she wasn't going to al
low n trine like that to bother her.
for weeks Edgar Trafton had escort
ed her home from school 10 the NOR
tification of several of the most at
tractive young ladies in attendance
there He had become, in fact, Hes
ter's abject slave. AT a very early
date Edgar began to regard himself !
as one of the family. The two would |
come in of an afternoon, devour Mrs. !
SCOTS choicest pastry. and when |
they had eaten their fill, start the
photograph. or perhaps Hester would |
play on the piano and sing while Ed |
gar accompanied her on the violin. Be
tween the two of them they managed
to make so much racket that poor Ro-
meO's tortured squawk went all I'M
noticed, and one afternoon Mrs. Scott
felt called upon, out of sheer despera-
ton, to order Edgar from the house,
with strict iniunctiOns never to enter
it again without permission from her.
A note from the principal of the school,
received that day, had aided Mrs. Scott
in her determination to eXpel Master
Trafton from her home, for ii had
stated, in unmistakable language, that
Hester would not graduate unless she
paid more attention to her studies.
Seeing that young love was likely
70 suffer unnecessary tribulations il
Edgar continued to cali in the aft
srnoon, the lovers met evenings, there
lfter. in the parlor, where Hester was
'ondly supposed to be studying her
esSons.
Mrs. Scott usually retired early, so
he coast was clear. Out of the cor
Ter of his eye Romeo. thought to be
sleep. watched them evening after
vening Romeo didn't know, perhaps,
hat it was only few days before
but he did know that
out of the ordinary was
oming off. He sensed it on a certain
ny when Edgar entered the house
little more quietly than usual, and
lester met him at the door with a
and eager expression. Ed
ar regarded her with what was meant
} be a look of undying love and de-
,rmlnation on his usually sheepish
ice.
"Your aunt shall not separate us"
omeo heard him say. 1--WE love each
her, and true love never will
e thwarted."
mo agreed Hester, with look of
gh resolve True love will find
ay True love is not efraid"
ut is not" said Edgar, in a very
lalted voice. "True love is not afraid.
have made all the arrangements. We
i'll slip away on the twelve-fifteen.
he minister at RoSedale will marry
:. I have the ring all ready"
And then came the supreme moment
Romeo's life, the sacred hour Of his
venge. They had not considered him
all. Of course, and his beloved mis-
ess had gone to bed early with
'adache, but Romeo was prepared to
low them thing of two-and make
ue love find another way.
The lovers, intent on the arrange
ents when, suddenly a loud laugh
9, raucous voice broke upon their
RS.
"Hesterl Hester! Shame on you!
ELL that foolish boy to go home.
nd him home tell you. you siIlyl
we will find a wayl On the twelve
teen! The minister at Rosedale.