The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-04-15
IS YEARS AND A DAY
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ssss$sS
Mr.. Badger came putting up the
street with as much effort and commo-
ton as the 8 .33 accommodation which
he had just left smoking its way nois-
lily to the next suburb.
On both sides of the street very COM
Portable looking frame houses, much
terraced, had the appearance of two
rows of soldiers marching sideways up
very steep steps. OF course in summer
this illusion was softened considerably
by the trees from which the street de-
rived its name. With all Of its steep
ness and sameness, Maple lane had
long been the harbor of caste" in the
little borough of Glenport, which was
neither glen nor a port by the way
About the sixth house up on the right
side of the street was house of in.
discriminate brown, wide porches, q
turreted effect on one side and a foun.
tain.
Toward this house Charles Badger
plutocrat, now turned the tail of his
eye, as he had every night, summer
winter and seasons in between, for a
number of years. Sometimes it was
only the flutter of curtain, sometimes
the opening of the front door to get the
evening paper, in the spring it was the
hyacinth and tulip beds that needed ut,
tentlon but always when the :32 train
came in there was evidence that Rosa.
lind Murray was somewhere on the
premises.
To 90 back bit into the archives of
Glenport: lie Badgers and the Muir.
rays had one time divided the hOnors
of overload. And in those days before
Sylvester Murray had lost his fortune
in the failure of the First National, the
scion of one house was betrothed to the
daughter of the other.
But when the Murray fortune was
swept away, Althea Badger Charles
mother, had taken her darling aside
and showed him his duty, not to the
girl he was to marry, but to her. Sc
he had allowed Rosalind to withdraw
from the contract when she also had
insisted.
Years had rolled along and brought
vacancies in both families. In fact
there was no one left at the Badgers
but Charles and none left at the Muir
rays but RoSallnd.
This evening Charles looked as usual
when he was directly across from the
gate. The tulip beds were gorgeous in
their reds and yellows the hyacinths in
their puppies and pinks. And from the
shrubbery beside the house came the
languOrouS perfume of liIaCS. A birC
perched on CupId's good wing in the
fountain suddenly let out a volley OF
joyous notes.
Charles paused to hear and to have
better view. Then he looked keenly
around for RoSalnd. He didn't see her
1t was curious.
He turned again and went on, disap
pointed. 1t was unusual. He haC
learned to look for her and to count
upon his evening greeting.
Again came the birds call, and at the
same instant a Whit of lilac made its
way to Charles nostrils. He was feel
ing very curious and, withal lonely
He stopped again.
Still no sign of Rosalind.
Then he did an unusual thing fol
somehow or other he seemed to have
lost the power of will. His feet seemed
to carry him forward without the least
volition on his part. He stepped off tho
pavement crossed the street and found
himself opening the rusty iron gate anC
mounting the variously inclined steps
to the house he had not visited fol
years.
The next instant he was ringing the
bell and trying in vain to think of what
excuse he should give when Rosallnt
opened the door.
But he need not have worried fol
Rosalind didn't open the door. A
stranger answered the bell, an Older
woman with sharp features, black
bI'SS anu IL EIHSlldlll uDIOu.
rs Miss Murray at homer inquired
Charles, startled.
Miss Murray doesn't live here any
more" answered the woman. "ShC
moved out today"
"Oh, yes, l see" stammered Charles
turning to go. 81 beg your pardon
Then: "She didn't say where she was
going, did she|
mo. She's going to be a nurse, be
Iieve, but l don't know more than that
I've bought some of her things. Tn
going to conduct fashionable board
ing house here, and | hope you won't
mind mentioning it to your friends"
Through his brain were pounding the
words, Fifteen years and you've lost
her, fifteen years and you've lost her
Fool Fool !"
He reached the iron street gate at
last and again turned heavily up the
hill, the same words ringing in his
brain.
Then he heard someone calling, and
looking up he saw Rosalind coming
down the steps Of the house next door
I've been waiting to say good-by,"
she said quietly. I'm going away,
Charles, and may not see you again for
Il long, long while"
But Charles had her hand and held
1t, as If he would never let go. mo
you're not going away. Rosy. yOurp
going TO stay here and marry me this