Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-01-15
DREAMS COME TRUE
BY MARY M. cOGGESHALL.

apple tree Of the orchard, she sal
dreaming lazily. 1t was a beautiful
day, so beautiful that her eyes had
wandered constantly from the Latin
book in her lap till at last, with a
sigh, she resigned herself wholly to
the spell of the moment, and let her
coming examination take care of it
self.
How gould one help but dream on
such day. and especially when one
had so much to dream about? The day
before the hero of all her girlish fan
cies had come home from college, in
lieutenant's uniform. Ever since he
had first donned long trousers and re-
fused to speak to the grade girls and
boys, James whOle-SOuled devotion had
been his. Now that he was a man and
a soldier, her little heart thrObbed
pitifully as she remembered his indif-
ferent smile of welcome. What
chance to win his affection would she
have with all her wealthy cousins and
their friends, every one almost as fond
of her hero as She? SO all she had
was her helpless dreaming, but it was
making her very happy, that after
noon.
Suddenly her dreams were rudely
interrupted by the chatter of a bevy
of girls. Her cousin and their friends
were on their way to prepare after
noon tea on the opposite lawn. They
were hardly established, a picturesque
group in the distance, when she heard
a masculine exclamation of dismay
that made her heart race madly, for
it was his voice, and he, very angry |
and impatient, stood just beneath her |
tree.
"How will 1 avoid that mess| John
exclaimed aloud to himself.
"Come up here!" Jane called tim
idly.
He looked up, startled out of his
usual composure to see lovely young
face looking down through the
branches at him.
"What are you, Puck or PAM" he
laughed.
ut is awfully easy to climb up If
you are really in trouble" she ven
tured invitingly. A burst of merri-
ment from the group on the lawn de-
cided him, and he swung himself has
tily up beside her.
"They make awfully good tea.
Weren't you invited?"
mo. I sent word that I wanted to
see your uncle this afternoon if he
weren't busy. It's a business call, and
I didn't expect to run into that bunch
of women-oh, excuse mel" he apollo
gized, remembering they were her fam
lily. She giggled, with a pretty little
shrug.
81 wasn't asked either, but they
probably have that tea just for you,
because they expect you" His look of
horror put her entirely at ease with
him.
Are you afraid of them?" she
asked sOberly.
eyes, l am. You don't know the
foolish things these girls say to mel"
John had hardly taken his eyes from
the dimpled face and golden curls of
little Jane since he first sat beside
ler. The tree, the day, the glorious
sky, were a setting in which her radi-
mt youth shOne to its best advantage
Her friendly little manner, her sim
)lcity of dress and lack of paint and
powder. were such a novel and Won
lerful thing to the much-sought after
louth. that it was hard for him to
,eep from outright staring at her {
"What is this you are reading?" he
sked. with an effort taking his alter
ion from her to the book in her lap.
"Ohl my Latin book. I'm studying 5
or my examination, and l don't know I.
thing" she said dsmally. s
an help you" he offered, and soon
hey were in the midst of the subject
ley both dsliked heartily. Jane d
aally learned quickly, he was so very 3
REF and clear in his review outlines. b
"Oh they have all gone and it's sup &
er time, and we aren't half through" 8
lie cried. q
''I'll be over this evening to see your q
lcle, and when we are through I'll &
ZIP you" he offered happily. q
That evening when he called the B
'rch was full of expectant young 81
ces. but Jane was nowhere to be ri
en-. 81
"Where is your father. AliceY he
st asked. &
Father just had to go to a meeting q
: waited for you all afternoon" Alice g
piled in a none too sweet manner.
nembering that she too had waited z
Where is Jane?" he asked. con- u
GUS of rising color and a queer ~
htening in his throat. Alice laughed
tefully.
'Oh. she is inside. Is she going to b
your war 5ride?" An uprOar of
Ighter greeted her attempt at wit. "a
t John faced them with strangely
smiling thoughtfulness. e