The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-04-14
"BILLY'S DIARY"
BY AGNES GRAHAM BRooAN.
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where lle Dlu sl'lihE h'hH' 9''''f 49,
paused lost IN conflicting emotion.
Memories came to her across the
years memories OF tender sweetness,
mrniorir, ur dcsolatiOn. IL was here
that She had spent many happy hours
In her childhood here that great lone
lpcss had reclaimed her. Aud now
that she had come back for view
OF tie place, She was still both sorry
and glad.
Down the road farther lay the old
mansion that had been Jasmine's
home aud tie home of her grandpar-
entS. II was there that her young
mother, passing out OF life rs her
child came into il, bequcnlhcd her in
FAINT orphaned daughter TO great Aunt
Mlliccnts care-the young mother
who had named her buby jasmine,
her little white flower"
Aunt Mcllirents slender income,
never sufficient for the upkeep of the
great old hOme, expired with her
death. and there had been little money
left to Jusmine after paying the mort
cages. So, all unframed, the girl
went out into the busy world to earn
her iiveiihood-and this was her first
homecoming. Il vas nm advertise
ment concerning the white Inn" for
summer guests which caught Jas.
mine's eye IN the city paper. The
White Inn. as pictured there, was her
own lost homestead. So Jasmine,
packing hastily, went out to spend
her hard-esped two weeks vacation
In the altered place, The hertnii's
dwelling ON the spot where the old
spriugh0usc had been, was n topic OF
nevcr-failing interest to White Inn
guests. For the hermit, II was said,
frequented his lonely cabin every sum
mer living there In solitary exile.
Each guest at one time or another,
made u trip up the wooded way to
SEE him in his garden. And the her
init who was young and good look
ins, In frowningly, forbiddlng man
ner, perslslently ignored them one and
all lie dressed In khaki, as modern
hermit should, and cooked his own
food--if not exactly over kettle, at
least on an oil stove. Jasmine, had
not travelled over the bramble path
| ont OF curiosity To see him. hut TO
view instead tile old spring house.
And MS She sat on the hermit's garden
bench, she recalled with a smile which
brought forth lately respondent
dimplc a former visit of hers to this
| self same place In PARKWAY time.
| She had gone to the spriug house to
| he freed from Aunt Mellicent's stern
| observance, u lonely girl without play
mate or friend, AMI she had cone
! forth as "IIim." chosen companion Of
/ the incest boy IN the world: and this
Is how II happened Jasmine upon
entering the spring house, had found.
| lying upward. closely written little
book. ON its bright red cover was the
"oid diary" and on the very first
page was inscribed in boyish letter.
Ing-"Biny- Book" Before the
| little girl in the cambric frock real
lied what she was doing, she had read
two complete pages OF the DIARY"
II was wildly interesting; her blue
eyes widcned over the marvellous ad.
ventures of Billy, in Ills Book" and
she looked MP dazedly when an angry
voice reused her.
"Nervy!" greeted the voice, what
do you mean ny reading my writing7'
Jasmine was unnfrad, she even
clasped the red book closer in de-
fance. II didn't mean To- start" she
calmly told the Indignant boy before
her, "but when started. | couldn't
stop. It's all 50 splendid. I'm going
- finish the story"
The boys anger vanished.
ITO think that all those wonderful
things happened to Just a boy like
you!" jasmine explained.
And when at the end of d compan-
ionllJly long. happy summer, Billy
went away to school, and TO college
and perhaps never to return, Jasmine
was given the little red book TO keeI
as lasting memento Of their joyous
tunes together. She stlll kept II. And
now, TO make the memory OF those
past enchanted days complete Jasmine
uitN Tue llNllG uObh llOln llti puS hut
sat smiling over IT'S pages. II was
no sound which made her glance up
but just the consciousness ~ a pres
cncG .pcar.
The hermit was standing behind tliC
bench, reading over Jasinlne's shoul
der, the boylsh scrawl. When thelI
eyes met, inyoluntarIly both smiled,
Then the mans hand went out Il
her.
lyon, the hermit OF spring house =
The man nodded.
With quick stride he entered the
cabin, and returning put into Jas
mines hnnd book of familiar cover
II was one OF the seasons best sellers
Jasmine had seen II displayed, The
author reached over suddenly to in
scribe something on the Ay-leaf-"Bll
ly." 10 wro'e--"His Book Beneath
tae hooks tile was printed the uu
thors fun name, William Chalmers
Whom Jusmine's two glorious week,