The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1921-03-22
LILACS
BY NELLIE A. FAIRBANKS.

Bill Curtis vigorously applied the old |
stubby brush broom TO his well-worn |
suit, then stopped for moment TO
gaze out across the great green ZELDA
For lG years, weather permitting. |
Bill had watched and loved this time
of day, when the sun was casting its
last slanting rays.
Tonight he was leaving the home he
loved so well and the man who had
shared his home and with whom he
had worked for 10 years. That was
the hard part of going. Something
that looked suspiclously like tears
welled up In his honest blue eyes, and
he gazed for minute at the man at
the sink, doing up the supper disheSL
As a rule this man was laxative, but
tonight he was strangely silent,
The arduous task OF making an old
suit look something like new was final
ly completed and Bill stepped out on
the little platform that served as
piazza. He looked sadly at the two
empty arm chairs.
AT the end Of two days journey
will be with Marcia again." and
once more he could see the little white
clad figure as he left her that last
evening. Again he could hear the
soft sobbing as she begged him not
TO be away long, and Bill held her
close as he whispered:
when have made the little fortune
have dreamed OF, then ! viii come
back TO you. And when l do come
back, Marcia, It will be in lilac-time,
Just like IL Is today"
The first few weeks had been I'M
bearable TO Bill; then as the months
and years passed he fell into that
rut of being perfectly satisfied with
working hard all day and spending
the long evenings with his faithful
companion and his pipe.
His little pile of money grew big
ger each year until he at last decided
II was time to 90 back to the old home
and Marcia. His heart beat faster
as he pictured the little vision in white,
and he sighed happily as he again
entered the little cottage. But his
spirits dropped when he beheld Jim,
sitting with his head resting in his
Two hands, a picture of despair. Go
ing over, he placed his hand on Jim's
shoulder and said:
"We've spent some very happy Year,
here, old scout, but now l must be
going back to Marcia. l wish you
could see her, Jim-so small, with
wavy tresses and"
"Yes, but 10 years makes an awful
difference, old man." Jim answered.
"Yes, yes" Bill murmured, half alb
sently; lin some people, but not Mar
Cia."
At last the time came when the
comrades parted. Jim drove Bill over
che two miles to the railroad station,
and they silently pressed each others
hand, for neither could speak just
then.
Jim drove back TO the lonely cot
tage, seated himself in his arm chair
beside the vacant one, and when the
big full moon arose its beams fell OH
one lonely figure, and an empty chair
In the meantime the train sped on
towards Bills old home and Marcia
His Journey ended at noon two days
later, but as Bill felt terribly roman
tic, he waited until the sun was set
ting, then Marcia must see him frs
by the lilac bush near her door. \:
he neared the house he wished he haC
kept corresponding all these years
but then, he felt sure Marcia loveC
him enough TO watch and wait fol
him even though II was sixteen years
He was almost at the gate when |
sudden fear took possession OF him
Things did not look just right. Wha
IL Marcia had gone away, or had died
but no, he must put such thought
away. At the gate piercing scream
reached his ear-just as he was b!
the lilac tree, where Marcia must se
him first--and two dirty-faced boy
came rushing around the corner of tn
house, the larger one finally overtah
ing the other, and they immediatel
f. started a fist fight.
The door OF the house opened quick
9. Iy and woman, one who would eai
lily tip the scales at two hundred. az
reared in sollcd glngham drcs!
sleeves rolled to her elbows, exhibit
Ing pair of fat red arms thlckly coz
GItu with WlllNt SNhNt Nlhhi
red face showed plainly she had jus
emerged from the family washtub.
Bill rubbed his eyes and locke
again. There might just have bee
an ordinary double chin attached
that face, but Bill could swear he sa
four. He also noticed the thin, ha
gray locks, twisted into little haI
knot at the back of her head, Crusl
Ing the innocent lilac where he had
few moments before so romanticai
placed his hand, he stepped back a II
Gle farther.
There was no mlstakIng, The ey'
proved II was MarcIn, and II the
was the least bit of doubt left In h
,,,i,d a Iisnnnp1rpl when a man