Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-12-16
TONY'S RETURN
BY KITTY PARSONS.

20, 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)

someone came out on the porch and
introduced her to a man she had loved
ever since she was nineteen-ten
whole years. He had told her he
loved her at the senior prom, but
they were both so frightfully young
that they had decided to wait a whole
month before becoming definitely en-
gagged. Then, if Tony still felt the
same-which he felt sure he would
he would write at once and tell her
so. Before the month was up joan
had been forced to go abroad with
her parents, but had made Aunt
Maria promise to forward all mail.
There had been plenty of letters from
Harrison Davies all that miserable
summer, but not one single line from
Tony.
HE just found he didn't care
enough" Joan told herself bravely,
and she tried very hard to put him out
of her mind. The following year her
mother and father were killed in an
accident and she had married Harrf-
son Davies, who seemed to be the
only possible solution of her troubles.
But Harrison had not made her hap
DIV and although she had stuck
stanchly by her guns through all her
married life, when he died five years
later she could not honestly mourn
him. She had never forgotten Tony.
When he had been wounded in France
-I1o I1J oh o,0olacc1u hn0nhf nuorU
paper she could find that might have
some possible news of him, and she
had prayed for him every night.
For three years Joan had worked at
reconstruction work In France, and
now on her arrival home, her old
friend, George Ainslee, had again be-
gun his proposals, which had started
Immediately after her husbands
death. And then Tony had sudden
Iy stepped upon the scene of action.
It was dark out there on the porch
and the man was sublimely uncon-
scious of the fact that he had ever
seen her before.
MAY 1 have this dance, Mrs.
Davies?" he asked her.
IF you don't mind staying outside !;
I'm so hot that l don't want u go in
side"
Then, suddenly, when the others
had left them, he turned to her:
"Do you know believe I've met
you before"
Joan laughed lightly. I'm prob
ably a type" she treasured him,
quickly. TELL me the story of your
life, please-I adore romance!"
Tony flushed in the darkness. I'm
afraid l haven't had much Of that
sort of thing-since my college days
at least.
"Can't 1 help you, Joan-Td do any
thing in the world I could"
"How did you know mel" she asked
in surprise.
"Well, when a man carries a girls
picture in his pocket for ten years he
can generally recognize her when he
meets her on the street"
"Oh, you haven't done that mean
you mustn't; why have you got it
there?'
Because I love you'll always
have"
"Oh, Tony, you can'tl You never
WROTE and I waited and waited and
waited !"
"Oh, Joan darling-it's all been a
mistake somewhere. Joan, please"
"Gracious, Joanl I've been looking
everywhere for you-everyone Is leav-
ing" Georges voice broke in upon
any possible explanation and Joan
sprang to her feet.
"Good-by, Mr.. Rossiter," she said
to Tony.
Joan passed a sleepless night and
left on the earliest train the follow
ing day. By Friday noon she had
about made up her mind to give
George the answer he wanted when
he came that night.
She was cleaning out some old
photographs In her desk when the
doorbell rang earlier than she had ex-
pected. AS she started to escape, she
almost ran into Tony Rossiter.
"Joan," he began, blocking the exit
with both arms, 81 know you don't
want to see me, but I had to bring
you something. l really did write you,
and 1t was returned to me unopened
/ thought you did it, Of course"
Blindly Joan took the battered old
envelope from his hands. 1t was
dated ten years before. She under
stood now-it had been Aunt Maria's
work she had always wanted her tc
marry Harrison, and had discouraged
any possible friendship with Tony
Slowly, she read the belated words:
'Darling-I care for you more thar
anyone else in the world. I've thought
I loved other girls but 1 know 1 love
you-especially now that I've beer
away from you for a whole month
and am nearly dead with loneliness
Please write NELL be watching fol
your letter every day. I'm going tt
love you always-Tm not half gooC