The Snowflake herald., 1921-01-14
After the Years
By GENEVIEVE ULMAR
Ca. 1920. Western Newspaper UniOn.)

''NOw, my love, shine" spoke Iona
Tyrrell's mother, proudly.
81 fear you overestimate my power
to dazzle, mamma DEAR" said Iona, I
but her eyes sparkled and she could /
not conceal the emotion of the most
auspicious moment in her young life.
Iona had never had much Of a I
chance to shine in the world unless +
being the bright, cheerful life OF
little social set in a dull, remote vii /
lage counted for something. Her par /
ents were poor, her environment hum
ble for the first time in her life she |
now stood arrayed in garb that
might have graced a duchess, and in I
the suitcase by her side was full I
complement Of finery to the feminine +
heart most dear. Her hat was ex-
quisitely dainty and becoming; she
had a certain dark beauty that detled
powder or rouge and there was grace
and delicacy about her figure that
would make most people look twice
at her.
John. Barclay, her mothers brother
in years to the TyrreH home. He
stood we'll in the city; he had money.
His two daughters had married and
the whim seized him to do something
for his sisters only child. 1t had sud
denly occurred to him, realizing the
vast contrast between his own sumptu-
Gus home and the Tyrrell humble cot
&c fu
by his hard working sister. Then
cOmprehending that nothing would
= please her more than to have Iona
see the world and the world see
her. he invited Iona to his home on
a long. visit and had insisted on pro-
viding her with all that would make
her presentable.
"She has too much in her as to beau
ty and character to waste her life in
dull, humdrum WinwOod," declared
Barclay. "Give her a new insight in
to the world that means something,
sister. She shall have the best in life
while she is with me-"
So mother and daughter parted and
the sumptuous automobile flashed
down the winding road, and watching
it to the last Mrs Tyrrell felt as if
it was some devouring monster that
had bereft her of her best beloved
child. Mr.. Barclay noticed that all
along the road the first mile of prog
ress Iona kept peering to her right
and as they approached an old-fash-
ioned place she took her handkerchief
and suddenly waved it at a young fei-
low driving some cattle into a field.
"Who was that, Ionaw inquired her
uncle
"Just an old, true friend. I told
him yesterday l was going away. ]
suppose I was foolish, but I cried like
a baby. See, uncle. he gave me this
pretty ring as a keepsake" and Iona
extended dainty finger bearing
slender gold circlet.
''You want to forget it and him too
Iona," spoke her uncle, almost sourly
'Village swains scarcely count in city
ways. As to the ring, don't wear it
have a diamond circlet awaiting yoL
when we get home"
Iona blushed and drew the ring from
her finger, but only to later place 1t on
her neck chain out of sight, but not Of
mind. 1t reposed nearer to her heart
that was all. She kept silence as to
Wayne Tresham, but only because her
mother had warned her not to spoil
her visit to the city by crossing the
imperious will of her uncle
It shall write, just as I promised
whispered Iona to herself. Il shall
not forget Wayne. no matter what
comes He is good, true and honest
And he had spoken Of coming to see
me in the city. What will uncle say
If he doesY'
The city proved an alluring magnet
for Iona. She was dazzled; she en-
jOyed all its variety and excitement
she was made great deal of and life
went like dream. Secretly she wrote
to Wayne, but after her second letter
received word from him that he was
going to leave home to take new
position, would be travelling a goot
deal, and would send her his perma
nent address as soon as he was settled
But a year passed by. Mrs. Tyrrel
died, Iona was adopted by Mr.. Barcla,
and only occasionally did she hear iron
Wayne They were not engaged, an,
she could scarcely expect more thar
the few formal letters he wrote.
There came an episode in her lif
where Mr.. Barclay urged a marriag