The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1922-12-01

"Fiddlesticks, Myra," said her COM
panion. you'll marry, of course
whom would l marry?" asked
Myra, with eyes wide open.
Don't ask me-" laughed the other
teacher Every girl has two or three
men to choose from when the time
comes"
Il haven't" said Myra simply. The
other teacher shrugged her shoulders
and the matter seemed to be settled
| The next day a letter came from
Tom Jarrold, letter that Myra had
been expecting for many months. But
when she opened it and read it she
found that the letter said more than
she had expected Tom Jarrolds letter
would say. Briefly he wanted to marry
her. He had been on long business
trip. Affairs had shaped themselves,
as he would explain later. He had
been released from an old engagement
and now offered himself and his mill
lions to Myra.
Myra at first felt resentment that
Tom had not relieved her anxiety by
writing before, then there was curiosity
concerning the other engagement, of
which she had never known. Later she
was in mood to write letter that
would amount to an acceptance. Then
she looked up from her desk, saw the
rivets Of the knocker sticking through
to the inside of the door, and wrote a
letter Of refusal.
Somehow now that I've got that
knocker attached l can't leave" she
told herself. "Those old rivets seem to
hold me right here to Dalton"
The letter was sealed and Myra
started at a loud resounding knock.
She opened the door and stood face to
face with Bailey Hanway, known to
every one in Dalton save newcomers
like herself.
pardon me-" he said, "but l saw
our old knocker, your old knocker now,
of course. You see, our family has
lived here for centuries. That knocker
was on the old Hanway house. torn
down ten years ago while was off at
college. Then you know / was In
France during the war and after that
business kept me across for a while,
and-well. I always intended to get
hold Of the old door knocker, but I
never did. just happened to see 1t as
I was passing and thought I'd STOP"
Myra asked Bailey Hanway to sit
down In her little living room. Ex-
planning his attachment for the old
knocker, he asked If it was possible
that he might buy 1t back.
Then sounds Of tea kettle boiling
over called Myra to the kitchen. AS
she went she asked Mr.. Hanway to
stay long enough to drink cup of tea
and Mr.. Hanway very gladly accepted.
81 don't see how can let you have
the knocker," she explained over the
tea cups. you see it Is attached to
the door. 1 just decided today that I
could never leave Dalton and this little
house because of the knocker, so I
don't see how I'm going to part with
It."
Mr.. Hanway did not urge his point,
but when he went that afternoon he
asked If he might at least return the
next day or two to see the old knocker
so rich In childhood memories.
That evening Myra went to the post
Office to dispatch her letter to Tom
Jarrold. She did 1t now without re-
greet. When she returned home she
stroked the cold old griffin. Good old
knocker" she said. HE never would
have come If it hadn't been for YOU"
The next day Bailey Hanway called
again and somehow their acquaintance
rapidly. When he rose to
60 he said: II wanted to induce you
to let me have the knocker, but now
know l shall never want to have the
knocker without the charming little
woman who rescued it."
And the very next week all Dalton
was talking of the surprising engage
ment of Myra Grimwade, a nobody,
and Bailey Hanway, rich and infiu-
entail descendant of the founder of
the town.