The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-06-14
Observation-Disclosures

'>N'ii'N uiSCllC.
lie spent the rest of the day daw.
dllng helplessly about her; wherever
she went he was near, as near as pos.
sible but of no deliberate volition OF
MS own. Something seemed to tie him
to her, and Milla was nothing 10th.
lie seldom looked at her directly, or
Tor longer than an instant, and more
rarely still did he speak to her except
as a reply. What few remarks he
| ventured upon his own initiative near.
~ all concerned the landscape, which
he commended repeatedly in weak
voice, as kind # pretty" though once
he said he guessed there might be bugs
] in the bark of log on which they sat
aud he became so imnoderately per.
| Sonal as to declare that If the bugs
had to get On anybody he'd rather
they got on him than on Milla. She
said that was "just perfectly lovely"
Of him, asked where he got his sweet
nature, and in other ways encouraged
him to continue the revelation, but
Ramsey was unable to get forward
with it, though he opened and closed
his mouth a great many times III the
effort to do so.
AT five o'clock everybody was sum.
moned again to the rendezvous for a
ceremony preliminary to departure;
the class found itself in a large circle,
standing. and sang The Star Spangled
Banner Ordinarily, on such an open
air and out-Of-school occasion. Ramsey
would have joined the chorus upropr.
iously with the utmost blatancy Of
which his vocal apparatus was cara.
BILE; and most of the other boys eK.
pressed their humor by drowning out
the serious efforts Of the girls; but
he sang feebly, not much more than
humming through his teeth. Standing
beside Milla, he was incapable of his
former inelegancies and his voice was
in semiparalyzed condition, like the
rest of him.
Opposite him, across the circle, Dora
YOcum stood little in advance OF
those near her, for of course she led
the singing. Her clear and earnest
voice was distinguishable from all
others, and though she did not glance
toward Ramsey he had queer feeling
that she was assuming more superior
ity than ever, and that she was icilJ
scornful of him and Milla. The ole
resentment rose-he'd "show" that cir
yet. some day!
When the song was over, cheer!
were given for the class, 1.-THE good oil
class of Nineteen Fourteen" thu
school, the teachers, and for the pic
mic, thus officially concluded; and thel
the picnickers, carrying their baskets
and faded wild flowers and other sou
venirs and burdens, moved toward tn
big express wagons" which were t.
take them back into the town. Ram
sey got his guitar case, and turned t.
=. Mila.
"Well-g'by."
"Why. no." said Milla. Anyway
s not vet. You can 60 back in the ssli
t wagon with me. It's going to stop a
r the school and let us all out there
and then you could walk home wit
e me if you felt like it,"
h "Well-weIl, I'd be perfectly vii
l ing" Ramsey said. "Only l heard W
:. all had to go back in whatever WACO
we came out in, and didn't come
h the same one with you, so"
d Milla laughed and leaned toward hi
l. little. II already tended to that
d she said contdentially. Il aske
d Johnnie Fiske, that came out In N
II wagon. to go back in yours. so tn;
II makes room for you"
n "Well-then l guess I could do 1t
X He moved toward the wagon with he
e 81 expect it don't make much ditfe
l. ence one way or the other
1t "And you can carry my basket
If YOU want to-" she said, adding soici
ously, "unless it's too heavy when yC
a already got your guitar case to carr
u Ramsey"
Is This thoughtfulness Of hers almo
S overcame him: she seemed divine.
Il It'll be glad to carry the baske
y too" he faltered. "It-it don't weie
'e anything much
We'll. let's hurry, SOS we can 6
places together
u Then, rs she Unanswered hi
u through the little crowd about II
Is wagon with soft push this way al
III a gentle pull that. and hurried him I
st the improvised steps and found pla
It where there was room for hem DO
r to sit, Ramsey had another o'eathle
II sensation heretofore unknowA to hi
It He found himself taken under don
+ like protectorship; a wonderful, lie
ST pressble Being seemed to have Decor
= his proprietor.
u isn't this just perfectly lovely
10 she said cozily, close to his ear.
- He swallowed. but found no wore
for he had no thoughts; he was on
p an incoherent tumuIt. This was
a first love.
III "Isu't 1t, Ramsey" she urged. T
G coy voice had just the hint of
proach. Don't yor think it's u
'e perfectly lovely. RamseyT
I'll "Yes'm"