The independent-reporter., 1922-04-13

4
much all the time she's here. It's the
worst luck -
He was doleful, but ventured to be
literary. "Well, what can't be helned
must be endured, I'll come around
when she's gone"
He moved as IL to depart, but she
still retained his arm and did not pre-
pare to rellnqush it.
"Well---" he said.
"Well what. Ramsey?n
"WeIl-g'night."
She glanced up at the dark front
of the house. II guess the family's
gone to bed' she said aLsently.
II s'pose So"
well, good night Ramsey" She
said this, but still did not release. his
arm, and suddenly, in ii flusler, he felt
that the time he dreaded had come.
Somehow, without knowing where ex-
cept that it was somewhere upon what
seemed to be blurred face too full
of ohstructing features, he kissed her.
She turned instantly away in the
darkness, her hands over her checks
and in a panic Ramsey wondered If he
hadn't make a dreadful mistake.
"S'cuse mer he said, stumbling to-
ward the gate well. I gdess got
to be gettin along back home"
lie woke in the morning To IL great
self-loathi@y; be had kissed n girl.
Mingled With the loathing WAS curl
ous pride in the very fact that caused
the loathing, hut the pride did not last
long. He cap downstairs morbid to
breakfast. and continued this mood
afterward. AT noon Albert Passion
brought him Il note which Alilla had
asked Sadie to ask Albert to give him.
"Dearie: l am just wondering if
you thought rs much about something
so sweet that happened last night as
] did you know what. ! think{it was
the sweetest thing. send ypu one
with this note and I hope Won will
think 1t is a sweet one | wopgd give
you real one if you were here now
and | hope you would think lit was
sweeter still than the one | putin this
note. 1t is the sweetest thing now you
are mine and am yours forever kiddo.
If you come around about friday eve
1t Will be all right. adnt Jess will be
gone back home by then 40 COME early,
and we viii get Sade.and Alb 20 go to
the band Concert. Don't forget what
l said about my putting something
sweet in this note, and hope You will
think 1t is sweet one but'lnot as
sweet as the real sweet one 4 would
like to- .fa 81
At this point Ramsey fmpnlsively
tore the note into small pieces. He
turned cold as his Imagination pro-
jected q sketch of his mother in the
act of reading this missiye, and of
her expression as she read the sen
tence: ut Is the sweetest thing now
you are mine and | am yours forever
kddo" He wished that Milla hadn't
written "kiddo." She called him that,
sometimes, but In her warm little voice
the word seemed not at all what 1t did
In ink. He wished, too, that She hadn't
said she was his forever.
Suddenly he was seized with hor-
ror Of her.
Moisture brofe out heavily, upon
him; he felt a definite sickness, and,
wishing for death, went forth upon the
streets to walk and walk. He cared
not whittier, so that his feet took him
in any direction away from Allla,
since they were unable to take him
away from himself-of whom he had
n n fo q
continually before him. and its sweet
ness made his flesh creep. Milla had
been too sweet
When he met or passed people, 1t
seemed to him that perhaps they We're
able to recognize upon him somewhere
the marks of his low quality.
"Softy! Ole sloppy fool! he NUT
tered, addressing himself "Slushy
ole mush Spooner" And
he added, "Yours forever kiddow
p Commissions seemed about to seize
him.
Turning a corner with his head !
down, he almost charged into Dora
Yocum. She was homeward bound !
from a piano lesson, and carried a
rolled leather case of sheet music
something he couldn't imagine Milla |
carrying-and in her young girls /
dress, which attempted TO be nothing
else, she looked as wholesome as cold !
spring water. Ramsey had always felt |
that she despsed him and now. all at |
once, he thought that she was justified |
Leper that he had become, he was un- |
worthy to be even touching his cap to
her And as she nodded and went |
iIbrlskly on, he would have given any
thing to turn and walk a little way
with her, for it seemed to him that this |
imight fumigate his morals. But he
Hacked the courage, and, besides, he
lconsldered himself unfit to be seen
Iwallilng with her.
He had a long afternoon of an
iIgushes, these becoming most violent
i'when he tried to face the problem OF |
his future course toward Milla. He
Idid not face 1t at all, in fact. but mere
ily writhed, and had evolved nothing
when Friday evening was upon him
Hand Mllla waiting for him to take her |
xx,tfI