The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-12-01
A Girl Who Waited
Is Years

lie certainly was voluble. the rather
shabby. mIddle.aged man In the com
partmcnt, but then. again. he was In
terestlng. lie had been over all the
world. mnde and lost four fortunes,
nnd now was coming back 10 his home
town after an absence Of - years with
a modest competence.
"And. boys" he said. "I'm up against
the greatest problem OF my lIfe."
We all looked At him with renewed
interest. We had been little bit
bored by his account Of the habits
Of tho Puam.puam islanders; likewise
by his story OF the shark and the cut
tle.iIsli.
"Whcn I left Linstock-thats the
station after next--there was ! need
hardly tell you. a girl. l was u young
fellow OF twenty-five. and she was
two and twenty. We were In love.
We'd always cared for each other. and
we'd sworn that NO long us we lived
there never should be any one else
for either Of MS. I'm going back ab.
solulcly confident that that girl. II
She lives. and lives there. Is still walt
Ing for me-"
That's what I'd call an optImIst,"
said the fat drummer. "rhe girl
doesn't live who"
mo. nor oughtn't to, neither" whIs-
pered the man In the gray felt hat.
"'rhe selfish old hogi lie seems to
thing that after trapesing the world
for quarter Of century he's comm
home to find that Grlselda's been walt
Ing for him all through the marrying
years OF her life. jest hope she's
married to stock broker and has
three sets OF twins"
"Of course, you realize that your
expectation is not according TO human
nature" put In the man who looked
like a book-agent.
Gentlemen" began the mIddle-aged
man. II know what I'm talking about.
We stop half an hour at Llnstock.
and us her house Is about 50 yards
from the railroad line, i invite you
all to get out and accompany me
there. This here stations Alma.
Llnstock's the next"
"What are your grounds for this be-
lief?' inquired the man with the pur-
pie tie.
"why. she swore always to be true
to me-" answered the mlddle-aged
man.
HAS your experience of life taught
you that a woman's word Is usually
to be relied on In such matters" In
qulred the man with the gray felt
hat.
Gentlemen, frankly, mo-" answered
the middle-aged man. "But this girls
different. If she hasn't been true to
me, tlen all my faith In womanhood
Is blasted"
"lhe Internal impudence of hlm!"
whispered the man in the purple tie.
"Ah. well, Wen see what we shall
See" said the man, who looked like
book agent.
"Linstockl" sang out the conductor.
The train was slowing down. II
was largish village, junction, and
there would be at least half an hours
stop waiting for the limited to pass
AS the train drew up there was ST.
hasty move toward the
door.
"poor cussl !" whispered the man in
the gray felt hat.
Say, If I'd as much faith as that
I'd be manager Of the district east Of
The Mississippi" muttered the drum
mer. "Must have been taking faith
course, that guy must!'
The middle-aged man solemnly led
he party out of the depot. They
made their way down the untidy street
oward a row of neat, but aged cot
ages sheltering in the shadow Of some
ofty elms. The zmiddle-aged man
urned and waited to gather in the
)arty.
"The old cottage" he said, pointing
o the second from the end Of the row.
Not pulled down. knew itwouldn't
)e." n
AS they approached 1t the sound Of
nfantlle screaming within was borne
Ipon the slight breeze. The drummer
,rinned.
"Seems to me-" he said, "our friends
opes are doomed to be busted"
IF she'd married she wouldn't be
wing there" objected the man in the
urple tie.
'Might have come home for visit"
bjected the man in the gray felt hat.
Gentlemen" said the middle-aged
an, "she swore that she'd be waiting
Or me at the gate and-there she ls."
We stared. A prettyish, faded
,oking woman of about forty-two was
,aning on the gate, looking at us.
he mlddle-aged man ran forward and
lasped her in his arms.
Darling, I've come back to youl"
Il knew you would, darling" she re-
lied.
They were kissing, actually kissing
ach other, as If they were young
'vers. We were all taken aback.
hey had forgotten all but themselves
the world.
A fairish, misunderstanding girl
ime up to us.
Gee, wish mad make break
way soon !" she said. "She's ben kind
crazy since Toms letter come.