The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-03-30
AFTER ALL
BY CORONA REMINGTON


pulling up dead stalks and piling them
In little heaps along the rows, and
across the railing of the porch gaudy
quilts and blankets were summing
themselves.
Down the front steps came a youth.
slender with the lankness Of recent
growth.
He sauntered toward a battered,
mud-spattered little red car that was
standing In the front yard under q
tree. Adjusting spark and gas levers,
he cranked 1t, then got I'm and went
rambling, rattllng Off down the road.
AS he continued on his way an Idea
came to him. and he hurried. now driv-
Ing with purpose.
Five or six miles farther along he
left the road, and finally stopped In
'front.' of a rather big white house and
cast quick glance over the surround
ings. An idea came to him. and he
put a gentle finger on the button that
blows the horn. After moment he
was rewarded by the sight of Elsie
Armstrong standing In the doorway.
"H'lo, Harry" she called.
"H'lo! Want to take rider"
"Uh-huh. Wait till I get my hat
and tell mamma"
He had never before asked Elsie for
a ride, nor any other girl for that mat
ter.
Elsie came down the path swinging
her hat in her hand and, unaided by
her friend, jumped lightly into tho
open car. As she sat there beside him
she was very near-nearer than she
had ever been, and somehow he felt
strangely thrilled. He looked with
wonder at her little short nose all +,
covered with freckles, and decided for
the first time that 1t was really q
beautiful nose: and there was some
thing about her curly hair as 1t blew
around her face that made him think
of the poetry that he studied In Eng.
llsh Mt high school.
"Got your lessons for Mondayr he
asked after while.
"All but my hist'ry and math. Got
yoursT'
mighty near"
The conversation Jagged again He
had so much to say. YET couldn't say
word, so they travelled along In ST.
lence past another farm or two.
"Oh, look. Harry, at the edge OF tho
meadow over there" she exclaimed
suddenly.
"whatY
"Dogwood. The first I've seen. Lets
stop and get some to take home"
He drove to the side of the road.
then stopped the car and they Jumped
out.
Lets rum" he suggested. catching
her hand.
TITS pretty here, isn't itf" said the
girl after pause.
"Uh-huh."
More silence, blissful. comprehen-
sive silence
swell. guess we'd better get our
blossoms" from Elsie after a while.
They jumped to their feet and start
ed toward the nearest dogwood tree.
Harry broke the branches and handed
them to her until her arms were full
THAT enough1" he asked at last.
"Uh-huh. Aren't they prettyi"
''Uh-huh."
They started back toward the car
again. Back another way. As he
helped her across a little ditch he
kissed her.
"Oh-h-h-hi" she said breathlessly.
"Oh, what. Elsie?" he asked anx-
lously. fearful least he had offended.
"N-nothing only-my hands cramped
holding the dogwood."
Relieved, he took the flowers and
also the cramped little hand and they
went on their way, two rather sober
but wonderfully happy children. Al
they rode homeward they said little,
but, after all, what was there to sayH
'Tve had good time," she told him
as she jumped out of the car In her
own front yard.
'Er. say, Elsie. you going to tell
your motherT
"Tell her whatY' she asked inno-
Gently.
"Tell her we're-engaged to bs
married"
"No-no, guess not. Shed only say
we're too young to know anything
about love-"
TIN not going to tell dad, either,
cause he'd just cuss and say the same
thing; but we aren't. Elsie, are wer'
Elsie shook her head and stared at
the ground.
"No-no. we know more about it
than they do. because we're in Hove
Just because we're In love. and after
while when you're older you'n get n
love and get married"
swell, don't you think I'd make you
. good husbandf" Harry asked az
grievedly.
"oh. yes, but then you're d-difsr
ent."
swell, good-by. DEAR" he said,
blushing furiously. as no threw IN tho
gears and went rattling out Of the
yard.
And after ALL wonder.