Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-10-01

was out. sne HouId stanu long Dy ner
open window gazing at the other light
glowing through his window. He
studied far too late, she felt with
loves pang Of apprehension, after
while he would be made to rest. And
then she would fall - wondering shy
y IT, in the fulfillment Of her dream
Ing. he would move up to her great
house on the hill, or she down to the
little gray manse.
During those April days the very air
breathed Of love. Never before had
Miss Hsllam's garden broken into such
q splendee Of bloem. Never had 50
many wee chickens and FUZZY balls Of
duckiings scurried across her path.
Rushing cut In new abandon she
stood with head thrown back, eyes
half closed, drinking in the intOxicat-
ing beauty Of the day. As she stood
thus, syeinga petals showering her. a
light buggy flashed past her on the
street. eternally printing Its picture
upon her brain. The vision showed
her Evie, the sun cleaning on her
bright head, her ardent young face
lifted to her companion. And he. the
minister, gazing so absorbedly down
into her eyes that be did not even see
Miss Hallam, though his head was
turned in her direction.
Very slowly she went back into her
somber library. The strength had
gone out Of her limbs she felt as if
the actual physical pain of the shock
would take her life. The panorama
Of her friendship with the minister
spread itself before her. That which
she had tn Ken for: budding love had
been but the kindIiness Of q sympa-
thetic nature. The burning glance,
the lingering handAasp had been de-
weld of meaning. he had pitieA her.
If It had been any one save EVE.
was her moan; but she had loved her
-. Like an older sister she had
watched over the girl, and her own
bank account mad furnished every
luxury of Ewes life. Such a return
It's Inconsistencies did not lessen It's
cruelty.
Through that sultry morning, during
which her dreams fell dead about her,
Miss Hallam abandoned herself to the
bitterness Of this final thwartment OF
her loving nature Then, very YEARLY.
she took up life again, living through
the days by sheer nerve strength, Civ
ing no sign of suffering.
A few weeks later Evie came slip
ping In at twilight, and, somehow,
they worked up to the dreaded an
nouncement But when Evie began to
beg her to play the wedding march
Miss Halam's powers Of endurance
snapped. Her refusal was so curt
that the young girl fairly fed from her
presence.
"Cousin Agnes is so queer some
times" she sighed while telling the
minister about it.
"But think how she shrinks from
publicity. with that poor crooked
body" he gently reminded her. and
Evie's tender heart melted with re-
morse.
U0 the DFA08A 0V0&A28 hAAOo kAAh@W
shut herself tnto her ewn room. She
had tried to brace herself for the
ordeal Of the service, but 30 fast was
her control ebbing that she dared not
offer her face to public scrutiny. Fall
ing down across her great four-posted
bed. desoIation closed in upon her.
Her suffocating heaxtbeats set them
selves to the measure of LOhengrin.
The scene i'm the church famed in her
minds eye She saw the minister's
radiant tenderness. saw EWES child
Like pride merging into awe as she
stood before the altar. She followed
them through the congratulations. and
tho rice shoWering. and when the late
train sped them away on their bridal
journey it had never, 1t seemed to the
poor soul gone forth in such blatant
triumDh