BACK TO THE FIRST LOVE

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1676, 13 April 1904, Page 75 (Supplement)

BACK TO THE FIRST LOVE

“I wouldn't mind so much, if it were anybody but that Plummer girl,” -said Mme. She was a "Brisk young matron, with, snapping black eyes and crisp red hair, and tire deep dimple in her chin accentuated, rather than softened, 'the effect. She spoke as one with authority “I think she is beautiful looking,” said poor Agatha generously.

“She may look well enough,” rejoined her sister, trenchantly, “but I guess when you've said that, you've said about all you can. My land, when she sits there and drawls out her word’s as if it hurt her to breathe, I feel as if I ought to take hold of some handle and. jerk out a. lew words to help her along. And; they say that William sits and looks at her as if she was a piece of statuary. Pretty goings on, I call it. when he's been tagging after you for the last eight years until he's driven all the other .men, aiwav and you've lost all your looks! And I know what you'll do. You'll sit there meek as Moses and let him get taken away from you. You never did have any pride.” ... Agatha looked out of the window m a sort of dull misery. ”1 guess you're right,” she said. “I have lost my rooks and no one else does want me now, yud you’ve always said I hadn't any pride, but I know this. I’ve got too much pride to hold a man to- his promise when lie wants to break it.” She rose wearily. “Don't you want me to wipe the dishes, Marne?” she asked in a different voice, and the subject was disposed of for that evening.

But she could not so 'easily put it from her for all time. In a country village one may suffer a small martyrdom, and both at home and abroad, Agatha was forced to bear of the comings and goings of her faithless swain. It was hard enough to believe that'her William uo longer cared for her, but it was intolerable to know that her poor little affair was being uncrouously discussed at every supper table in town: Like many unselfish souls, she naci allowed herself tp be figuratively walked on for the greater part of her life, but there is always the traditional point where til© worm turns. One day, in ai suclaeui moment of resolution siie packed l Her shabby little trunk and staid “Good-bye. to Maine, who was so stunned! by tins sudden action as to bo almost subdued “Give any love to Frank's wife,” she said amiably. “I hope you'll have a first-rave time.” And there wag really a, softened expression ion her face as she watched the village hack out of sight.

Two months later found Agatha once more on the little back stoop in the shade of the reddening woodbine. “It seems kind of good to be home again,” she said. “It certainly has done you a, sight of good,” responded Maine, approvingly. I never saw such a change in anyone s looks Well, I wouldn't be surprised if you did well after all.” Then, as her sister made no reply, “I hope, ypu're not hankering after that worthless scamp. Agatha, Leavitt, haven't you a particle of prided “I am afraid not,” said Agatha, but shei smiled as she did so. All the old bitterness had passed and sliei had come to •wish William happiness.

It was toward the end of the afternoon that she heard the .gate click and saw the Plummer girl walking up the path. She hau come to cal for her mother s bonnet, and as Maine went in to wrap it up, she lingered on the porch with Agatha. _ The latter gazed with unselfish admiration at the young girl as the last rays of the sun lingered, on her and brought cut the wonderful tints of her chestnut hair and) die pink and white of her skin. Agatha, would have been content to look at her for tho rest of the afternoon, but her young visitor broke the silence. “I suppose you've heard the news about me?” she said with a little self-conscious smile.

The lack of delicacy hurt the older woman., but she answered sweetly, “No, out I can guess. William is a very fortunate fellow.”

“'William., do you mean William White?” asked the other, until a. faint tinge of scorn in her voice. “Oh, it isn’t he; it's old Mr. Blodgett’s, nephew, Harry. You've seen him, haven't you, Mrs. Dyer?” she added, as Mamie appeared in the doorway with a bandbox. “Yes, I've seen, him,” responded Marne immovably. She always had to hold on to herself as she expressed it, when the eqs uuaj uoj sun. ptS Jeuiumia should box her ears. “And I suppose you think you have done a pretty big thing, don't you?” she added, satirically.

The young girl blushed nervously. “He's got a Lovely horse and buggy,” she murmured faintly, as she went down the steps.

“And so you're going to take him back again,” said Maine, a.bont five hours later. Returning from choir rehearsal’, sfie had encountered William White on the front steps, and she now fixed her sister with a stern accusing .eye. “Well, you must be pr.oudl to take that Plummer girl's leavings.”

"But you don't understand',” said Agatha patiently. "Before I went away I wrote him, a letter giving him back his freedom', and he said it seemed to bring him right to his senses. And ho answered it the same day. but be didn't know my address, so he gave it to Jim to mail, but I never got it, and I found it toniglit in Jim/s b*csfc cont pocket. Audi Jio kas never been to since tnen. O’h it didn't seem as if things could ever be the same arfgain, but when he asked me for iust j>ne more chance I couldn't say ‘No/ could I? And we are going to be married in November, .anal 1 • "That’s all very well,” interrupted her exasperated sister. "But folks are not going to understand all this. ■ “No I don't suppose they win, but I shall, so why should I oarei?” and the girl lingered by the window, loth) to shut out the bright stars of the night. "Agatha Leavitt, you haven't a par-

ticle of pride/' said her sister desperately and for the third time. “No, I guess I haven't/' said Agatha, and she smiled out into the dusk.