Fredericksburg College - Quips and Quibbles Yearbook (Fredericksburg, VA)

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Page 92 QUIPS AND QUIBBLES Past Understanding E was nervous and excited, as she sat in a ig arm chair before the open fire listening agerly for a certain step that she hoped and et dreaded to hear. The room was elegantly furnished, and lighted only by the firelight, which cast flickering shadows here and there, but fell in full splendor on the girlish form seated just before it. She was beautiful, and the firelight brought out the gold in the light brown hair, and set forth the delicate face in its exquisite charm of intelligence and purity. She was dressed simply, in a dress of soft white cassimere, having as her only ornament at her throat a heavy gold pin which reflected the light. And as she sat thus before the fire, leaning back in the chair with her white hands clasped tightly together, there came a step on the porch, then a ring at the bell, and she dared not move for fear it was not he. The door was opened and the maid came forward bearing a card on her silver waiter. The girl seized it with trembling fingers, glanced at the name, and said: “Show him in, Suzanne; but if there are any other callers, understand that I wish to see no one this evening.” He came in, a tall, dark, handsome man, with a figure that showed he had gone in for athletics at college. She arose as he entered, and extended her hand, which he took, and did she imagine it, or was it true, that he held it a moment longer than was necessary? They sat down and tried to talk; but never, not even the first time when they met, two years ago, had they found it so hard. She had fully awakened to the fact several days before that she was in love, and with him. Her heart told her that he too loved, though she feared to trust herself to believe it until she heard him say the words that she knew would be the sweetest ever spoken. They struggled on with the conversation awhile, then lapsed into silence, and he leaned back in his chair, and gazed at the girl sitting so near him. It seemed to her that his eyes burned into her very heart, and she feared that she would not be able to resist their charms, but would cast herself into his arms. Just then there came to them the sounds of music, and she arose and opened the window to listen. But the air was cold, and the music died away in the distance. She lowered the

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Page 91 Q UIP S AND QUIBBLES Shall I compare thee to the rose, One of the loveliest flowers that blows? That nods its head with queenly air And than which there is none more fair? But on its stem there is a thorn By which my hand is deeply torn As I try to capture the lovely prize. And I listen as the south wind sighs And softly in sorrow creeps away, For he has wooed her many a day, Since from a little bud she grew Beneath the summer skies so blue; But at him smiled she in disdain As oft he came again and again. When close he came to whisper his love, As soft as the cooing of a dove, Back sprang he with a start; S. T. L., ’02. Of a sudden he felt a smart— The cruel thorn had torn his heart! And you were fairer than any flower That ever graced a lady’s bower. And joyfully you smiled when you saw my pain, But let me come again and again. And when I ventured to tell my love And hoped for rapture like that above, And thought how I ' d press you to my heart, Of a sudden I, too, felt a smart; For you answered me only with words of scorn Which were sharper than ever rose ' s thorn.

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QUIPS AND QUIBBLES Past Understanding window and seated herself on the arm of an old-fashioned chair that was near the window. He stood looking at her a few minutes, then came and sat on the other arm; and, after a moment of silence, took the little white hand that rested on the back of the chair in both of his, saying tenderly, “such a soft little hand,” and raised it to his lips. She trembled with joy, yet she was silent. Page 93 ’till he slipped down into the chair and put his arm around her slender waist, and whispered, “sweetheart.’’ Then both her arms went around his neck, and he drew her down into his arms, where she nestled up close to his heart, while he told her the old new story, and their joy was past understanding. S. T. L., ’02.