paint, and then in the soft evening dusk she would play some of those
exquisite melodies on her violin. Mildred did not like people to speak
of her beloved instrument as a fiddle, and he remembered how she had
chastised him on one occasion for so doing. Yes, she would again enter
into their daily life. Her ladylike ways, her sweet smile, her golden
beauty would again glorify their humble home. Why, if she came often
enough and remained long enough, she might yet learn how to milk a cow,
as she had threatened to do. At the thought, the boy on the grass by the
nodding horses, laughed up into the sky. Dorian was happy; but whether
he preferred the somewhat nervous happiness of Mildred's presence or the
quiet longing happiness of her absence, he could not tell.

The plain truth of the matter was, that Dorian had fallen deeply in love
with Mildred. This statement may be scoffed at by some people whose eyes
have been dimmed by age so that they cannot see back into that time of
youth when they also were "trailing clouds of glory" from their heavenly
home. There is nothing more wholesomely sweet than this first boy and
girl affection. It is clean and pure and undefiled by the many worldly
elements which often enter into the more mature lovemaking.

Perhaps Mildred Brown's entrance into Dorian's life did not differ from
like incidents in many lives, but to him it was something holy. Dorian
at this time never admitted to himself that he was in love with the
girl. He sensed very well that she was far above him in every way. The
thought that she might ever become his wife never obtained foothold in
him more than for a fleeting moment: that was impossible, then why think
of it. But there could be no harm in loving her as he loved his mother,
or as he loved the flowers, the clear-flowing water, the warm sun and
the blue sky. He could at least cast adoring eyes up to her as he did to
the stars at night. He could also strive to rise to her level, if that
were possible. He was going to the High school the coming winter, then
perhaps to the University. He could get to know as much of school
learning as she, anyway. He never would become a painter of pictures
or a musician, but surely there were other things which he could learn
which would be worth while.

There came to Dorian that afternoon as he still lay on the grass, his
one-time effort to ask a girl to a dance. He recalled what care he
had taken in washing and combing and dressing,