The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-09-26
Somehow there was a lack in the

moonlight concert on the campus, and
Ada went home less gay than she had
been of late. But Philip had promised
to come the next morning, and when the
time came she proceeded to make her.
self lovely for him. One of the students
had brought her some fresh laurel. end
she pinned bright bits of it in her hair
and at her throat. She should ALWAYS
associate laurel now with the one per-
son. Then she seated herself in deep
window.seat. Steps came up the walk
stopped at the door the bell rang.
Talk and laughter came in to her
through the open window. That was
surely Mrs. Smith yes. and that horrid
Mrs. Forsyth was with her, saying
"Mr. Vance "-ah 30 Philip was there
too they had met on the way, no doubt
-"did not go to the promenade concert
last night ?"
And Philip replied, carelessly, in his
delicious fute-like voice, "Yes, worse
luck. 1t was stupid affair.""
A mere passing speech but Ada
sprang to her feet, and confronted her
| flaming face and angry eyes in the mir
ror close at hand. She pulled out the
laurel blossoms she had adorned herself
with, and stamped on them. She hated
them she hated herself. A stupid
affair And they had been together;
and when they parted he had kissed the
rose she gave him. The next moment
the three guests were announced, and
she cooled down, as we all 1nust on such
occasions. The morning went by aim
lessly. Philip fingered little behind
Mrs. Forsyth, as she was leaving, to
say, 81 notice that our laurel is begin
ming to be worn about the edges. Hard
| ly worth while to attempt it, is it ?" And
Ada answered, "No, it is only worth
throwing away" Then Philip followed
in the wake of his stunning friend, care
less, charming, idle. His ft of work
was over for the present. Ada, for her
part, tossed away the laurel bough with
icy fingers and silly head and a stupid
heart that ached in unison.
And actually that was the end of a
foolish dream that only lasted four
weeks, after all. A morning or no later
Philip called at Violet Bank to say
good-by. Ada was again staying with
her sister for few days. Mrs. Ray was
indisposed-a bad headache-so could
not see him. She sent him down, how
ever, cordial little pencilled note of
farewell, begging him to wait few mo-
ments for her sisters return. Ada had
gone out for q little while. Philip was
sincerely sorry not to see Mrs. Ray. 1t
seemed to him now that he had always
preferred her to her sister she was less
positive. He looked at his watch. Yes,
he would wait awhile. He picked up
book, but had not turned over a page
l. l. ..ls 80
think that it was Ada's fault, upon the
whole, that the meeting was cold and
constrained. But on parting Philip
smiled a golden tmilo and said, =" am
delighted to have seen you. They told
me you were out, but wouldn't be
turned off. insisted upon waiting till
you came in." To do him justice, this
was the way the case presented itself to
him at that moment.
"Ab, darling" Dora annotated to this,
five minutes later, 81 am glad you were
in time to see Mr.. Vane. I sent him
word to be sure to wait for YOU"
Our Ariadne seated herself by an
open window and looked out at the shift
ing water without replying. That shift
ing water was to her still like life-as
inconstant. A parting equivocation /! A
very trifle, yet still the "little flaw
within the Lutte" Then she looked up
at the clear blue sky with gathering
tears. 81 am glad there are some things
that do not deceive" she thought.
After this episode Ada was gentler,
more tolerant even of Professor Luce's
clothes. However, he marked an era in
his life just here by purchasing new
suit. He also put himself into the
hands of barber perhaps some one
suggested to him that his hair was too
long not Ada, however, I am positive.
The result was marvellous. 1t is incred-
ible what an effect the outward man has
upon the Interpretation of the inward
man. But I am Convinced that it was
for some cause still deeper than this that
when Ada and he next met she felt that
they had both undergone transforming
power. Professor Luce, for his part,
mentally and with contrition revoked
those harsh remarks 1 quoted above
about purgatorial fires. Ada was once
more the girl with whom he fell in love
at first sight in the good old-fashioned
way.
People thought twas strange match.
He might be brilliant, but he was unde-
niably uncouth. However, Ada told
Dora "He may not have the outward
making of an ideal lover but no one
else has such true, true heart"
Moreover, he gave her abundant cause
to be proud of him in other ways. In
fact, there is no telling what reflected
honors may not be in store for her
through him. Some new planet may yet
be called by her name. Harper sBazar.