The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-08-10
RED FIRE AND BLUE.
Town Topics.

A""" ioP'os
 It was enough to startle any man. There she was sitting beside me, looking not day older a whit less lovely than when I parted from her that Fourth Of July night six years before.
 Even the dress she wore-a white one, open at tho throat and with sleeves that came only to the elbows seemed the same.
 It struck me as strange that had not observed her until then. had not changed my seat since Archie's very elaborate pyrotechnic display began and nnM If yEas nearly
 "I hate that red fire l' she said.
 Then 1t was that turned and saw her-saw the woman who, six summers ago, at New London had promised to be my wife, and from whom, two days after, had gone away in fiji of jealous rage vow ing never so much as to speak her name again.
 I had not forgotten her. God knows tried hard enough. travelled every where; I went in for all kinds Of excitement; made love to all sorts of women in every language could muster, in all lands, and under all conditions. Igambled ran into danger with & recklessness born of my hatred of life The one face was ever before me. Try as would I could not drive 1t away.
 And yet, was too proud to write to her; I was too stubborn to break my VOW. Our courtship was so short and our engagement exceedingly brief that none of my friends had the slightest notion that such woman Mildred Winthrop was numbered even among my acquaintances
 The day landed in New York after my six years of globe trotting, met Archie Gramercy and nothing would do but must run down to his cottage at Hampstead Beach to spend the Fourth | jolly people into the bargain, but had no idea, until the moment she spoke. that Miss Winthrop was within a thousand miles of the place.
 1 think it was the voice that startled me first Even before I turned knew it belonged to her.
 My expression, l suppose, told my astOnisment "You are surprised to see me3" she said. It was half f-assertion, haf-question.
 "Yes," replied, al had no notion"
 "And you are-sorry?" There was & touch of her old coquetry in her tone twinkle of that ioChi in har hat had frofx
 "Why should be?" asked.
 "You know you were so-so angry, when you went away, that thought perhaps-"
 "You thought that my anger was great enough to spread over six years5" l put in, interrupting her.
 "It was very great" she added, "and very-very unjusti6able."
 At her words I felt all the old love had once borne her, and that had spent so much time in trying to kill, warm to life again. After all, l said to myself can l have been mistaken2 Can it be that we both have suffered2
 "UDjustifable?" l repeated.
 "Yes," she said, "you were jealous without cause"
 "I thought differently"
 know" she went on, "but you were mis- taken"
 There was certainly something very naive about her. She was evidently willing to meet me more than half way.
 "Ahl therel" she exclaimed, "the red light has burned out, and they setting off some blue stuff Don't you like the blue much better2"
 elf it pleases you p l sad.
 Twas looking at her as l spoke, and as the bluish glare spread its enveloping mantle over all the scene. The light surely was not becoming to her. Her face assumed ghastly pallor. There were deep dark rings beneath her glorious eyes, her lips purpled and her fair cheeks seemed to sink in hol lows that gave her the appearance of . corpse.
 "No," added, contradicting myself, aI do not like the blue. It is horrible. It is like deathi 1t robs tho fAirest flower Of fits beauty; it-s