The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-24
hack yard. II IT hadn't been for that !

-.
An the rest OF the summer Francis ha'
chances for games with his star iiarw,n
ton WAS IN the transition state from w
rough 10 city, and was not yet so large '"'
every one LEFT il in the pleasantest season .
the wear. There were lovely drives aroun,
il. too. and the young people OF the Spcc,a
often took them together. OF course VIZ,
| Alice saw Francis so much at the cou',
she thought OF him, naturally, rs her par
| ticular escort on such OCCASIONS "
Q carry Tan and tippct gloves ana sna"'
| And vet She did not think of love. one
ALWAYS stands up for ones heroes hoWe'e'
unpretendimg they may be. but surrey ~,
justified i'm saying dat mine shoWcu sica
sclf-restraint and wisdom in keeping SO ivnt
| from telling Alice. even by loon, III,
| -ccref seeing her almost every day, and
often being alone with her. II was naru IN
deed. TO keen silent respecting ms rove ioi
her. But he was succeeding IN gaining ~
| least her unconscious assent TO DIS Sohstoh'
attention. and that seemed TO him a long
stride toward his goal. ..,
| lie had convinced her Of his physical
ability. but how TO do so of has mental! ae
chance came with the October winus. IN.
tennis courts must be abandoned. Dui inus'
the pleasant intercourse OF the Speciai w
Ironned tooy Certainly not. The club
had very pretty house on ihe sIou"uS,
and this could easily be made suitable LOT
winter. II was soon in order. Alice starr
was interested, and as jamie wright re,
marked: "When Miss starr does take holu
u thing it's got 10 90 - o.,
once a week the rooms were TO be opened
i'm the evening. and twice for reading anu
billiards-ihey had a particularly goou
table i'm the afternoon. A club OF older peo-
pie was started for the benefit OF the chape-
rones. and one paTlOr was gwen up 10 lhenl'
one was kept for dancing for the younger
ones. while up stars, besides the Dill,aIu
room. two dressing rooms were utiililIeu iVi
cards and other games. In connection WIN
This. AT Alice STAIRS suggestion, debating
club was formed.
Any member of the club was entitled 10
membership. and two of the first names on
the list were those of Alice starr ana Janet
GRAY. This opened the way for other glris'
and Drettv soon il was discovered tnat the
list held an almost equal number oil men
and Girls names. The debates took place
once In two weeks. and each time the
speakers were appointed for the neNt tllhe'
Francis Robinson waited eagerly Tor ms
chance. A man and girl supported eacn
side. and after this an informal discussion
bv all the members followed, ana from Vcto
Rohinson's swift. brilliant little speeches
then. much was expected when he should
take a leading part. The night came al
Last when he heard his name. He was 10
lead the negative with Mary Graves against
Alice starr and Henry Fairfield. The sub
iect Of debate was the following:
"ResOlved. That women should be allowed
equal privileges with men nj the polis ana
IN public Office. .n...
Francis had one great advantage in this
"A sincere conviction against 1t: that
counts for deal every where and most Of
all when one is unused 10 making any gwen
pobt of view ones own. Francis put his
whole heart in the work. MI me Hrsl
week he thought about 1t, racklnS ID.
brains for novel and convincing Argument
and at the beginning Of the second COM
mpnced 10 write. ID was perfectly allOwa-
Die and very general to have a written
Apeecb. but be had no such idea as mat.
How could he impress Ony one by his bril-
liancy if he constantly referred to an lnglO-
r,ous COPY; Just as if he weren't sure
what he did think.
Alice starr worked hard, too. She had
never given much thought TO the suDlecl
before. not thinking IL practical, but az she
studied if she warmed to il more and more.
and ~ the fatal Wednesday night she was
al "A white heat. She herself had taken
different phase of the idea than she had
thought her opponents likely to choose ana
1yen the more usual view Of 1t TO FAR
field. lie, partly through devotion TO ner
and partly through dislike of Octo Robin
son, had done his best.
There was an unusually full meeting
that Wednesday evening, and even Francis
felt little shy. Fairchild opened the de-
bate with a really bright speech. and the
applause was warm at his eloquent perora-
uon. Then Mary Graves. She was very
quick. and. catching at one or two deiec-
tive points in Fairfield ; argument, turned
the tide in her favor.
After pause Alice rose. She, too, had
decided TO speak without notes, and her
eloquence and fire fairly carried away her
little audience. Francis was naturally
quick himself, but she fairly dazzled him
to. night. and when she sat down he felt
that lie had nothing 10 say IN answer to her
unique brilliancy. But then, the great ora
ton that he had prepared with so much
care, Surely that, with its flash OF cOnyic-
ton. would eclipse the fire OF Alice stars
words.
so he arose, and, with an earpestness that
every one, began. His first few
sentences impressed every BODY, but sud
denly he looked at Alice starr. Her eyes
were fixed on him with a look almost OF
f.ar-fear lest he should snatch away the
laural she so longed for. At that look he
stoned. After moments silence he went
on for sentence or two. but it seemed that
every idea fled from him.. He looked at
Alice Starr again, paused moment and
then said slowly:
Il hope every one VIII pardon me. Inc
turn of my opponents argu-
ment has Just put me all out. | leave the
field with the hope that some one here may
ill the place | cannot"
He turned and left the room. and for
moment dead silence relgned. Then MUIR
mur of comment arose and half dozen
sprang up at once to give their support to
the negative.
Francis Robinson walked slowly out Of
the building, mechanically putting on his
coat and hat as he went through the hall.
and went on to the broad Veranda. He
stopped a moment, and then bethinking
himself of peculiar corner Of the veranda.
where he would he secure5frOm intrusion,
he went there and sat down on one of the
benches. He took of his hat and let the
cool air strike his forehead and sat gazing
blankIv at the courts. He tried 10 think,
but il seemed almost impossible. His last
chance was gone. Alice would even despisc
him now.
How long he sat there he did not know.
but at length he heard the applause that he
knew must be for the announcement Of the
Judges decision, and he wondered if Alice
were happy now. He sat with his face in
his hands and did not hear step approach
ing. Another person had thought Of this
retired spot, and had come here to think.
But she stopped as she turned the corner
and looked in silence at the detected figure
a moment. Then she said softly:
II hope do not disturb you. Mr.. Robin
so; -
He started to his feet and his face showed
still more the pain he was suffering.
IL beg your pardon" he said, 81 did not
hear YOU. Certainly not-you do not disturb
me, mean"
San awkward pause ensued. She broke
il. "lOu must not feel like that. don't
know what 10 say, but ii wasn't your fault.
No one thinks Of it against you"
Cant YOU see il isn't that" he answered
almost fiercely ut was my great chance
1 thought if | could make you see ! really
wasn't stupid, commonplace, might win
your love. And nOw-nOw YOU despise me,
or at least you think me a fool. What do
care what others think? 1t was YOU
worked for"
There was another pause, and then she
said slowly in an almost inaudible tone:
But how do YOU know till you ask me,
FrancisT"
H., oai1od bor hands ou1 hic happin.sc