The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-11
WHAT WOULD YOU DO7

little COralle. Lie Is so sweet when one is
young, and the sun shines.
True, she is soon to wed one whose only
charm lies in the glamour of his position
and bis wealth. True that her dreams Of
love are woven about another, of whom she
is forbidden to even think. but what does
she knew of the sorrow loveeSS union can
bring? Her little romance has never been
permitted to seriously attack her heart,
and with all the eclat of a brilliant be-
.rothal about her. she forgets One does
when one is young and the sun shines.
Letters if you please, Miss" Thus are
her day dreams disturbed.
Two letters lie on a silver salYeT, big with
the Importance unopened letters always
seem TO have. The first is from her dearest
girl friend, one of those clingng atfinities
Of school life. Let us follow as she reads:
Dearest Cordlts: just think, only three months
have passed since We corrugated our verbs and did
our equations tugr Their. aud here you are soon 20
be married. l. II true that lie Is ugly and years
older than you are, win nothing but his money
bags 10 recommend MIN? How is this, dear,
after all our condolences?
Nlmporte cherie forget him for time. Come
away with Us 10 that dear liltie SPOT oy the sea,
where We have passed every summer since We
we're wee iOIS. Your mother writes Us that you
hance has gone 10 America on TWO months
pleasure tfip. so that lie can't object, ana we
worlds Of good, too, after all The fuss and prep
arsjlous for your wedding, so come.
Mamma JOINS in love aud enIreatles. De-
+. S.3My Irresistible cousin, Dick Hayward,
eIlects 10 reiutn from his ske,chlng tour IN
Switzerland soon. II lie comes back lie VIII Join
Us al - foi a little. By The way, cheri', used
10 fancy you Two were a biz in love with one
another. Good thing / was mistaken, for, al
Though lie IS as good as gold aud as handsome
an ArolIo, lie IS as poor as church mouse.
Don't show this ?. s. TO your mamma or she
wont let you come.
The second letter is from one of those
fond friends who are always telling one
offensive truths.
Dear Coroiie: My fluctuations. hear you
are gong To marry the catch of the season,
Leslie HsTEIcdyes. RumOr says, TOO, that you
object 10 settlements. What 4 dear QuiXOtic
lille goose you are 10 be sure. Perhaps you are
right, though; IL would look rather Ike being
bought, since you bring him no d0wry. Is II
tue, by the way. that your fathers Affairs are
somewhat embarrassed?
OF course, MI. II. VIII make up The lack OF
settlements IN handsome yearly allowance, but
you Know il isn't quite the same IN case OF
separation, or anything Ike that. IS It? and so
many marriages are stormy In these times. On.
By The way, hav you heard that Nh. II. used to
be mady 10 love with that rapid little Rene
Symouds. and that sh- threw him over for the
gill buttons she Is now trying 10 divorce? OF
course though. that is neither here nor there,
since lie loves you wildly enough TO marry yon
without d0wTY. ! used TO fancy you were in
love win that handsome Dick Hayward. All
The girls dTe-but his leaTL seems luYQlQeTa6le,
welded 10 his art, ! expect.
well, dear hearty cOngrai ulations on your
success. Invite NE 10 your wedding, won't you =?
Lovingly yours, ETHEL BRANDON.
Tie Dick mentioned in these letters has
long been the hero Of her grsh dreams
gay, debouair Dick, with an old-world
ch.valry aud heart as true as steel, but
Withal regarded as a decided detrimental
by msnsgi mammas with manageable
daughters, since expensive tastes and a too
lavish generosity cOnspiTe to keep him in
chronic state of "haTd-up." Prudence bids
her show this pregnant P. S. to her mamma
-inclluatiun, nay strong desire, impels her
otherwise. To withhold 1t will make all
the difference between passing the holiday,
previous TO her MARI age il the late autumn,
with her dearest friend, and the possibility
of a few farewell walks and talks with
Dick, or to being dragged IF in pOnderOus
state with papa and mamma TO the German
spa, where they do yearly penance for their
Siin.cD,aTy trausgrrsSions.
What pleasure to roam the seashore at
Will with the two chosen companions OF her
heart-and yet-Would it be quite prudent,
now that she is pledged TO another?
What would you do?
shmmerlng moonlight sea. A lonely
little sea-washed cove, left clean and pebbly
by tile recediug tide. RdTiiting murmur
of the "Auf WledeTsehn valSe-the swish
Of the waves.
Two figures stand beneath the starlight.
One tail and manly, with dark southern
beauty; the other, petite, dimpled and
golden-halred.
She loves him. Every impulse of her
heart, every fiber Of her being responds TO
bis. True, she is betrothed to another, but
the dolce far niente companinnship OF the
long summer days, the moonlight strOlls,
the esplaHade band, and above all the mag
netism of an irresistible affinity have done
D. IL 81
fans her cheek. Shall she heed his vows of
love. his entreaties TO forget all else, aud
remain with him? An, she is 50 young,
and she loves him so!
What would you do?
Parental authority and pressure of cir
cumstances have prevailed. Poor Dick
poor CoTaliel
Three years have passed. and so far
her dream OF love-passed, out not forgot
ten.
Corale and her husband leslie Har-
greaves) have drifted about since their mar
rlage as fashion and fancy has led them
M" jdling along the Riyera-nOw mixing
in the giddy world Of the London season.
Rene Symonds, more brilliant and auda-
cious than ever since her divorce, Ieigns
conspicuOusly in their world. She avows
the greatest friendship for Coraiie. 1t is
true that people smile or exchange meaning
chances whenever Rene's name is mentioned
In connection with her husband-but out
wardly her husband is devotion itself. If
he be unfaithful, he at least spares her the
pain of evidence. Besides. society has
taught her the fntlity of cnmpla ining
In the midst Of all that lavish wealth and
a brilliant social career can bestow Coralie
Is as lonely as any captured Startling.
art-hungry-so weary of the glare and
glitter of soulless life-lOyeless. too, since
she has never learned to love Leslie Har-
nd off 80 har
passed into mere indifference from want
Of reciprocity.
All through the turmoil of changing
scenes the murmur of the sea and of voice
dearer than life itself remains with her
Dick, loving, imProvident Dick, is all ton
often IN her thoughts. She tries to battle
with them, for it is sin TO remember-but
she loves him so-and save for these sweet
memories her heart is so desolate.
They mcet-the first time since their part
ing on the seashore.
II is carnival time in Nice.
All the world is dancing. Amid the wild
revelry voice at her side murmurs
"COralie"-a voice which recalls summer
night, the sea and love unutterable AS
IL in mockery Of their fate, the band burst.
Wiedersehn" valse. Ere she speaks-scarce
thinks-she is clasped in Dicks arms and
foated away on the stream OF pulsing.
waltZiDg humanity. Oh. the mad delirium
OF Joy which steals over her-aud agar
the sweet rest, the peace, as she feel,
herself clasped closer and closer, after al
these years of memory and yearning Great
GOdI is not this sin? Whittier are they
drifting?
As the music dies away, she gasps "Dick,
have mercy-leave me to my misery" A
look Of ineffable pity, of love pure and abid
ing, irradiates his cOuntenance. With on,
long last gaze he leaves her-mingles witt
the throng and is lost to view.
On with the dance-what matters II 4
hearts do break?
One morning, as day dawns, tiny bud
unfolds itself. and brings its own comfort
to Coralie's heart. Gradually she withdraw
from miscellaneous society, and finds hel
world OF leasure within her nursery walls
The clouds gather.
Each night now the clock ticks YEARLY
away into the small hours. before the return
Of her husband, with flushed face, and full
of incoberent excuses for his neglect
Thus time drags itself YEARLY along. Sir
months pass-six months OF humiliation and
horrid frars.
Faster and faster gathers the storm drift
der husband becomes more and NOR,
xaol.offnI-pora nicuhuG in bia iiaianr