The morning call., 1892-07-28
PLAYED And LOST.


porch of her mothers house; a handsome
young man lay stretched at her feet. On
the lawn another young couple were en-
eaCed IN game of croquet. The suns
last CLEAN lighted UP Grace MunSon,s lace
with halo Of beauty, and Bernard norton
looked at her with undiguised admlratloh'
."rhere is nothing so lovely as loVeIy
woman" he said aloud. -. 60,
.Tha male cheek of Clarlcs Barton flushed
as she quickly glanced at the speaker: ~
was the third time within the hour that ne
had referred TO her Cousin Grace'S beauty:
"Grace is indeed lovely" she said,
would give half my life 10 be as beautiful.
And | would give half OF my fortune 10
have you So. 49,, -.
Norton would have given much to recall
Them hut he had spoken unthlnklugiy.
CIarice shrank as though she had been
struck, arose quickly and vanished into Inc
house. -, -.
tered as he. too, rose and stroled across
the lawn, That WAS a nice speech Tor
fellow to make to the girl he expects 70
marryi Aud Clarlce is as proud Is Lucllti,
tOO-highstrung as she IS PLAIN, end ina ;
saving a great deal, by J0ve! l never uo-
tieed her lack of beauty SO much oeloIe
Grace came. pity one can ma az
things combined in one woman. " obueI "a
ought to apologize? Oh, we'll / I'D gong
away in 10 days. and smell lotglsee va anu u
forget. Absence makes the heart softer.
And with this consoling thought he strolea
on TO i0in Grace MunSon, whose companion
was lust taking MS leave.
Grace was like tender flower sparkling
with the dew of morning. She had soft
blue ewes, an exquisite complexion ana
golden hair Altogether she made PIC
fure of rare beauty, and 1t was no WONDER
that Bernard Norton found pleasure IN
merely looking at her.
That evening Ciarice did not appear IL
the drawing room, and Norton was free to
devote himself TO her lovely cousin. Mrs.
Barton observed his conduct with ais
pleasure; from the first she had not
approved of her daughters sutton. and won
dered what attraction the careless, IIiF-
olous young man held for her sensible
Clarce.
Next morning a note was handed Norton.
It's contents filed him with mingled annoy
ance and relief.
81 shall have gone TO my aunt for time.
You do not love me, Bernard, and II IS best
for our engagement TO end. be happy III
your own way, and be very sure shaA Dc
IN mine"
was seriously wounded by the last eplstle.
But he consoled himself with the thought
that he was now free 10 MOO the charming
Grace. and at the end of 4 month made q
formal avowal OF love 10 her.
=
said "Clarice saw this. and generously
set me free" And Grace, who had become
very much enamored of her handsome snIt0r,
gave him the answer he craved.
Two weeks later Mrs. Barton and Clarice
were on their way to Europe, and Bernard
was trying to submit to the stern decree OF
Grace's father >,
'Yes. sir, you can marry my daughter.
Mr.. Munson had said ''lf you love her well
enough to wait three years. L am opposed
I
lock before she is q, and % is stlll better.
1t occurred TO Bernard that he was likely
TO spend the greater part of his youth IN
the capacity of an engaged man., ana he
did not improve ia humOT thereby.
Grace was an acknowledged belle, and
for time he was pleased at her success
But there was a secret bitterness underlyin:
his pleasure, for he saw little of his be.
tTothed except IN society whirlpool There
would be no change In this state OF affairs
until their time of probation ended. and
feeling In false position, he concluded &
spend the remaining year IN travel.
When lie babe Grace good-by he wa
struck with the fact that she looked raaa
older than she did at the time aL Their 20
gagement Two years oE dissipation I'd
left their marx p0a lea aeiicate beauty.
"Be reipl Grace. he SAID kee
some Vi your roses Tor me until L claii
lie said nothing of her fidelity; be VS.
only afraid she might lose the beauty B
woTshiped
Grace was sorry to lose Der loysr; she fa
cssoiase for Whole day, and cried heTse
70 sleep tHe frst night. But L'ernaTd wr0i
ber charming lPtteTS OF travel, and SHE soc
forget Ter grief. She sent lin IN resuE
sba hTiefegt Of notes; tor tue enarmsr
81 e. did not excel As cerTesD0n ec.dss -
one zleLcs al the porcelain piessts lie carrie
co8soi ed him for that
Is fellow can eraure weak. insip.d fe
ters.y Is ,hop.sit "betssg than che sight
splaiR lace across has table thEee times
Bernard Ioitered here ard there, tns
made bis way slowly back. he was 10 {
haste 70 reach Chicago until few weel
before he Tine appointed fer Bis fnarriag
which was TO take place IN sarly autumn
One morning IN July he rar2 She bel CT u
Muns0B mansion and se1. 10 his card !
fne ladies' There was 2 The stat
tne trsil Of and woman en-
tered "a Of medium height, with
beautifully rounded figure and face 0
GazzlinG brllliaDcy. She approached Der
nard and cordially extended her hand
Il came down 10 make your welcome a
little less inhospitable, Mr Norton. she
said. MY aunt ard cousin are unfortp-
uafeiy a 8 concert; they were not aware ii
year return. You are quite Well? do
not find you 30 much charged AZ / ex-
pected"
He lootr at the charming speaker in
nue. W5nder
81 beg pardon-I-I-" he began.
ilef lace was ripple of smiles as she re-
garded him, waiting for MIN to nrocsed
Is IL possible | am 80 changed that you
40 40 not know NE? Have three years aged
Ciarlce Barton so much7"
Nd r4a Inc mist time In his life Bernard
norton lost his c0mDOsure. he sank into
chair with an ejaculation Of wonder.
Clarict Barton" be cried. why, it does
not seem possible! When did you return ?"
Nearly two months ago." Miss Barton
rephed with well-oTed composnre as she
gracefully seated herself ssMv desr rro,f s.ie
died II Rome last winter; Europe gaEunen-
durable after that, "a | cana bsek -
AnlsYiez"