Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1893-08-24
MISS MASON'S ATONEM'T.

Miss Mason had changed a great deal
during the four years that had passed
since she had seen Frank FELTON,. How
well she remembered that last meeting!
She shuddered to think of her own heart
less coquetry. 1t was pure caprice that
make her break the engagement. She
had no complaint to make of him except
that he was too devoted and submissive q
lover. 1t was with real enjoyment that
she told him she did not love him, and her
, silly, girlish pride was actually gratifed
when she saw how her words hurt him.
She glorified in his writings. Poor
fellow He was terrible cut by it.
every well, Mae"--that had been her
abbreviatlon of Mary in those frivolous
days II will go away" he said. "You
have broken my heart. I shall sail for
India tomorrow, and while I hope I may
never see your heartless face again know
that.I shall never forget it, shall never
love another woman, and shall never
marry. Perhaps it will please your hard,
unfeeling heart to think in days to come,
when you are happily married to man
who does not love you half as we'll as do'
that somewhere under the burning sun OF
Asia is man who despite your cruelty
f, still loves you, and prefers solitude and
your memory to association with any
other woman. Goodby Mae, and may
heaven forgive you as readily as do"
1t had all been SO deliciously, romantic
ally tragic that she had been simply de-
lighted. 1t was gorgeous to know that
she had so much power over 80 handsome
AMMAN.
She had never seen him since until to-
day, and this meeting was wholly ac-
cidental. She had changed. She was
now staid, philanthropic young woman,
| with great deal of conscience. She es-
chewed frivolities and went In for woman's
work at the Worlds Fair.
| And he had changed, too. AS she look
ed at his hollow chest, big eyes, sunken
cheeks and dry lips her conscience smote
her. She had done him grievious wrong.
She had wrecked his happiness, and his
faithful, dissatisfied soul had prayed upon
his body until he was but shadow of his
former self.
He met her, she thought, with feverish
excitement. She could see that the shock
was almost too much for him. Her heart
welled with pity, and pity is akin to love-
great resolve formed in her brain. II
will right the wrong I have done him.
she thought.
Then, taking both his hands in hers-it
embarrassed him terribly, poor fellow
she spoke. Frank" said she, ''when I
sent you away was cruel, thoughtless
girl. I did not realize what was doing"
She saw wild CLEAN as of resurrected
hope in his eyes. "But it is not too late
for me to atone. Frank, dear Frank,
forget the past-and--an let US be friends
again. Let us be more than friends.
will reconsider my heartess actlon"--
Frank was trying to speak, but she would
not let him. 1T will"
Here Frank desperately interrupted
her, "My dear Miss Mason" said he, 81
shall be delighted to renew our old friend
ship which terminated 80 dramatically.
But now, instead of standing here in the
hot sun, let us go in and find Mrs. FELTON,.
married Lord Cecil's daughter in Cal
cutta, you know, three months after saw
! you last. And the twins-you must see
the twins. Little rascals-they gave their
pepper the measles. That's what makes
me look SO rocky. Come"
But Miss Mason had fled.