The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-03-03

luCO C0e girl 5 lace ana turned away, SLOW
ly walked down the road in the darkness,
rustling the dead leaves as IL went.
The next morning the L le old gray
house was empty. Rosie, / little lame
girl. and Debby Parsons ha;; gone, and ST
took possession of his J. chase He
worked all day, bargained shrewdly, and
at night a light shone in the little front
room and twinkled brightly in the dis.
lance, as he sat at a table covered with
books. Sis ambition was of the quiet, re-
served, but doggedly obstinate kind. The
purchase of Debby's little home had al,
sorbed a good part of the money he hat;
saved and given Eim setback in his
plans. But be had made up his mind that
no stranger should have Debby's home
he would keep that for her-and so he
plodded along at his books, staying at
home that Debby might go away.
One day ST was gone. Daisies bloome d
by the roadside and withered again, and
the red lights of the setting sun were re-
fected with unnotlced glory from the
quaint little panes of the old house. 1t
was empty.
Derby never could believe in ST because
he seemed so contented and serene in the
dull, colorless routine of their farmhouse
life Her idea of ambition, like that of
most women, consisted of a mixture of
dissatisfaction with what one has and an
Erepressible desire to do something des-
perate.
The result was that she broke up her
little home, sent her sister to an asylum,
and started out into the world without
any very definite idea of what she was 60
ing to do or how she was going to do it. .
She went to large city and sought en-
ployment. After many struggles she OBJ
tanned drudgery which afforded her bare
subsistence She met with insults some
times, but always preserved her self re-
spect. The years fitted by. She grew
haggard and worn and unlovely in the
fight to maintain life. Finally she became
governess in a family which was going
abroad. This was at least security against
hunger and privation. at the cost of a sur
render of independence. But Debby had
lost much of the spirit Of rebellion which
had once possessed her. Many times she
had looked back with regret to the calm,
peaceful life in the little, ugly gray house
OH the hillside, but pride kept her from
acknowledging even to herself that she
had made fatal mistake when she left
that house and the honest, faithful love of
81 behind her.
Things had been very different in the
meantime with ST. He had gone to a west
ern city when he left the little gray house
on the hillside, and with che money he had
saved and what he could pick up here and
there, supported himself while he finished
the study of the law begun in the little
home left by Debby.
He had developed from the awkward
country boy into man of commanding
figure. Hispractice had increased; he had
entered into political life and had been a
state senator, with all things pointing t.
the probability that he would soon be Il
candidate for attorney general, when he
was struck down with the first serious ILL
ness he had ever had.
Now during all these years his heart had
been true to Debby, the novelist would
truth. He simply lad been busy, hard
working, ambitious man. Debby's image
was naturally interviewer with all his
memories of his early struggles and of the
beginning of his career, but he did not re-
vert to these daily nor hourly; he had 100
many other things to think Of
But when he was raving with fever Er
reverted to the old days under the hill and
called on Debby. He was just as likely
to- and did at times, speak of other things
connected with his boyhood, but it was on
Debby that his thoughts dwelled lovingly
in his delirium.
When he was cOnva lescent and inquired
concerning the details Of his illness, the
nurse told him that in his delirium he
called on Debby's name. This brought
with it shadowy something of the old
love. His mind. in the dreamy, feeble
state peculiar to convalescence from a
fever, reverted to the old days when Debby
was such bright, pretty girl, and he was
an awkward farmers boy, but her friend
and protector all the same.
When he recovered, he was ordered to
travel for at least six months. for his
physical condition was still far from
robust.
He packed his trunk and started east
ward.
Four months later ST arrived in Paris.
On the day of his arrival in Paris he
sought the bankers of Debby's employers,
and learned that the family he sought
was living in Paris and had taken ar
apartment; the location of this he learned
without difficulty. The servant told him
that Miss Parsons was out with the chill,
dren and would not return till dinner time
"Did the girl know where they had
gomez" She was not sure, but believed to
the Louvre. ST declined to leave his name
and said he would call again.
As soon as he was in the street he called
a cab and told the man to drive to the
Louvre.
Arrived at the gallery he walked through
the rooms. They were nearly deserted.
He only saw one woman with children, and
that surely was not Debby. Suddenly
thought struck him which made him feel
faint and choked.
"How could have been such q fool?"
he unused. Here am I, q middle aged
man, and vet I have been picturinR to nv