The evening times., 1895-08-10
4 STROKE OF DIPLOMACY.

1 ', a
| One crisp. windless March afternoon I
man and woman walksddewp Fifth avenu,
oward the Warrington arch. They had
been tentative lovers for yeafs. Wh.
tentative! Because Martha Thornley, ha.
Always before her clear VISION, not o.
what she wanted to be-. but OF what sht
eHght TO be.
an unwilling mother. II there YAs wo
man to be slighted in such case'of three,
Iet 1t be the old love, not the new. she
presented sweetly the latest Eastern culi
| OF mother-love and mother-woe, and found
| In John Graham a fatal chivalry which
consented to suffer for her views and kept
her faithfully up to the strain Of her ideal.
They had loved too deeply to think their
affections could be satisfied elsewhere.
Like the rose and the trellis Of an ancient
garden, they were inclined. yet not united
the victim Of circumstances.
They walked past the Church of the
Ascension and noted the awning at the
door. A carriage laden to the roof With
flowers had drawn up to the curbstoDe.
Pretty idea to have some flowers at a
wedding, isn't it, Patty" observed the
lover. My, what stacks OF them mother
could send from her own and her neighbors'
virginian gardens this very MONTH Banks
OF wall flowers, buttou-daisies, violcts.
aud daffodilsl How well they would look
In that quaint old churohi' ~
He looked at hts companion with quizzi-
calsmile aud sighed CULVER of sympathy
touched her heart, but she crushed It.
1T may be, Johu," she ans wered; "you
are naturally foolish and cannot help it. but
really begin to think you need your moth
er's personal influence"
do your"
A new thought seemed to have struck
him, but she was absorbed in the view
before her. The arch rose 10 the mist Of
sunset, white and calm, It's sun flecks
glistening softly and cooling the sight.
likesea- washed pebbles. The square spread
its spring verdure beyond The evening
breeze moved the green grass gently till
1t burned blue, and sent a refreshing
fragrance through the arch.
Martha ThrouIcy wondered II the bridal
couple, of whom she had been vaguely
thinking, would pass under that appro-
pirate marble symbol. 1t appeared to
her worthy but tucouplete-hke her own
appiness-standing lonely in the road
way and appealing for lines Of trees TO
link its beauty securely to the life around
it. The houses of medieval New York
looked on soberiy. She thought how she
would have liked to he fixed iu their peace
full respectability with the staid compau-
ion Of her choice. She was startled az
the latter repeated his question:
do you?"
do T."
''Do You really mean what you said?"
What have 1 saidc"
THAT ought to be with my mother"
He was looking ut her cheerflIliy, but
not joking. She felt a sudden chill that
she was being made to swallow ice OF her
own manufacture, warranted Of enduring
colduess, but she simply said:
"why shouldn't you?''
They parted and went their separate |
ways, as they had always done, on the |
wrong side Of the arch of triumph. She |
did not see him again for days No call, |
no note of appointment, no message through |
q mutual friendi Had he really wearied of |
the long waiting and rejoiced at the loop |
hole of escape she had shown hal7 Had I
he taken her at her word and ,,clc away2-tt
Then she came across him in the street |
again, and he advanced to meet her with
brisk friendlincss-
"Itook your adrseFand wrote to mother"
he said
"obE
sSShe answered that she would come on
IS soon S she could sell he 'iouse.''
Come on! Sell! Not even remit Farewell,
hope hope long deferred but pass
ng sweet in death. Martha Tbornle y hugged
herself within and cried fiercely to her
ieart:
Il told you SO! told you so! He was
iick OF the whole thing"
But she said without:
''How nice!''
Yes. / am delighted. I am head over
,ars in all the fussy, interesting little de-
ails of comfortable. new home torher and
must not keep ypu standing i.0.he wind,
.ither"
Miss Thornley, entered the apartment
louse in which she had her home, and,
the services of the elevator
10Y, walked up the long steps TO her sky
lest. She caught herself stopping on the
weary way. and drawing herself up sharp
y, finished the mount in the most erect
md approved modern method. She paused
outside her own door and heard Candelaria
inging and dancing on the waxing brushes
which made a mirror of her parior floor
'oor Candeiaria! Innocent, blackskfnned