Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-06-06

he said
Don't you?' she said laughingly as she
handed him cup of coffee "But you are
faithful soldier all the same, bope.'
1T pleasos you to be merry tonight" he
answered quietly.
"Have you ever read Mrs. Browning's
Mask, Arthur" she said, GLOW little
men understand women, after all You
should know that the thing we seem to be
Is often only a cloak to hide what we are
really feeling. But there, we tabooed
feelings for tonight"
"Did we? only remember promising to
say nothing to reproach you, and shall
certainly keep my word. Indeed will
praise you. 1t was awfully good of you to
let me come and-and have one evening
like those in Ostend. Do you remember"
He leaned back and went on dreamily: II
suppose every man has some particular
way in which he pictures the woman he
loves. I always thought Of you on bal
cony in white dress, surrounded by flow
ers and looking-well as you look tonight.
l shall remember you always so. +"
Esme looked up in surprise. There
seemed resignation in his tone which
had not been there three houys before
Arthur, your experience as man of
the world must tell you that in few years
your feelings will calm down. You will
come to London, and we shall meet as
friends"
He looked across at her curiously.
''You speak to me as a man of the world.
I know am speaking to y woman of the
world, not to the Esme of three years ago.
int al,n i,f ~
woman of the world you are wrong. ad
NIT that mans love might calm down,
as you say, even were it as strong as mine,
il he reached his goal, but the removal of
the prize beyond his reach makes him long
for it more fercely. Such at least is my
case. You see, dearest we feel so differ
emily. could never bear to see you an
other mans wife, and therefore l shall
never come near you again. You believe
that my love will cool down. I know now
that it never WILL and prefer to end it at
its height not to see 1t die slow death
by the stages of affection, regard, indiffer-
ence'
END itp" said Esme. "What do you
mean?''
81 mean that after tonight shall never
see you again, according to your own
wish"'-
Arthur" she broke in, "you misun-
derstand me- l meant only until you could
see me without loving me-
"That will be never, DEAR" he said,
"and as am never to see you again am
glad to have seen you for the last time as
liked to see you best, as always pictur-
ed you in my heart"
"You are getting sentimental she said,
with forced laughed. Your coffee will
be cold"
Arthur took the cup and poured few
drops from small green bottle into it.
EXCUSE me-" he said. II had nasty
touch of fever a few weeks ago and take
my drops in my tea or coffee like an old
woman"
Fever, Arthur" She bent forward
and looked at him. eyes, you look bag
gard and Ill. did not notice 1t this aft
ernoon. l wish you would not go back to
that horrid India. Why don't you take
more care Of yourself? Are you going on
to London now9"
'Oh, do not talk of me!' the man said
hurriedly. Tell me about yourself.
What have you been doing all these years?
Have you been in Ostend again?'
"No," she answered gently; II neve
cared to 60 back there"
"Then you really remembered and cared,
Esme?" The pain in his voice was terri
BILE to hear, but he suddenly recovered
himself. "This Is quite like ono Of those
evenings. We only want the music" he
added in different tone.
A silence fell between them for few
minutes. They seemed unable to talk ex-
cept on the subject they both wished to
avoid. Suddenly, as though in answer to
Arthur's wish for music, the curtain on
the lower balcony was again drawn back,
and Paul de Jaerschky stepped out.
"Ah," he said gently, on such a night
there is but one song, mia cara" and his
glorious voice burst forth with passionate
feeling into that song-the wonderful love
song that has touched SO many hearts:
"Have you forgotten, love, so soon that night,
that lovely night in June,
When down the tide, so idly dreaming, we
foated where the moon lay gleaming9
My heart was weary and oppressed with some
sweet longing half confessed
When, like an answer to my signing your hand
in mine was gently lying.
o love, that last long look that nett Can you
forget9 Can you forget9'
Esme bent forward with sudden ex-
preston Of agony and buried her face in
her hand. "My God, not that-not that!"
she murmured. A great trembling shook
the man opposite her, but no restrained
himself, and, drinking down his coffee
with one gulp, he leaned back in his chair
with closed eyes. Meanwhile the great
singer went on:
ooh, night Of love, charmed night Of June!
that night we vowed by heavens own
moon,
That night Of nights our troth we plighted for
all eternity unitedl
Then first knew your heart, my heart, one
life, one soul, no more to part
All, then said what e'er betide us, no, death
itself shall not divide us!
All, lovely, lovely night of June! Can you for
get SO soon-so soon9"
arthur, Arthur cried Esme, kneel-
ing down beside him, II have been mad!
I have been foolish I cannot forget
Love is the one thing in this world
Rank, money, are nothing! l do love
you! I will wait! Why do you not speak,
lover" she cried as the man sat motionless.
"Will you not take me in your arms, kiss
me, say you forgive mep' His hand fell
from her grasp. The truth dawned upon
her.-St. Paul's.
A Msser's WISH
Greedylot, who Is rather misery, was
recovering from long Illness How
was it, DOCTOR" he asked one day, 'that I