New-York tribune., 1896-12-06

,i,irs ber summoning her home at once TO
ioln party Of friends who were going 10 Tue
seashore it was in the nature OF reiiet-an 20
cape-to her. She dashed down street 20 'he 'e'e'
graph Office and wired her father:
Expect me home tomorrow cThursday, riEN nIkENs
/ 10 O'Clock Tenth and Broadway station. HrLn'
down on the porch steps at Lottie's feel. sa.u ,,
sadly You were right. Lottie' can ""'''
pick and In. going home tomorrow, o,usd
That night. az rather late hour. DioA sm -
He was a trile pale. and his hands "e'e '"
the mountain flower Helen was toid o. ,ry
They told me downtown you We're $50 $40
avav and I've come to say goodby ana ",,e no
YOU these thought you might IKE !" -. an ~
,b.n with YOU" He i.eld the flowers OUT u
her and stood looking wistfuIly down at her %
Thank YOU" she said. 1T was sooh OF 'o" -
remernber' ,,,x p, be
you really gong to-iHo'i""' ~
asked.
Yes, Dick. / must ,,,s may
"Then when are you coming back! nri nc, .
I bring you home Helen? Don't let IL pr '1"s, W,,
dear! It will he so lonely here withou, !"u' -
don't know how love you. little girl .oa
He looked so strong 80 earnest as ne SOU
there that Helen wondered uncomior'a'' "
nerhaps she were not the unworthy one.
oh Dick she cried. stretching out het ''a' ..,,
while the blossoms fell unheeded at her feet
was all a mistake. / can never marry !o"
shall not come back-ever. Try 10 iois"e W
Dick - .,,,1a
lie tool, II 80 calmly that Helen felt twinse
Of something like disappointment. .yo,,
"verv we'll Helen" he said quietly. iou
know best. won't urge you TO marry Ii'e !. S,
don't care for me- and I'll try to take my u's, ~
missal like a man. l guess "o" 'ee ''
NO leave In the morning" She held out her
hand "Coodby Mr. Carroll: you nave peen
very kind to me. and have made you very
| poor return for all your goodness Gooupy. -,
If she had been disappointed az ms lar" 10 10
emotion she had nothing to complain VI no" ;ai,
| tried II speak but he could not. He stood look
| ing down at her his strong. dark race dra""
with the effort to control himself ana Il ,ook i"
the gray eyes that brought tears to Helen y own
suddenly he caught her in his arms with sor'
| of sob that frightened Helen ana KISSED he,
again and again. Then he Slowly stooPeu a"'
picked UP a spray of the mountain laurel ana
placed II In Heen's hand . .c,
Keep IT, Helen. for my sake. he SAID. Hooo-
by dea-: | shall never forget you
The next day Helen went home In spite OF
herself the remaining summer months We're
happy ones There were moments when sh" was
tirni or no rhaps a trine cross. when she would
dignity the situation by imagining that her
heart was aching for Dick. and she teii INTO .le
way of attrbuting her moods to TINS secre.
grief" Certain it was that she refused at least
three eligible offers during the ensuing winter
without other apparent reason
Iottio's letters at first made frequent mention
of Dick. who. she said, seemed 10 pe taxing
vcrv hard: hut. as the winter wore on. Lottie
spo<c of him less and less often and II was only
on occasions when she was out OF Sorts or III
discontented mood that Helen herself thought or
IIarbor and when she came home In september
the society papers were full OF her runored en-
gagcmcnt to young Nantine of St Louis when
was formally announced a week or two later.
one night shOrtly after her return home. Helen
received n letter from I.ottie Parkhurst. full! OF
kindly sentiments and all good wishes for her
future happiness
II have hi, of news FOR YOU, Lottie wrote
"Dck Carroll and Lucy Duckwall were married
at Jellico last week You would never recognize
Dick now. He has become very stout. and grown
a beard and Lucy il as pretty and happy little
bride as you could wish 10 see. | congratulate
you Helen. no less upon your escape from what
would have been mos. unfortunate match than
upon your approa ching marriage. which l am
sure VIII be- a happy one
Hclen laid down the letter and stood for n mo-
mcnt gazing sralgh; before her. turning absent
" upon her finger her glitter.ng engagement
ring: thcr suddenly she turned 10 her desk anG
took from an inner drawer something which she
held in her hand for a moment before she cast II
into thr glowing CRATE There VAS aort of APP
prppriaicncss- IN earth T. earth dust To dust
qualiiy-in the action that appealed 10 Helens
keen sense ~ the fitness ~ things. and her salts
faction In this with perhaps the secret con-
sciousness that I.ottic was right. outwcghed the
little pane with which she saw crumble into
ashes withercd spray of mountain laurel-(The
Midland MONTHLY