The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-09-19

people forget, we do just what we please
Robbie and l. Robbie has just gone
over to the village, but he'll soon be
home. This is our twenty-ninth we'd
ding day, and we're mo?ing to the sea.
You know. when we were first married
we wanted a building site on the beach,
and we couldn't afford it. Now we cas.
and so we're celebrating" She paused,
looking ~curiously at Comics face,
which was turned away from her.
When she went on there was Il soft
laugh in her voice. We couldn't move
without our house, of course: it's too
much a part of Us-and, anyway. when
we die u shell may feel more a: nome
if it's left On the beach"
The girl tried to Join in Mrs. Hill
drcth's laugh, but when she parted her
lips a low. passionate sob came through
them. She fell on her knees and bowed
her head in Mrs. Hildreth's lap. Her
words came in a gasp. This was 10
have been my wedding day" she said.
Mrs. Hildrcth put her arms around
her, murmuring: My child"
Yes" the girl answered. in q hard,
dry voice. We decided to haye no one
but mamma and papa with us. and then
to announce it and take you AL by sur
prise-nOw we shall surprise YOU in an
other way, for it will never be at all"
She was trembling, and she caught Mrs.
llildreth's dress in her hands. 1T was
my fault, of course" she finished: lat
least YOU Will think it was my fault"
The JOY of her long, happy years
Shone before Mrs. Hildreth's eyes until
they were blurred. She lifted the
girls face between her hands. Con
ME Bainhridge." she said. gently. you
and Jack IIougkton are not common
place, Observation-Disclosures hoquarrcI forno
cause. Tell me all about your trouble.
from beginning to end"
y couldn't bear explaining il to NAM
ma" Connie cambridge said, and l
meant TO say nothing to anyone, but
when You spoke like that Of YOUR we'd
ding duy"-her voice broke into the one
Of one who's" heart yields itself to SYM
pathy or love. All, | can tell every
thing to YOU" she cried, for 30 one else
on earth would know so well what |
have thrown away"
Along the street which led from the
center Of the village to the Old IIi!drctb
place the great trees int"rIaccd theirrcst
full shadows. letting only the smallest
ficcks OF sunlight sift between them IN
the perfect Silence Of the idle ummer
afternoon. 1t was strange that the
very shadows did not stir and change a
little when q sharp thuddin% of hoofs
and the swing Of a horse broke through
the air. and i young man came riding
at a muilop beneath the trees. lie held
his head high. and his lips were COM
pressed in a way that had nothing to
do with the swift. easy motion Of the
horse, and there YVES Il frovn above his
eyes, which were looking straight ahead
with Il sort Of bitter challenge in them
for all they saw or did rot see. He
drew rein abruptly at the Iildreth
gate. The crape-my:tlcs were wait
ing for him as usual. and the sweet
odors OF the garden spread ont to sum
mon him. but the straight path led to
vacancy.
They'll be uprootin@ the roses next
and CARRYING them after the house"
he went on, turning his whip against u
tall bush which he loved. and sending 4
shower of pink petals to the ground.
He tramped across them ruthItssly,
bowed his head under an arburOfhoncy-
sUckIeS. and whiStlcd Il note or two As
he walked along the paths. III be
glad when the whole thing is torn up"
he declared; lit would he useless to
Try coming back here any more" He
started to whistle again. but broke off.
~"PcrhapS." he muttered, hdrSh!y. you
think YOU can stand seeing the Hi
drcths. when the garden is too much for
you:" He stood quit" still, and set
his face against the inroads of a change
which left nothing in his life I'M
tn".hrI. The knowledge of all that had
gone before him seemed to rise like a
tide above him, until his physical bal
auce was unSt"adied by it. and he leaned
against a tree and shut his eyes. In
that moment of relaxation his senses
were no longer guarded by anger, and
lac felt the soft. pHrfumad air stealing
over him in a careSS. There We're many
sweet odors in it. but one of them was
more like Il personal message than the
others. lie smiled family. and opened
his eyes. 1t was the little acacia tree
| he was leaning against. He reached up
tor one of the yellow balls. and as he
felt it between his fingers a memory of
Joy came into his face. The little thing
was like love itself. and ii was so laden
with sweetness. lie kissed it more than
once. and then, putting it in his pocket
with a tender Difference. he turned
back along the path and followed where
the house was leading toward the sun
lit vista of the gulf.
Robbie Hildreth had returned from
the village and was working among the
c~reoles, but he hurried forward as the
Young fellow came up. Hildreth was
an elderly man. whom time and the
sun had touched so often and so low
ingly that they had blended all the col
ors of his hair and face into 4 tone of
siIvery gray. ont of which his blue eyes
glanced humOrously as he shook the
Young fellows hand. Betty and |
are having n wedding march for the
t~wcnty-ninth time" he said, land Betty
is guarding all her treasures in the