Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-11-30
CLARA'S DIARY.

a nd
sbe was verv fair yerv nIump ana varu
sweet ,u andNwbicb wac q ,pinor detail on.
sooed to tho .tnicast fallorv an oarth y
r was n dnll rainy dav in early fall
and as tho c,oct strncl, CLARA roea fron,
the hiph chair, nlaced a brown turhan IN
her yellow hair tool, I'm a morocco covered
hook from her desk and started for boms
The rain poured in torrents as she walk.
cd ranidJv along the straat and s;gna,ad :,
RAISING car
Not I'M she was seated did she miss the
hook she had taken with her Hurriadlv
stonnino the car she aligbted hasteninv
nm the street seeking for the hook She had
lost. hut It was NOT to be found.
Willie Parsons. the Young, good look
ing. onlv son Of LAWYER Parsons sat in
his tastefullv furnisbed eden }, THINKING
deeply. On an omen hook which had an.
parently been engrossipp his attention Law
a miniature photograph that showed the
charming face of Clara Wiley
From which II will he INFERRED that Par
sons was that yerv lucky incest fellow
on earth.'
A quick rap at the door interrupted his
thoughts, and he called. "Come in"
A handsome man of 80 entered. He
looked damp and cold, and in his hand he
carried a small book bound in morocco
"Lion. old boy, how are youp" exclaim-
ed Parsons rising and stretching out his
hand to grasp his friends.
"Fine as silk, William. and anxious to
examine nv find" holding I'M the book.
1t was not yery large book but on the
cover in dainty gliding were the words.
AS Parsons saw 1t he snatched it from
Lionel Stansfield's hand and carried it to
the light. Lion looked at him in silent
wonder, but after a minute said indiffer-
emily;
"Why so excited, INV bow? Know the
fair owner of sClara's DiaryY'n
eyes. Will YOU let me keep it9''
Couldn't think of it, William. Tell me
its owner, and I'll return it, otherwise |
mean to read it's contents at once and
he stepped forward with outstretched
hand.
Willie Parsons drew back and accident
ally the book fell To the floor.
Both leaned over to pick it ND. 1t Law
omen at the first mage. and thew both read
the words written there.
"To nv darling. Lion. whom T NAV
never see again, dedicate this little book
Clara
Lionel's face grew dull red. and he
raised the book quickly and closed it. but
Willie Parsons stood still white To bis
dark waving hair. He spoke quietly. but
with effort.
ssImust have been mistaken. You know
the owner" ~
Tio,,o, c+,n.ao,d .,,,,,o,, = ,,o,~, ,,oo,+
happv smile as he replied earnestly.
civilian. If I am not greatly mistaken.
this book belongs to one l have long
Thought dead. NV beloved wife. Clara
WILEY Stansfield"
Parsons grow paler, but answered brave
w:
1T am yerv clad for Won. Lion. I'll seq
Won tomorrow probablyn
And then thew said good night for
Stansfield saw that Parsons wished to he
alone.
Nexteyening Lionel Stansfleld knelt be-
side low cot in which Law n fair. male
woman. She must have once been the ex-
act counterpart of Clara Wiley, but sick
ness and sorrow had made her look wears
older than she really was. She was sneak
ing very SLOWLY
HAnd YOU hunted for me, Lionel. when
Won returnedp I knew yo,, would come
back, though they all said you never
might
She stopped, for the door opened to ad-
init Clara Wiley, holding an open letter
in her hand. At the sight of Lionel she
drew back, but her twin sister called her.