The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-05-29

A capital girl was Marcia-the sort OF
girl that Tom Morris had long felt that
he wished for a wife; but that she herself
was the girl he was slow to realize. In
deed, doubt whether he would have
realized it at all had they continued to 60
on side by side, as man and woman, as
they had done as boy and girl.
The Morrises and Icons had been neigh
bors and friends for two generations, and
Marcia and Tom had known each other
all their days Yet more. His dear Sis
ter, Margery, had been Marcia best
friend until death had snatched her in fair
maidenhood. Then it was that Tom had
put aside his disdain of Marcia as that
mistake of nature, girl, and come to her
to paste kites, mend balls, and discuss les
sons and games. Afterward she went oft
to school in Kentucky convent, and for
three wears she and Tom did not meet
for the intervening vacations she spent
with schoolmates. Then she came home,
ready to take up the old friendship where
they had laid it down, for Tom was still
Just Tom to her,
But she was no longer the same Marcia
to him. During her absence she had
budded into fresh, sweet young woman
hood. attracting men as naturally and in
eyitably as clover draws bees. The first
symptom of love Tom felt was a twinge OF
jealousy when he saw the other fellows
monopolize her. He watched her from a
distance. Of the three-sor OF womanly
beauty, beauty of color appeals to the
crowd, beauty of form to artist and critic,
beauty of expression to lover and friend
Not noticeably lacking in the first two,
Marcia, strong, pure and tender, was
richly lowered with the last. More care
fully noted, she seemed more loveworthy
Women are usually quick to see the
transformation of a man into lover, but
in this instance Marcia was blind. Tom
was so firmly fixed in her mind as the
unsentimental comrade of her girlhood days
that it never occurred to her that he could
make love to any one, least of all to her
until he was actually doing it.
1t was an August day. They had
walked together to Mountain View-a IA
vorite resort near her hOme-where the
mountains seemed to curve and rise so as
to lay bare all their beauty and grandeur.
Glorious at all times and seasons, the scene
was doubly so now; in the long peryasive
light of the summer evening. Marcia
fixed her eyes on the distant slope where
sky and earth seemed TO meet and melt
together. She looked with delight which
deepened till it grew almost to pain.
80 Tom z she cried, turning her moist
eyes to him in a quick need of sympathy
But. disconnected, she started back from
what met her-Tom's steadfast look Of
love and admiration.
He caught her hands in both his anc
poured into her astonished ears the story
of his love. What was all the mountain
splendor to him when there at his side
was the one face in all the world which
could make bright the darkest scene-the
face which he longed to have by his side
always as that of his dear, true wife y?
''No, Tom, no, she cried, snatchins
her hands from his clasp "You would no
say all this of course unless you though
YOU meant it, but you don t really. No
no; you don t truly want me for your wife
Say you don t, Tom, she pleaded.
Marcia, darling, have you known m
so leng only to think so mean of me as t
deem me thing of straw, not knowing
nv own mind, my own heart ? Wan
you? Sweetheart, l shall never rest unit
| win you.
"Oh, Tom p interrupted Marcia, -
this to be the end of our friendship, 5
long. so true? You were always like
dear good brother, and l cared for 20
as-
Tom laughed grimly and interrupted
his turn. Don't say like brother
please, as the girls in the comic papers a
ways do. At least spare me that.
Marcia had recovered sufficiently troI
her surprise to take refuge now in que
dignity. ''No, Tom," she said gently
styou need have no fear of my treating 20
to the commonplaces Of discarded love-
| was thinking her voice faltered-
'sof Margaret then. Her face, too, sof
ened. II remember how we have bee
together, child with child, youth wit
youth. and feel sure that this other fee
ing of yours will soon pass away and leaN
our friendship strong and loyal as in ol
days. | am just back after long al
sence, you see, and you aren used to N
being grown. You look on me as SON
other girl. But soon you will see that
am your same old comrade, Marcia, yol
friend, good to laugh, and chat, and wal
and ride with, to confde in, to sympathl
with, but to make love to-never L
sensible, now do, you dear old bear