, 1897-11-17
THE REASON WHY.

II always wonder why it is you have
never married, Dick?''
1t was Emily who had said these
words some half an hour ago, and Dick
had found no answer for them, and he
sits by the fire and ponders over them
nightly, trying to find if there be all
answer. Dick is five and forty, tall, ro-
bust, with II rather handsome face and
f1orid complexion, and with bright gold
Ell brown hair, but just where it makes
little crinkles above his ears it has tinv
silver threads running through it-an
even race now between the gold and
silver, but in these days of bimetallism
who shall answer for the future:
He is n very p~ersonable man, a true,
honest, good fellow, rather slow at
grasping an idea, but when he has
grasped it it is sure to become a service
able, clean idea. Dicks grasp, firm and
strong, would always purge it of any
vice or vulgarity it might nave possess
ed before. &c now sits quite alone in
the comfortable library of his sisters
house. He smokes a pipe and thinks
over that sisters question, Il always
wonder why it is you have never mar.
ried, Dick:"
Then a curious thing happens. As
the smoke of his pipe rises up III thick
black clouds he looks quite through it
back to the year 1867 and sees himself
ouatv - @ a hr-- nf On i,l, Inf,,, Ia, G,.t
sailed for 1ndia--such a jovial, noisy
sort of boy with a ready smile and
pleasant word for every one, just now
much excited at the prospect of the new
life which is to begin with the voyage
tomorrow.
He is just entering n ballroom with
u friend of about his own age. ("Jack
Duiford. who died III China, murmurs
Dick of today 1t is Q very large ball
room, brilliantly lighted and decorated
with flowers and eyergreens. 1t must
he a regimental ball, for there are col
ors stacked ut one end. Dick of today
tries to make them out, but quite fails,
and SO turns his attention to what Jack
Dutford is saying to Dick of 1867.
Il want you to dance with my little
sister Kitty. 1t is her first dance, and
she's the dearest little thing going
And he puts his arm through Dick of
1S67's and takes him across the room
to where there stands a girl in white
muslin, such n dainty, fresh white mus
lin, with little blue b%owknots dotted
over it, and this is all that Dick of 1867
sees as he makes his bow. but when he
raises his head again he meets such u
sweet, dancing pair of brown eyes look
ing at him from such Il pretty. bright
face. with a whole mass of light fluffy
hair above and around it, and later
when he pu'' his arm around her and
they dance and he looks down into the
hair he sees IL wee wreath of blue for
]getmenots half lost and very tightly
imprisoned in its glittcring meshes. 1t
is almost Dick Of IS67's first ball, too,
and he thoroughly enjoys it, but one
of the figures are plain to Dick of today
save only the white muslin and blue
bowknot one. Talking and dancing
with it seem to fill up the whole even
ing, and then, when the end comes, Dick
of 1867 rolls it up, oh, so tenderly, in q
warm, white shawl, and Dick of today
feels his heart beat quicker as a little
hand is put into that old Dicks hand
and a low girlish voice says:
"Well. good night and goodby, Mr..
Kenneth. | hope you will like India"
Then Dick of 1867 goes home, and he
feels nervously excited and caunot sleep
and thinks it must be from the uncer-
tainty of liking India.
The tobacco smoke clears off and our
Dick wonders why such al old. quite
buried memory should revive tonight,
but he has not much time for wonder
ing. tor rs fresh smoke rises up he sees
fresh figures forming themselves behind
it. Still himself, but older, browner and
more manly Dick. this time of 1872. A
bail again. evidently in Il private house.
There is n wide flight of stairs. off it Mt
one side u conservatory filed with flow
ers and ut its top n wide landing. with
the ballroom opening bright, noisy and
Joyous behind 1t
In the doorway stands the hostess,
welcoming her guests. Dick of today
tries to distinguish her features, but
they elude him Just us the colors had
= lew uilLuitS DSipLS lS plsSSs oA ia
10 the room. Again all the figures are
blurred, until he comes quite to the up
per end. Immediately beneath the big
hanging lamp, where there stands a
very distinct one in white silk and a
quantity of soft white tulle. who has
her back turned and displays a very
fair head with q bunch Of pink moss
roses at one side, Dick of 1872 speaks,
and the figure turns and looks ut him
with Il little uncertainty at first. and
then a gradual. pleased look of recog-
aition comes to her face-that same
sweet face, with its warm, brown eyes
Dick of 1872 thinks five years have
passed very lightly, leaving behind
hem only . .ouch ct lightly and woin-
1~a.--