The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-16
SCENE II.

"All the worlds a stage and the prin-
cipal difference between its performances
and those of the playhouse is that in life
the waits are longer between the acts.
Five years have made the youth a man,
and the girl to whom he gave his boyish
liking an earnest young enthusiast in the
first glory of womanhood. They walked
along side by side through the upland pas
ture; the sun had gone under, and the
strong, damp wind, which they had to
face and oppose, brought the bright color to
their cheeks and beat insistently against
the girls cape and the long ends of the
scarf which covered her head. The two
walke with the glad, buoyant step that
indicates the wild joy of living" "a joy
that comes from nothing else so surely as
from a vigorous walk across a moor
against a buffeting, salt-laden wind.
You see, Teddy Sylvia was saying, IF
1 simply had to marry some one, and let
all my ambitions and aspirations go, of
course you are only one ia think of. |
dare say you have discrimination enough 10
know that, yourself. But" she added, rails
ing her head and giving it a quick, charac-
~teristic shake, as she turned her bright face
toward him, that case is not supposable.
I've never intended to marry, and you have
always known it-haVen't your she added,
with an effort at judicial fairness that the
young man might have found amusing at
any other time.
you have always said you intended to
devote yourself to your work he admit
ted; but u girl isn't usually considered TO
be on oath in all she says; and we have al
ways been such friends, such comrades,
SYLVIA
panion. we have always been such under
standing friends that l thought you knew
me better than you seem to have done. IL
girls usually say one thing and mean an
other. then you ought to have known that
in that respect | was unlike them. l would
rather be sincere than be anything else IN
the world; and the last thing that L
should be untruthful about would be a sub
ject so grave as that of marriage
Then you do admit that it is a somewhat
serious subject?'
What more so? 1t is the question of a
life destiny. 1t is therefore of exactly the
same Importance as the subject OF my pro-
fession. / rejected the thought of marriage
years ago, when | began to study medicine.
| have never regretted it, and L never snail:
l am all ready now to begin, my work ana
/ am eager for it, and so glad about it, Ted
DIV. 1t is a great thing to be young and
well and strong, and to have a whole world
of opportunity for usefulness opening up
before one. There can't be anything else in
life so much to be desired as the privilege
of being useful!'
face, and perhaps the mans natural answer
was on his lips; but he was wise, though a
lover, and knew the futility of
Il suppose he said, putting out OF Slght
for the time his own heavy disappointment,
in generous effort not to Cypress her with
it. Il suppose you are sorry for me, Sylvia,
and wish this had never happened?' and he
gave her a half smile which she did not re-
II am sorry for you, Teddy" she re-
turned, seriously, but, after all, this cant
be everything to you. You have your own
work, just as l have mine, and in that you
can be happy, at first. BY and by you VIII
forget, and will marry some one else: |
know it sounds cruel for me to say it, but
it will be so. AS for wishing this had never
happened, [ do, on some accounts. On
others am very, proud that it has hap
pened. and thank you more than know
how to tell you" She stopped, as they
emerged on the high road, and held out her
hand to him with a frank, sweet smile. He
took the hand gravely and retained 1t for a
moment never looking down at it while ne
spoke.
Il can never care for any one else as
do for you he said, slowly, for you have
| been a part of all the dreams of my life.
Your answer is surely final, Sylvan
TT is surely final, Teddy"
'"Then / will not be ungenerous to my
rival" he said; Il wish you joy and success
in your work. And you may have the
knowledge-if it will be anything to you
that it has done me good to know and love
you, dear"
Thus they parted.