Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-11-13
THE REASON WHY.

j always WDAlObI WHY III ID YOU ndNG
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 an
answer. Dick is five and forty, tall, ro-
bust with rather handsome face and
ford complexion. and with bright gold
en- brown hair, but just where it makes
little crinkles above his ears it has tiny
silver threads running through tan
even race now between the gold and
silver, but in these days Of bimetallism
who shall answer for the future?
He is very personable man, a true,
honest. good fellow, rather slow at
grasping an idea, but when he has
grasped it it is sure to become service
able, clean idea Dicks grasp firm and
strong, would always purge it of any
vice or vulgarity it might have possess
ed before He now sits quite alone in
the comfortable library Of his sister
house He smokes pipe and thinks
over that sisters question, II always
wonder why it is you have never mar
ried, Dick?''
Then curious thing happens. AS
the smoke of his pipe rises up in thick
black clouds he looks quite through it
back to the year 1867 and sees himself
again as boy of 90, just before he first
sailed for In dia--such 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 20 begin with the voyage
tomorrow.
He is just entering ballroom with
friend of about his own age (''Jack
Dufford, who died in China, = murmurs
Dick of today.) 1t is very large ball
room, brilliantly lighted and decorated
with flowers and evergreens. 1t must
be regimental ball, for there are col
ors stacked at one end Dick Of today
tries to make them out, but quite fails,
and so turns his attention to what Jack
Dufford is saying to Dick of 1867
Il want you to dance with my little
o1Sbtl hlbtys Al ID ISl III pt QttliIC, anu
she's the dearest little thing going"
And he puts his arm through Dick of
l867's and takes him across the room
to who're there stands girl in white
muslin, such a dainty, fresh white mus
lin, with little blue bowknots 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
sweet, dancing pair of brown eyes look
ing at him from such a pretty, bright
face, with a whole mass of light fluffy
hair above and around it, and later
when he puts his arm around her and
they dance and he looks down into the
lair he sees a wee wreath of blue for
getmenots half lost and very tightly
imprisoned i'll its glittering meshes 1t
is almost Dick of l867's first ball, too,
and he thoroughly enjoys it, but none
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
warm, white shawl, and Dick Of today
feels his heart beat quicker as a little
hand is put into that old Dicks hand
and 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 cannot sleep
and thinks it must be from the uncer-
tainty of liking India.
The tobacco smoke clears off and our
Dick wonders why such am old, quite
buried memory should revive tonight,
but he has not much time for wonder
ing, for as 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
ball again. evidently in private house
There is a wide flight of stairs, off it at
one side conservatory filed with flow
ers and at its top wide landing, with
the ballroom opening bright, noisy and
joyous behind it
In the doorway stands the hostess,
welcoming her guests. Dick of today
tries to distinguish her features, but
they elude him just as the colors had
few minutes before. He passes ON in
to 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
very distinct one in white silk and a
quantity of soft white tulle who has
her back turned and displays very
fair head with bunch Of pink moss
roses at one side. Dick of 1872 speaks,
and the figure turns and looks at him
with little uncertainty at first, and
then gradual, pleased look of recog
milton 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