The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1897-10-27
THE REASON WHY.

Loose thou these memories i'll Sleepl
John James Meehan in New York Sun.
THE REASON WHY.
II always wonder why it is you have
never married, Dick?h
1t WAS Emily who had said these
words some half an hour ago, and Dick
had found no answer for them, and no
sits by the fire and ponders over them
nightly, trying to find if there be an
answer. Dick is five and forty, tall, re-
bust, with rather handsome face and
tlorid 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 it-an
oven raco now between the gold and
silver, but i'll these days of bimetallism
who shall answer for the future?
He is very personable man, u true
honest, good fellow, rather slow ut
grasping an idea, but when he has
grasped it il Is sure TO become IA service
able, clean idea Dick grasp, firm and
strong, would always purge it of any
vice or vulgarity it might have possess.
ed before. lie now sits quite alone in
the comfortable library of his sisters
house. lie smokes II pipe and thinks
over that sister s 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 in thick
black clouds he looks quito through il
back To the year 1867 and sees himself
again as a boy of 20, just before he first
sailed for lndiu--such II jovial, noisy
sort of boy, with 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 II ballroom with
friend of about his own age C'JaclS
Duiford, who died i'll China, " murmurs
Dick of todayD 1t is "A very large ball.
room, brilliantly lighted and decorated
with nowers and evorgreons. 1t must
be Il rc2imcntal 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
Duflord is saying to Dick of 1867.
81 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
l867's and takes him across the room
to where there stands II girl in white
muslin, such n dainty, fresh white mus
lin with little blue bowInots 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 Mt him from such 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 no looks down into the
hair he sees IL wee wreath of blue for
Retmenots half lost and very tightly
imprisoned in 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 tho 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 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 no
feels ncryously 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 an 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 wide flight of stairs, off it at
one side a conservatory filled 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 olude 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 a
very distinct one in white silk and Il
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 Mt 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 1879 thinks five years have
passed very lightly, leaving behind
them only touch of dignity and wom-
anliness In place Of the almost childish
ness. She is, in fact, improved by them,
and so thinks Dick of today
Dick Of 1872 dances three times with
my little sister Kitty" and the third
time she is carried away from him by
very tall, dark, handsome man, with
small pointed black beard. He watch
es them, and voice at his elbow says:
What jolly couple they make He is
old Lord Easton's nephew, and they are
to be married next week, you know. p"
Dick af 1879 Uoaa bafua and i'm the
morning comes TO the conclusion that
he had taken too much champagne, for
he had dreamed all night that his room
was Of gold hung over with pink moss