The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-10

girl-ln love? Yet so 1t was, and
think 1 shall feel better if 1 tell you
about it this evening"
Tell me, by all MEANS" / said. 81
never knew before that you were man
with a story"
He smiled rather sadly
"Who has not a story? Only we do
not happen to know it. I don't suppose
that we who have failed in life as
regards happines are in the minority.
Well, l. too, had my dreams of a wife
and a home. At first they were vague
and shadow-lke; they only began to
take form when 1 knew Alice Temple.
1 have called her pretty, but 1 think
it was the intelligence expressed in her
eyes that one noticed most-or, per-
haps, the swift smile that came to her
lips when she spoke"
1 waited silently. Presently Johnson
went on with his story:
1--WE are engaged. There was nothing
to wait for-I could afford to marry,
and Alice had little money-not much,
and I was glad of 1t. l should not have
wished to be one of those at whom the
world points as a man who, by marry
ing, has done we'll for himself"
MY dear friend" 1 exclaimed, mo
one ever imagined you hunting after
money. 1 am afraid you have under
valued it all your life, and will keep up
the habit to the end"
Johnson smiled.
Perhaps there is something in what
you say; perhaps 1 have been an in
cautious, over-sanguine fellow. But
then l have always realized that if
| money opens all doors in this world,
it certainly won't open up the door to
heaven. However, l am drifting away
| from what l meant to tell you-what
| that dead face of a girl seems to force
me to speak tonight. Alice and were,
| as l have said, engaged the wedding
| day fixed. We were visiting at the
| country house of one of her relations
that glorious month of August. One day
| I went up to London, returning late in
the evening. In all the years that have
| passed / have never forgotten that
evening. I can see now, in memory, the
| moonlight falling on the trees; its glare
for at the full moon 1t is cold
| hard glare which falls on everything, oi
so 1t seems to me-its glare on the
| gravel of the avenue leading to the
house. Even as the old butler opened
| the door l saw there was somethine
the matter-a little crowd of panic.
stricken faces, and then some one
caught my arm and tried to pull me
away-tried, but failed, for I Tough,
and struggled to shake off the grasp
I knew at once something mad happened
to Alice Temple"
He paused so long that at last
| asked what came next. He started a
the sound of my voice.
II forgot l was telling you about II,
he said. ut seemed as though 1 wer,
going over II all by himself. I often do
though it happened so long ago. Wha
was il? Oh, 'one of those boating acci
dents as people say when they lay
down a daily paper, complaining Of thl
scarcity of news. Alice had been boat
ing; there was an upset. No one of al
the party except. Well, they haC
just brought her in, and as / Tough
myself free of my well-meaning friend
ii was on the white, still face, and tn
long, drenched hair of my dead low
that my eyes rested. have never for
gotten that sight-never forgotten he
in all the years since then. Strange
have never talked of it! But then w
never do talk of what we feel mos
deeply. Yet the poor girl dare sa.
she was not a very good girl-but hea
ven is more merciful than man, an
takes account Of all the despair an,
misery which go before self-destructio
reminded me Of Alice, who was T.
have been my wife, Of the happiness
wanted, yet was refused, and 1T ha
unnamed me for a bit. BY and by
shall feel better. Perhaps-who knows
that in some future existence ou
disappointments will all be made up t
us; at any rate, that is one of my pc
beliefs"
You think that in some future yo
and Alice Temple will be together7"
asked, rather skeptically.
IT don't put things into form an
shape 1 simply believe that Ian
all who have failed in this world
shall have happiness. Now, let us tai
no more Of it, for here comes dinner"
AS dear old johnson bowed his hea
to say grace-for he reverently OF
served the practices taught him in hi
childhood-hs voice trembled, an
when he looked up again, and raise
the cover of the little soup tureen fo
the preliminary duties Of hospitality
/ saw, and pretended not to see. tha
J there were tears shining In his eyes.