The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-06-12
Select Story.
A THROW OF FATE.
MI. Mnchmore. IN petroit Ere Press.


s.How are you, Lawrence, old chap
When did you get back? said Elliott Try
ing to a tall. bronzed, foreign looking man
with whom he found himself stranded upon
the outer edges of the social sea surging
through the rooms of their friend Nor
timers studio.
s'Ah, how are you2 Last Friday, re-
Piled Jack Lawrence, recalling his wand
eriag thoughts which had been with their
friend Mortimer, whom Lawrence remem-
bered as poor, struggling artist, living in
a shabby, one-roomed studio upon W.
Twenty street, when he went abroad
four years ago. And here he was in the
new uptown studio building, erected APP
parently for that rare End, the rich artist,
in a suite of lofty rooms, tapestry hung
and palm set their subdued light falling
upon youth and beauty, the perfumed
atmosphere mingling with the froufrou of
silken gowns, and the mist of laces; with
shrill chatter, the clatter Of cups and light
laughter, and Mortimer had become the
pet of society from persisted-in habit of
posing about at first views in velvet
coat, long hair and melancholy manner
Che was tail and dark and picturesque).
and his lately acquired method of painting
frenzed sort of impressions, which nobody
could understand and which he intended
no one should-they were not half bad
either, the impressions, in way
ssGlad to see you. Hear great things
Of you, continued Irving.
gAh, thanks; glad to be back, said
jack, nodding to friends here and there.
Beastly bore, these clutches, Jack
was just remarking to Irving, when voice
which had been family suggested through
the half-stihed murmuring of the crowd in
front of them. rose high and clear above
the restless waves of this studio tea
Good -bye-te Summer, good-bye-to
Summer, Good Summer Sum
mer Goodbye, -" it sang, dying
away in breath of despair it seemed to
Jack Lawrence.
He stood transfxed. sWhose voice is
that? There is only one voice in the world
like that-so full and rich and velvety,
yet high and clear as the skylark S and
Jack tried in vain to peer over and beyond
the sea of heads between him and the
singer. And that song! A vision rose
before him of shaded room, an open case
ment through which the scent of dying
roses and the moonlight sifted; blur of
landscape beyond and within slight, girl
ish figaro in white; some plaintiff chords
softly struck, voiee-this voice? song
this songl All, that was the night-the
night they quarreled; and she had gone
out of his life the next day. Can this be
she? His heart gave fierce bound at the
thought But of course not How alb
surdl He had gene down into Italy and
she back to Paris, there to stay two years
longer. He had roamed restlessly about
in the land Of sloth and color for few
months, and here he was home again.
Why should he mistake the first voice he
heard for hers? He felt impatient with
himself But just to put his mind at rest,
Jack said, s'Who is she turning about
to his friend Irving to find no Irving there.
Jack saw him blowing his way through
the human sea, miles ahead apparently.
Miss Overton, some one else made an
swer, however, to Jack 5 question, as the
seq parted just then to make way for tall
Junsesque blonde who was drifting slowly
past them, towing in her wake a half
dozen men.
"Little Kate 0verton, as I'm alive,
thought Jack, gazing after her in astonish-
ment and admiration, forgetting the voice
for moment and mindful that that adjec-
tive had never applied to this tall beauty
II always thought she make sumner;
She began to bloom out in her school days,
| remember; but CAD, l didn' know she
had voicel And strange | could not see
her above the crowd. She s tall enough, =
he said to himself. And a moment after,
''Think I've had all | want of this, how
ever. Impossible to find Mortimer, fell
low can't breathe here-that voice
Kate voice-has upset me. Guess I'll
go. But escape was not so easy.
Jack found himself carried far seward
and hemmed in, in the midst of laugh
ing. ehattering crowd surrounding two lit
tie moon-faced, sloe-eyed japanese girls
who sat upon a raised dais, backed by en-
broidered screens and soft-colored lanterns,
and dispensed tea and waters, genuine
japanese tea in queer handleless cups and
a sort of pale green, gilt-stamped affairs in
the way of waters. 'Blotting paper, |
verify believe they are; they taste like it, :
said bright-eyed girl at Jacks elbow to
her escort.
How well Mortimer breasts ''the swim, .
thought Jack,
''Ah, here you are, Lawrence, said
Mortimer, bustling up just at this mo-
mont, his usual calm disturbed by tremor
of importance at keeping the social wheels
in running order.
''Glad to see you. Have a cup of tea
Know any of these people?' looking
around Miss Overton permit me to
-;
"Why, it's Jack Lawrence, said Miss
Oyerton in an animated manner, putting
out her gracefully gloyed hand; or is it
Mr. j. Abbott Lawrence with a little
meue and dropping him a mockiug cur
tsey ''When did you get back? How
well you are looking! What delightful
things we are hearing of your work on this
SIDE, she ratified on, hardly giving Jack
time to assure this well poised woman of
world, who was school girl when he
went away, that he was still plain Jack
Lawrence.
sIs this not delightful success? Was
that song not beautiful? Old songs are
always best, said Miss Overton with
half sigh and an air Of knowing life
''And that voice, did you ever hear it?
Is it not wonderful? But you must meet
Elinor Gregory At that name Jack sud
denly drew his breath hard. Kate Over
ton not noticing it babbled on: 1T is
most pathetic, her story. She comes from
a very good family. Her father was
rich Cincinnatian and she was studying for
the stage, or something, in Paris; she
would have finished her course in short
time, but about six months ago her father
died very suddenly, leaving absolutely
nothing In fact, there is Eumor that