The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1897-05-28

AIErsN 10 fehllAes luueeut
WfIlEM doubt whether he
M would have realized
MVa EIN il at all had they con-
II S9ESI tinued 10 so on side
WtI6St by side, as man and
W woman, as they had
done when boy and girl.
The 'Morrises and Icons had been
neighbors and friends for two gener-
atoms, and Marcia and Tom had
known each other al their days, Yet
more. His dear sister, Margery, had
been Maroia's best friend until death
had snatched her IN her fair maiden
hood. Then 1t was that Tom had put
aside his disdain OF Marcia- as that
mistake OF nature, a girl, gnd4cone TO
her to paste kites, mend lhlhhnd dis
cuss lessons and games. Aftervard
she went off 10 nchool IN Kentucky,
and for three years she andafom did
not meet-for the intervening vaca-
tions she spent with schoolmates.
Then she came home, ready TO takeup
the old friendship where they had laid
it down, for Tom was still just Tom to
her.
But she was no longer the same
Marcia to him. During her absence
she had budded into fresh, sweet
young womanhood, attracting men as
naturally and inevitably as clover
draws bees. The first symptom of
love Tom felt was a twinge of Jealousy
when he saw the other fellows monop.
olize her. He watched her from a
distance. OF the three sorts Of wo-
manly beauty, beauty Of color appeals
to the crowd, beauty of form to artist
and critic, beauty OF expression to lover
and friend. Not notlceably lacking in
the first two, Marcia, strong, pure and
tender, was richly lowered with the
last. More carefully noted, she
seemed more Noteworthy.
Woman are usually quick to see the
transformation of man into n lover,
but in this instance Marcia was blind.
Tom was so firmly fixed in her mind
as the unsentimental comrade of bel
girlhood days that it never occurred
to her that he could make love tC
anyone, least of all to her, until ht
was actually doing it.
1t was an August day. They hat
walked together to Mountain View
favorite resort near her home, whert
the mountains seemed to curve ant
rise 50 as to lay bare all their beaut,
and grandeur. Glorious at all time
and seasons, the scene was doubly s.
now In the long, pervasive light of tn
summer evening. Marcia fixed he
eyes on the distant slopes where SIX,
and earth seemed to meet and melt tC
gether. She looked with delight
} which deepened till it grew almost t
pain.
, "Oh, Toni" she cried, turning he
moist eyes to him Id a quick need c
sympathy. But, disconnected, 81
t started back from what met her
Toms steadfast look of love and AZ
miration.
, He caught her hands in both his an
poured into her astonished ears I'll
story of his life. What was all I'll
? mountain splendor to him when thel
q at his side was the one face in all Il
world which could make bright IL
darkest scenes-the face which
o longed to have by his side always
q that of his dear, true wife?
/ "No, Tom, no." she cried, snatc
q ing her hands from his clasp, eye
would not say all this, of course, u
" less you thought you meant it, b
o you don't, really. No, no; you dor
n truly want me for your wife. 81
d you don't, Tom, " she pleaded.
. Marcia, darling, have you know
;. me SO long only to think so mean
Is me as to deem me a thing of stra
If not knowing my own mind, my ov
a hearth Want you? Sweetheart,
r. shall never rest, until / win YOU"
= ooh, Tom interrupted Marcia {
u this to be the end of our friendshi
s. so long, so trueP You were alwa
Of like dear, good brother, and car
ID for you as"
=, Tom laughed grimly, and int,
!. rupted In his turn. "Don't say like
Is brother, please, as the girls in t
90 comic papers always do. At LEI
10 spare me that
n Marcia had recovered sufficient
= from her surprise to take refuge n,
10 in a quiet dignity. "No, Tom" {
es said gently, "you need have no fear
IT, my treating you to the commonplar
,ir of a discarded lover. 1 was thin
:. ing"-her voice faltered-"o f Marge
" then" His face, too, softened.
40 remembe1 how we have been togetl
CHI child with child, youth with you
ce and I feel sure that this other feeli
us of yours will pass soon and leave {
y friendship strong and loyal as in ,
days. am just back after q lo
ne absence, you see, and you aren't III
*. to my being grown. You look on
,- r,,,o thu cssw1 Ret ooov, van =