The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-13


Their ways had parted as class mates
on graduation day at the Naval Acad-
envy
Drouillard had been forced out OF the
service ON account of failing sight, had
plunged into the Chicago wheat pit, ana
had made money. In fact, he was a.
mong the rising and aggressive opera
tors. his name having recently appear
ed prominently in connection with one
of the most daring and successful cor
ners" that had been made for some
years in the number two Red Winter
Berry
Erskine had kept to the navy and had
advanced in his profession, having re-
ceived special mention for gallantry at
least once when his boat went down
almost in sight of Yokohama. 1hey
both had much with which To interest
one another, Drouillard in his directnees,
being stimulating to Erskine. and En-
ekine. in his polish, being entirely al
lcviating to Drouillard.
These were the two men, not either
of them over thirty, who we're strolling
through the long pine grove bordering
the St. Johns River, a few hours from
jacksonville The lane through the
grove was not so much frequented as not
/ to he silent and rcstful by the 1iver-like
a sheet of beaten silver through the mar
row strip on their right The boards
of the piaeS. in FloridaS winter-spTfng
were gratefully yielding TO the tread. and
these two seemed to welcome the spot as
if they were drawn close to the shelter
ing bosom of Deep Quiet. whore the
noises and clatter and gable of their
outer-world were as unhead as if they
did not exist.
If Dr0uillard had been puzzled as to
tide almost startling coincidence that
had brought him and his old chum to-
gether at this odd place, he was not
long to be in doubt True each had in a
glimmering hurried way known through
chance commandments of the well-doing
of the other-but that was all.
From where they seated themselves on
the rustic bench in the sifted light of the
late afternoon, they could just catch a
glimpse between the spaces of the thick
foresters of the immense hostelry tina t
had sprung up as if in a night at the
touch of Fashions craving. 1t was
New York put down in the midst of
soothing and picturesque and romantic
solitude.
THE best of us. old chap, will get in a
"a, said Erskine as they sat To-
gether, when the right woman comes
along. Then it's about time, don't You
think? / have been trifling long enough
TO become serious.
Whether / have or not she made ME
serious, in some 1lnaccountable way,
that seems to me as ridiculous as it is
true. The women | have met over the
world are as bubbles twinkle of light
and they ara gone, with her it is differ
ent somehow-it's the same beacon
steady as Doboy Lght--it wont go
out like the bubbles. l can't blow it out
/ wish / could. 1t keeps shining at thu.
same old stand. Heaven knows ! tried
hard to forget her.
II ought not TO be less frank with
you," almost interrupted Drouillard, -
Il will tell you Jack That's the same
COMPOUNDED thing which brought me
here
Their voices both rang out over the
great whisper Of the great wood, in a
laughter, that for once recalled days
that would not come again.
Tall! yes, continued Erskine,
but that's not it exact
ly-it was probably-what shall
| call it?-the reserved pow
er, rather the reserved grace in her cal
riage and walk-the fullness of n
force i'll her step and movement forward
that was yet under tantalizing control
TO the tips of her feet-thare's mach OF
the princess i'll the woman.
Il am with YOU On the tallness." said
Drouillard, but why worry your mind
with such painfully acute ANALYSES of ..
wonlan's step and walk. The woman :
the filIng-the woman as she stands
wearing her mead like q lily upon its
,Niia ~ c.ff.s tx-sxl
ing. Why, even the stroke Of her fin
gers Upon the keys have the voice of
command to nee. brilliant, hyperion,
command note comes decisive and
final and polished and cear-cut. IYhe
note is finished when her finger has left
the key-finished as a piece Of ec1lln-
ture. And her eyes to match her notes
a calm, passiOnlesss gray that might
be. called cold at moments, always cool.
If mLwarmed by the smile. Her voice.
too. comes sustained and soft and steady
without too much of that hght-ray that
in some w0men's voices, dazzle often in
luminous laughter without oonqueEing
She is to me more for what she does NOT
express than for what She expresses
u seemingly feelingless suggestion 81
feeling-until | sometimes find mysel1
taking the feeling on faith with an in
clinaticn mot TO he unwilling that she
should turn out to be simply as she
looks instead of the more that she may
suggest
Your Chicago life" answered Frs
kine has made you satisfied, to be
frank, with a more .crueE-snaH say
type than would satisfy the dreams
that take shape during the idle moments
OF a navy life. iCan | go back to the
Academy and tell you in confidence
Wyndham that you are q materiaIist in
the pork packing sense.
And you, "a sentimentalst in the
BuntLorne sense retorted D0uillard
That. we shall see,'' responded Ers
kline. There is a difference between sen.
timent, as popularity known and sense al
the beautiful. The one grasrs yainly
at the eyaHescent fragrance of things
the other goes to the heart of the rose
in search of color. That, we shall SEQ /,
repeated Drskine, if we should hear
her play this evening"
Nor could your eyes movs
me with their classic .coldnes.
or did Won say onoIna.e2