Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-09-26
LIKE SPIRIT WINE.

not over gently Tilted. Her feelings were
not complex, and she did not analyzo
them, but she was sensitive, and She felt
pain quite as acutely as do more superior
persons. Her father, Admiral Locke
James, did not make things easier for her.
He went about breathing fire and slaugh-
ter and using nautical language against
the man who had Tilted her, SO that the
whole town of Bath was sorry for Lucy
and showed 1t. 1t is not surprising, there
fore, that she lost her color, that her man
ner became shrinking and her expression
grew wan and sad.
Presently she stood up and let down her
hair. She was a tall girl and now much
too thin for her height. She shook the soft
waves round her face and looked in the
glass again, signing. "My eyelashes and
my hair are all that are left, " she thought
sadly. Then she undressed and read one
of the little white books OH her dressing
table, trying to believe that God must love
her dearly, inasmuch as he had thought fit
to chasten her so, and so to bed to lie,
wide eyed and wakeful, thinking of that
earthly love who had loved her SO little.
IT am too worn out, too world weary to
give you a love worthy of your own my
Lucy" Clarence Webster would say, puck
ering up his forehead as he gazed into
Lucy's eyes. His own we're large and blue
and prominent.
THE love you give me is enough for
me-. ask nothing more or better of fate, y
was Lucy's inyariable reioinder. Then
she would c%omplacently tell herself that
he idealized her, that she was in no way
really fitted to be the mate of such q high
minded genius, but And SO they were
really happy in q quite commonplace sort
of way until Mrs. Van Schorcr came to
Bath.
Mrs. Van Schorer said she was English,
but her appearance and her temperament
belied her. She was small and decidedly
plump, with that graceful, undulating
walk that suggects more southern climes
Her eyes were dark and %inscrutablc, her
hair heavy and straight and black. She
wore 1t parted in the middle in Madonna
bands, and the result was quaint and IN
common Her complexion was pale, her
mouth big and her teeth magnificent. She
nearly always dressed in black. Women
called her ugly and fat. Men, whom she
interested, called her ''une belle laide,
ronde ct gracieuse."
Clarence" said Mrs. Van Schorer,
why do you marry this ridiculous girlp
Have you forgotten, Clarence?" Her voice
was musical, with II pathetic little break
in it. A touch Of some foreign accent gave
a subtle distinction to her English.
Clarence Webster looked at the bewildcr.
ing bundle of desire on the sofa. He
crossed the room and knelt down beside it,
and for the time being the odor of pa
tchouli quite oyerpowered the scent of
lavender.
One afternoon just as it was growing
dusk and as he sat smoking by the studio
fire and wondering why he had ever been
born there was u knock at the outer door
"a iutterlng, uncertain sort of knock,
like that of a child.
He crossed the little passage to open the
door. The gas OH the staircase was not lit,
but In the semidarkness he recognized the
outline Of the tall, girlish figure standing
there.
''Lucyl" he cried incredulously. Lucy
Your
The girl was trembling and could not
speak. He led her in and put her in an
armchair. Then she held out a letter to
him, saying timidly:
"Will you read it and tell me If it is
truep''
Clarence turned on the light and silent.
ly took the letter. Lucy leaned back in
her chair, grasping the arms to stay her
trembling hands. He noticed how thin
she was and pale, and for a minute every
thing was blurred by the tears that came
into his eyes.
The letter, in a handwriting he knew
we'll, bore All African postmark and began
abruptly, thus:
It has struck me lately that 1t is not fair
you should be punished for my fault. ! no
ticed you that day in Bath, and you are the
sort Of girl who will take life hard. You prob
ably love Clarence Webster. 1t has been u grief
to you to lose him. There Ia no necessity. Such
love as he IL capable Of you have had and can
have ngaip II you wish 1t. What he felt for me
was merely q passing passion, which does not
In any way affect his feeling for you. You
probably think 1t all terrible and shocking.
You are only a girl, probably u tender and
foolish one, who knows nothing Of life. II,
when you get this, you still care for him, tell
him what ! have said and try to believe that ]
bear you no sort Of i'll will.
VICTORIA VAN ScHoRER.
The letter fluttercd from his hand, and
he went and knclt by Lucy.
"Can you forgive Inc, my dear, my
dearf"
For answer Lucy put her arms about his
neck. II have been SO miserable!' she
aid.-Chapman Magazine.