Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1898-08-31
you know OF somebody" she asked il
nocently, with wide opened eyes.


the bushes and dlmples playing hide
and seek over her face.
When he returned she was standing |
there again with the open box in her
hand. "Will you see my Aowers9 Are
they not lovelyi' and she held them
down for him to see as she stood in the
door. Yellow and white first with a
few sprays of fragrant honsysuckle,
"They are your favorites, are they
not?" questioned Joe as he noticed the
yellow one resting in her hair.
"They are his tavorites," she answered
simply, picking out match to the one
in her hair she pinned it on his coat.
Joe never said word He couldn't,
but his face was radiant. For two days
he wore it proudly; then he wrapped it
in soft tissue box which he had car
ried in his vest pocket many weeks.
Then he took it out and laid it gently
away among his treasures.
One October day, many months after
Joe's first acquaintance with Clyde
Glen ents, the clouds had hung their
warning signals between the earth and
blue sky all day and just seven O'Clock
the rain began falling steadily. There
was no letter for Clyde. but after de-
livering the other mail Joe fingered on
the sidewalk, near her door, hoping she
would appear that be might say COM
torting word to Tighten her disappoint-
ment. AS he stood there man in
stor m coat with big umbrella hasten
ed past him and stopping on the steps
gave the bell violent pull
For one moment Joe's eyes were daz
z'ed by vision-an angel in pure white
all radiant and lovely. Then tie door
closed. The man walked away and Joe
was about to follow him when his steps
were arrested by q sound issuing from
within the house. Something between
the sob of a suffering child and the CRY
of some wild being in mortal agony
j ust one long, low cry, then all still
Joe didn't know how long he stood
there waiting, dreading to hear thai
sound again. A door slammed noisily
somewhere, then the front door was
thrown wide open and woman's white
scared face pecped out. When she saw
him there she beckoned and he thought
the frightened look relaxed alittle as he
went in, but she was unable to speak.
Walking close beside him she led bin
into Clyde Clements pretty little sit
ting-rooIn, and there, standing before
the fire, where she had been wont to
read her lovers letters, in the bright
gas light, was Clyde Clements. All
clothed in a marvellous soft white silk,
with snowy chrysanthemums on her
breast and fastened with the long, shin
ing veil in her hair, and q bunch tied
with wide white ribbon lying with q
Bible on the table, but loosely clasped
between the fingers of both hands, as
if it burnt them, was telegram. Joe
started TO smile as he entered the door,
but it froze on his lips when he saw
Clyde's white, still face and wide vacant
eyes. All the radiant loneliness was
gone, all The gladstone JOY, even al
reason had disappeared.
Two other women stood just inside
the door,but neither of them approach
ed the motionless girl.
Joe went to her softly and attempt
ed to take the paper from her fingers
but she shook her head fercely, and
CT asped it to her bosom, uttering agar
that strange low cry. Then his eye
filed with tears and he stumbled int
the hall behind the women who hat
fed presipitately at the beginning Of tina
woeful sound.
Standing there, an awed little group
they told him in whispers all the story
they knew. She had came to then
more than year ago and applied fol
board and lodging, she gave music
lessons in a school down in the city, ant
seemed to have no friends here o.
elsewhere except her lover, He wal
to have come on the five o'clock trair
this evening, and at seven they were t.
go to the little church around the cor
ner where the minister was waiting, ant
be married. When the bell rang CLYDE
ran to the door, full Of hope and joy,t
meet her lover, and the next thing
heard was that terrible cry, and run
ming altogether to her room they hat
To-. ~ Il bnr 80, n hn loI xn.s~ kn~