Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-04-03
THAT PENHOLDER,

Smuggling closely in tiny bay on tho
shore Of Long Island sound il ono Of tho
most romantic little villages In America.
The beautiful lawns Of tho old family
homcstends stretch down to tho very wa
ter's elge and the shore Is dotted with
white sails and moving, restless rowbonts.
The breakers come in with ccasclcss, oven
movement, making fluffy fonm like tho
lacy embroidery on baby's frock. Huge
steamboats,, veritnblo palaces afloat, Duff
sturdily and calmly along, pushing up a
foamy spray Of water and leaving behind
u tunultuous tempest of boiling rapids.
Picturesque clam diggers, with their enor-
nous forks md rnkes, tramp along the
bcach, their queer figures standing out In
sharp contrast with tho crowds Of Jolly
bathers, who splash and shrek and tumble
around with tho ngility Of mcrnnids play
ing at hide md seek.
Down tho box edged walks Of one Of the
sleepy old mansions. came Beatrice Rad
cliffr. After her Canlo Tom Darrows, a
handsome follow and the idol of tho petit
coat portion Of tho village. Tom and
Beatrice wero excellent friends, distant
link of relationship giving them cousin
ly affection. They rowcd together, played
tennis together, walked, drove and sang
togethcr-in fnct, they were tho most CON
genial of companions. This day thoy had
planned short excursion along thu shores
of the sound. They were going In Toms
cnnoe, and Beatrice hud taken hor guitar
with hur.
"The sound looks us II 1t were singing q
lullaby today, tho waves como In with such
calm regularity Beatrice remarked
Tom laughed softly, and fitting back his
white yachting cup looked smilingly Mt
his pretty companion. "You always were
sentimental little puss," snid no. Now,
when looked ut the water, my first
thought was whether or not tho founders
would bite Il day like this
''Lullnbies md founders, unused Bca-
trice. " l suppose II were to mention that
tho sky looked llko n blue velvet jewel case
you'd remark that tho sight Of few
clouds reminded you TINT you needed a
new macintosh or that you should order
dozen pnirs Of overshocs." Then utter
pause she continued: ~ often wonder
how men over writo poetry OF romunccs.
think that Is certainly womnn's work.
Men nie such prosuic creatures" They
reached the little landing place Tom
helped BcntriCo into tho cnnoe, and they
padded away, tho casy motion Of tho
waves making rowing comfortable. Bea-
trico began to sing some old college song.
II wish you'd stop that" Tom said i'm
patiently. 81 want to talk to YOU"
Beatrice ceased singing and nado u
mock bow of submissivencss.
~ received II telegram from father to-
day." said Tom. "IIo wants mo to 10 to
Omaha ut once His confidential clerk Ia
III, and he's in u fix. Says he won't trust
his business matters to now man" II
can't tell you how sorry am," said she,
with queer littlo sob that she considered
very weak and silly. ~ Think think"
- Then She took up the guitar, and in
order to hide her unhnppiness at tho dis
nal prospect of farewell sho began to
twnng the Instruments strings. After a
few moments Of that she said: Lets land
hero. The beach is SO sandy, and they say
tue shells AFRO beautiful"
Tom drew thu canoo toward shore and
helped Beatrice out. They walked along,
md both felt IA loneliness almost indcscrib-
able. They chnttcd about tho past and
tried to Talk chccrfully of tho future but
through all their talk there was feeling
of unhappincss that coming parting al
ways sends before It, AS they returned to
tho boat Tom picked up large shell TINT
was beautifully colorcd with tho tlnts Of
mn opal and having tho smooth face Of q
pearl. lilo gave the shell to Beatrice
1t was twilight whom they reached tho
little landing place aud walked up tho box
edged pathway. AT tho door Tom took
Bentrice's hand md said: ~ didn't tell
you before, but leave ut 8 tonight. My
trunks nrc already at tho station, and III
not SEQ you again before train time. So"
hero ho pressed her hand tenderly-'.lit-
tic woman, must say goodby. and do
hope thnt next summer We'll repeat this
happy ono, although Of course we'll meet
before that time"
And with that no turned and left her
standing there IN tho doorway. AS sho
heard the dying echoes Of his footsteps on
tho gravel walk she stretched her arms out
into the gloom of the falling twilight and
whispered, ooh, Tom, dear, can't beur
to have you go awny!"
"This pcnholder," wrote Beatrice to
Tom, was made of tho shell that you
picked up on the beach that day when you
told mo So suddenly that you wero going
away. trust and know that you will
value it fer Its pleasant associations. am
going to Omahn soon to be bridesmaid for
my dearest friend, Ethel Stodtlard, and Of
course will expect you to call on mo, you
wrctchcd neglectful mani Please don't
give this penhOder to your best girl"
Beatrice arrived mt Omaha. Ethel was
W DO HidTTlcu ING llrSC Week III Il cDruNry.
There WINS n deal Of flurrying and fusstng
when Beatrice greeted her friond. and tho
house was atnosphercd with tho general
air OF unrest that invariably precedes u
marriage ceremony. Ethel's letters to
Beatrice had been brief and spns1nodic,
and tho nnmo OF the bridegroom had not
been mentioned. lilo was always "dcar
boz" and "my sweetheart" in Ethel's let
tiers. So tho very day that Beatrice arrived
there wore loads of secrets to diyulge and
gossip unreasonable to be told.
'Oh, the quecrcst thing happened,
Ethel dubbed almost before Beatrice hud
removed her hat "Soino girl sent the
dear boy the very sweetest present you
ever saw, and what did the silly do but
bring 1t right to mo! IIo said, too, TINT
he thought tho girl was always rather in
love with him; but, you know, he doesn't
care row of pins for her, and-oh, yes,
hero it Is. Isn't 1t loyely?" And Ethel
held up little shell pcnholdcr.
ut certainly is very sweet and pretty"
snid Beatrice, with calm dignity, rs she
realized that the 'dear boy" was tho dear
Tom who for fhTpp pnnrS bntl l,aaY, Tho