Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-05-12

prised him somewhat that it should be
so. but 1t made his mere physical
senses strangely acute. He noticed
how hard the pavement was, how
rough the brownstone copings, and he
realized a certain pleasure in these
keen sensations. But at the same
time It seemed to him that part Of him
self was absent or asleep--that part
OF him that really noticed and felt
and that 1t would come back or wake
up to acute sensatlon-he could not
foresee exactly when.
In the middle OF the avenue he stop
ped and peered down into the cable slot.
The light from the arc lamp overhead
poured down into the opening and he
could see the cable and the little
wheels on which it ran. How It rat
tied and galloped along! Miles and
miles OF 1t and hundreds OF little
wheels--it was interesting to think OF.
Suddenly 1t occurred to him that he
wasn't interested In the least in the
cable and the little wheels--that there
was only one thing he was really in
terested in, and that thing he wanted
to forget.
1T can never be-"
The words rang suddenly In his ears
and stunned him. The cable, the street,
became hazy and indistlnct, and at the
same time the part OF him that really
felt seemed to come back or awake.
1T can never be-" That part seemed
to A
himself stood gazing at the cable slot
and seeing nothing.
A violent changing right In his ear
brought him to himself. With bound
he reached the sidewalk and stood
there with beating heart, while the
cable cars whirred by.
II will be calm" he said to himself
Il will walk back and think OF some
thing else"
He reached his room In a passive
state Of mind. Il am not sleepy" he
thought, as he laid away his hat and
coat, Il will sit down and read awhile
and then go quietly to sleep"
81 am perfectly calm" he said to
himself. after finishing two or three
pages. Il understand perfectly all
am reading" He had read half page
further when a snatch OF tune some
how got caught in his head and kept
repeating itself mournfully over and
over again. He struggled to read on.
Always that snatch OF tune. Why?
He had never heard It under any cir
cumstances to make him remember
1t. And yet there was a certain fitness
about 1t to the present case. He felt
that and he hated the tune for 1t. He
threw down the book. 81 will go to
bed-and to sleep" he said.
In the darkness his thoughts became
terribly vivid, almost tangible. And
always that snatch of tune kept re-
peating itself like the murmur of the
orchestra in a theater when melo-
dramatic situation occurs. To-day had
been marked, different from all other
days. Would tomorrow be like the
others? lie wondered what II would
be like? IL shall get up as usual and
breakfast. Where? At the Hopkins.
And what shall | have? Why not a
good breakfast? Yes, will have some
fruit, and then some coffee and boil
ed eggs and some nice French rolls.
That will not be so different, though.
| have eaten that breakfast before.
But yes, 1t will DO different Why?
Because Of to-day Yes, that will make
1t different" After breakfast he
should go to the office, see the same
faces, do the same work, but It would
all be different-becaus OF to-day.
ut never can be-"
But could 1t never be? Possibly IL
could be, years hence. She would
marry some brute OF husband who
would make her unhappy. Then, after
years, she would be free-sOmehow.
He would be famous, rich, very rich,
perhaps, then. She would be poor
They would meet and then 1t might
be. She would DO willing then. But
she had said It never could be and OF
course 1t couldn't be then. lie should
be too reconciled to Its not being.
But then 1t was not because he
wasn't rich or famous, IL was because
she didn't. He felt something hot
crying. He didn't mean to let himself
do that, He was glad It was dark. lie
felt ashamed At the same time he
was angry-angry that any one should
have the power to make him cry. He
almost hated her for moment. Sud
denly, while he was In this mood, the
thought OF pistols came into his mind.
He pictured out what he would do.
He would go and shoot himself on the
doorstep. her doorstep. late at night
no, early In the morning. He saw
himself lying there. covered with
blood. Somebody opens the door
screams. He is recognized-bah! what
nonsense. lie wouldn't do anything
like that He would go on living Just
as he had been living
Again he saw her married to some
ono who made her unhappy; then free.
This time, though. he felt no resent
meDt. He was saying something TO
her In low tones-the words sounded
In his ears as he lay there In his bed,
but he could not make out Just what
they we're. and she was looking up with
that look
ut can never be-"
Again the words rang In his ears.
1T 10 all at an end." he said, bury
lag his face In his pillow. But love
her---I love heT-I love her!"
BrIttania
The figure OF Britannia on the coin
OF the realm 10 neither q fancy figure