The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1900-01-01
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Ca One 10
New Years Eve
BY Nanda L. Crocker.

TNHE swish Of blue dress, a faint
breath of vioiets, as in passing, and
III he felt rather than saw Marie Sum
merfeld go by.
Standing little apart from the knots
of merry young people throngirg tine pleas.
ant rooms, he was conscious of thread OF
pain running through the last night of the
old year, touching only Miss Summerfieid
and himself.
By he, n,ean Leigh Rey burn, the owner
of the cid fdshioned, iow-roomed grange be-
meath wheee roof the young people ofGlad-
brook h6d gathered TO keep merry watch
nighx With music aud laughter and gay
rsbartee they meant To dance welcome
10 the joyous New Year without much
thought for the staid old twelve-month
whic.a had served them so faithfully.
But Leigh moved uneasily, sending i'm
ploring glances after the blue gown, all
no purpose Marie was absorbed with the
and was smiling her sweetest-and Marie
could smile disinely-and entertaining him
admirably.
Reyburn was thinking hard, and, it must
be confessed, nnchartably.- Had he wor-
shipped and petted ard lived for Miss Sum-
merfield these two blessed sunlit years, 10
have hope and happiness go into the grave
cf the frail old year leaving nothing but
memories
What was that Marie was singing to the
sweet-toned guitar she held so dainlily,
strapped In place with a blue riband?
ring out the Old, ring in the new;
The year Is dying, le; Il go;
Ring In the new; ring Ia the new"
Her voice seemed to falter little on
the repeat as it fell 10 soft cadence. Was
- = Aa al
tenderly-the old love, for instance? All.
well, he did not know.
The yule log had burned out week ago,
but he had not the i,eart to take up the
siivery ashes from tic cid, red brick hearth
as yet. Ever since that other plight he had
kept mis- Wv and closed his doors to all
merrmept for two long years. But some
how the lads and lassies Of t;isdbrook had
lain their syn,pathies on his door-stone and
worked themselves into his good graces
once more, and before he realized what he
was doing he had given up the silent rooms
again to Christmas party. But no more New
Year frolics under his roof, be said; rot until
well, maybe He stopped short in his
musings; still the remnant of the mistletoe
| hung in the bracket work Of The old clan
deher and lie remembered now, as ne looked
at it, how pure and fair Alicia Merrill
looked when Herpan Montrose kissed her
| beneath its potent spell a week ago. Size
put him in mind, O. SO much, of her. Gov
ering his eyes for a moment with trembling
| hand, he went to- TIE window and looked
out. White and glislering as an angels
wing lay the snow on he intervening fields.
Over there was her house. but she had been
| away now for long time studying lhusic,
and he had heard, for she did not write 10
| him, that her voice was simply divine, and
as musician she was wonderful.
Nevertheless, it was 4 night like this,
nodding toward the flooding moonlight out
side, that they-he and she-had their
misunderstanding. A spasIn of pain crossed
| his fine face and he caught his breath a
| little. Be ccuid not tel just how II came
about, never clearly understanding but tnGt
! night so much like. this, and New Year,
Eve. too, marked the beginning Of their di-
verging paths AMI he had heard Of d.
| verging raths which came together again
| after awhile,
Tomorrow was the glad New Year again.
Would its happy greetings be only mock
cry to him?
Suddenly thought, which had smoul-
dered in his mind for days. flashed up liks
3 geam OF heavenly lighr, radiating his
whole being.
She was coming home tonight on the late