The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-08-14

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9 Whether They skated In Winter or
x Swung In q Hammock In Sum- (
mer, They Were Caught
o In Its Web. 8
o.o~o~o~o~o~oo~ o~o~o~o~o
Love. the scarlet spider, will in
night hang between two that have been
apart a web too fine for either to see,
but the strength of both will never be
able to break it,"
Who was he? She hardly knew. A
partner. She thought Of him as moth
ing else. All the women were given
partners as matter of course.
'Dick," their host had said, will you
have the goodness to look after my
niece, Miss Blynn? Edith, let me pre-
sent Mr.. Kirkland" They bowed.
They could not well see one another's
face there in the starlight. 1t was a
skating party at Lake Geneva, Wis,
and two big companies had come down
for a week of winter sports, throwing
open the houses which ordinarily knew
the sound of human voices only in the
summer time. The two parties met the
first evening after dinner on the ice. 1t
was cloudy, with riffs of indigo where
the stars showed, and there was q
gusty, cold wind from the west. Now
the ice looked bright. A silver ribbon
would appear to stretch itself out wav-
&c -l1o n
terious
Miss Blynn held out her hand auto
matically to the man to whom she had
been introduced.
81 see your skates are on" she said
indifferently. $50 are mine. Let us
skate rather slowly with a long
sweep"
A band began to play in the boat
house by the shore.
Il didn't know we were to have mu-
sic. 1t is a waltz. Now l am ready.
Mr.. Kirkland"
He took her mittened hand in his
firm grasp. They moved slowly and
easily down the cleaning floor. They
crossed the silver ribbon and entered
the shadows.
eve shall presently be out of sound
Of the music" protested Miss Blynn
gently. Not that she cared; she and
her new companion were moving along
with perfect rhythm.
perhaps IL we listen hard we shall
hear the music of the spheres" he
said.
1.-THE shadows are black" she re-
marked, "and the wind is cold. After
all this is too serious for pleasure. 1t is
hard to be frivolous in a place like this.
See how forbidding the trees look on
| the shore and how solemn and men,
acing the sky is. This is a sermon
this winter night-or it is a tragedy.
Let US go back to the house where the
lights are burning"
'"There is a fire in the boathouse.
heard your uncle say coffee was to be
served there. But if you are too much
oppressed l wish you would listen te
| the tragedy a little longer"
| Listen to it? look at it. 1t is a
tragedy for the eyes, not for the ears. >
They swung along together with fine
momentum. They were conscious o1
their youth and strength and vigor
Miss Blynn gave voice to her thoughts
in an indirect fashion.
"Some people," she said, ''are old and
weary and sit by the fire and wondel
If the winter will never pass"
They both laughed at this-it mad,
a harmonious but startling duet, tina
laughter, and it echoed from the wood
ed shore.
"Some people," he responded, "go t.
| winter and drag him out of his den
and shake him out of his sulks ant
make him dance like trained bear
They laughed again, though neither o
them had been witty.
81 have been skating with you al
hour" said he at length, ''and l hav
not an idea of how you look"
81 have been skating with you al
hour" she retorted, "and l do no
know whether you have red curls o
black elf locks"
"Come to the boathouse," he suggest
ed, "and see."
They went in where the fire crackle'
and where their friends stood in group
drinking coffee and chatting. He undi
his cap with it's ear laps; she untie
her scarlet velvet hood. What she be
held was young man Of "a or 25, wit
deep set gray eyes. dark skin, dar
hair, heavy brows, smooth face and
large sensitive mouth.
What he ,eheld was q woman wit
q snow white skin, black eyes, melaI
choly and timid in their expression;
high brow, abundant dark hair and
mouth that, essentially serious, brok
into unexpected Illuminating smiles.
"It would be rude Of me to say wha
a service the light has done me-"
said stupidity.
'The light has told me number Q
things" she responded daringly.
"WhatY he impOrtuned.
"That you have been a student, 10y
ing solitude; that you are melanchol
oftener than you are merry, and tina
you like a good book better than
good friend"
"No no: not the last!'
She laughed and took the cup Of col