Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-09-21
HER MEMORY:
IT
FOR YEARS.

From whore he sat Professor Helfen
could see beautiful. ever u%ndulating
stretches OF green meadows, dotted
with the darker green OF the trees. and
In the far distance the everlasting
hills. majesticnlly grand IN the soft
purple beauty Of their vast rolling out
line.
Come back to Erin, m%ayourncen.
mavourucen!' %Joyously sweet and
clear, nearcr and nearer. came the
voice. The professor sat m%otionlcss.
listening with batod breath. lest he lose
a syllable OF that sweet old song. sung
In that sweet young voice. AS the
voice ceased he looked out. Coming
toward the house. balancing in either
t@ad a foaming pail of milk, WINS n
y,Gng girl. Even ere the song was
finished n harsh, tired voice called
sharply: "Come. Beth; don't yell so.
You'll wake baby, and I've been an
hour getting her to sleep. Hurry and
set the table"
The professor grunted scornfully
HIN! Yelling, is III The voice Of an
angel. Music; I escape It not even
here. I'll wait and listen"
The world was two months older.
into the best parlor shone the after
noon sunshine, playing gleefully on
walls that seemed to shrink from the
unaccustomed glare. In one of the
prim straight backed chairs, at the
front windows, sat Professor Helfen,
while opposite at the other window sat
a weary. sad faced woman tearing idly
at the red wooden curtain tassel that
had Fever before beer treated so
roughly
MY good woman, think! She has a
Fortune in lieT voice. She has n voice
IN a t~hOusand-a gem. But II is in the
rough II needs polishing, years of 1t,
and II must be polished gently. Then
It win shlnc-oh, docbl"
Over In the corner a slim. dark eyed
girl hung on these words. oh, to see
(his world, to have the dreams she had
dreamed come true! She found herself
listening again.
"Ics, yes. she can go, hut bring her
tack. bring her back. I've seven, but
/ can't spare her forever Then some.
how Bel, found herself In her moth
RS arms. who for once In her life of
.,,iH'aal self control had given a
,Hi 80 the uitlmatgm went forth. Beth
81 30 20.
oct In the garden twilight was fall
ns The beautiful tender sky colors
IRE slowly fading into the dusk Of
alrai The very air, full of the scent
II tie hay, was n caress. The very
peace Of It seemed n mockcry to Paul
as he stood before her. How could ev-
erythiug he so sercncly beautiful while
he was tasting the bitterness of life2
He could not put II into any fine
phrases. this desolatcness of his. lie
felt only that II this love should be
taken out Of his life the whole worth of
his life was gone.
You say you'll remember, Beth, but
you won't-you won't. l know it as If
years had already passed"
Only n boy in years, yet a mans
pain had aged the stern young face.
The pain In his voice touched the girl
looking up AT him.
"Ill work hard, Beth. BY fall I'm
going 10 the city with Lawyer Boote.
| heard the professor tell sou you
couldn't love; art had no room for
love Beth. don't let him teach you TO
forget me. When be gives you such
lessons as that. let what | say now SO
All your mind that there will he room
for nothing else. | love you, Beth,
and some day you will be my wife.
Perhaps II you hadn't been going
Away / should never have had the
courage 10 tell you. at least for years.
But I'm glad you know"
Listen. Paul. ! shall never forget.
You know my nature too well to be-
lleve your own words. Forget you,
with whom | have grown up, who
have been The best part of my life?
All, Paul. you know better. This is
the hardest part OF II Paul-to leave
you. II seems but a dream yet that
am really going going to see the
world that has seemed to exist only In
books. But she years viii soon pass,
Paul. We are both young, and nc les
son be may try to teach me can blot
out the teaching of Is years of life
and with such a teacher. You believe
me. PaulY'
And Paul. looking 10 the soft depth
Of her souls eyes. was content.
The two weeks Of the opera had be-
gun a long line Of carriages al
drawn up before c. hall, waiting to
deposit their burdens-stately trough
ams smacking OF solid responsibility,
smart landnus with gayly capar!soned
horses, while along the streets leading
to the hall groups OF fortunes lass ia
vored subjects moved quickly, meeting
at last In front of the hall. where they
Joined the large. well groomed crowd
pushing slowly up the steps TO sit in
Judgment aud perhaps ultimately to
pay tribute to the new prima donna.
Mile. Armstrong, a daughter of their
own land.
In the dressing o before a mirror
stood n girl, still In the flush OF youth.
looking with ~unseeing Eyes at the pnle.
proud face framed In masses of heavy
black hair. In which diamonds cleaned
like tears OF fire.
- suppose they'll all be there In the
very front. a row OF awestruck faces"
She smiled as she thought Of the six
staring faces that had gaZed strangely
AZ Der on her return homo. Would