Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-02-23
By J. II. CONNOLLY.


oak table took ON mahogany color; the
| full moonface on the dial of the old
| fashioned tall clock assumed an expires.
sion of intelligent consciousness; weird
shadows danced among strings of bril-
liant scarlet peppers pendant from the
ceiling; and even the blue mandarin, with
its blue suite, crossing a blue bridge from
a blue forest TO blue pagoda. on the
great dishes rcpospd on the shelves. was
brought out clearly on evidence and look
cd pretty rather than prcpostcrous. But
| these were not the sights that Ilctty and
| Mary saw. The fire clpmcntals' magic
| wrought other pictures for them. At
! length the seanstrcss resumed, speaking
| in II low, sad voice, hardly louder than
murmur in minor key:
You don't know how much older than
| you | am. dear. both in years and in
sorrow. Maybe | do not look my age.
They say that those who don't care do
not grow old 50 fast us those who do.
| and | guess that must be so. ] don't
| care. | have nothing left to care for.
But have had my romance, and buried
| IL before You were put into long frocks.
1t was In Pittsburg, where ! went when
was only slip of II girl to learn dress.
making, and where lived Us you know,
n good many years. Well, I was engag-
cd to be married there to q young man
named Grant Guthrie. lie was a ma
chinist, and | can't tell you how hand
some and good he was and how dear to
me. And he loved me, too. Yes. l am
sure he did-in q mans way. though. lie
was all | thought of or cared for, and,
having him, L would not have been con
scious that desired anything else. But
besides me, he loved glory and his coun
try. and he had ambition to make a name
for himself and fortune: so nothing would
do for him but he must enlist In the ar
my and 90 away to Mexico"
She stopped speaking for few min.
utcs. When she went on again, her voice
trcmblcd. and a sudden flare of freight
showed that tears were standing in her
eyes. She continued:
"lIc was going to become u colonel. per
hnps general. Then he would return
home u hero. marry me and go to Con.
grcss and he q great man. The one thing
he never thought Of was that he might
not live to come back-and he never did.
lie was shot down by Mcxicans In one
of the first battles. and only lived long
| enough To give comradr his dying mes.
sage 10 me: and he Is buried far away
IN land ! shall never see"
Her voice broke, and she wcpt without
an effort ut cOnstraint. Ilctty embraced
her. kissed her brow, pHltcd her shout
der rs one soothcs II Borrowing child, and
murmurcd. carcssingly:
There. there. dear. Don't take on so,
don't! Maybe 1t is all for the best"
Yes" sobbcd Mary, doubtfully: that
Is what the minister says--that all j. for
the bcst'-but | can hardly make up my
mind that he is right"
"And don't You believe there will ever
come a time when you will be with him
again!'
Not in this world, anyway: and this
* all we really know anything about"
But think | should try to hope SO,
If were YOU
$50 do; 50 do. But. OH IL is 50 hard
To believe IN the light Of another world
that sends no ray into the gloom of this.
There. there. Don't let Ms talk any more
about my old story. Bury 1t in your
heart. MS ! do in mine: only. IL you ever
recall It,. let IL be to warn you not to
hope for too much happiness from love.
And now, dear, tell me about yourself.
Does John love youy'
"Oh, he has never said word Of love
to me. Indeed, We hardly ever spoke he.
fore to-day. | suppose that miserable
old quarrel between the CamcronS and
the Mulycils KEEP, him from seeing me-"
But mol you FROM seeing HING
| "N.no. / looked NJ him mctimrs
enough to know him 10y sight, anyway"
Mary smiled ut the nalyctc of the ad.
mission.
"Rut, now that he has seen you, how
does he look at youI As IL he loved
you!"
~ hardly know" answered llctty, with
little embarrassed laugh, you see.
have no experience TO judge by; hut J.
! think-ycs.'
"'rhcn guess he does. The hear,
does not need experience to read tina,
look. IL is true that some men can liz
with their eyes, rs others can with lhcil
tongues, hut ! do not think John Cam
cron Is one of that sort. No. he Is OF
good. honest, manly stock. And ] can
speak impnriially about that. for, you
know. my family is mixed up with both
the Camcrons aud the Muvcils.'
But more to the Camcrons. You would
take up for them lirst.'
"Why. You savage little partisan!
believe you are disposed to find fault with
me for speaking we'll of II Cameron
"Oh, no. No. indeed. ! am for one
Cameron against the world
| 4 ~