Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-12-12
Written for fhe Beacoa.
L AM.
By UNCLE NED.


whom he had not seen for more than
FIVE years. A glance and smile,
such as only woman can give, was
his answer. 1T does my heart good
to meet you, Miss Lillian, and may
] see you again in the near future -
Tom Wall was a deep thinker and
man long way above the average
man and could hold his own under
the most trying circumstances. He
had a certain sense of pride which,
perhaps, gave rise 10 the bridge OF
years between himself and Lillian
Brent,
He had loved her years before her
departure, and by kind of instinct
he felt that there was something
more than friendship on her part.
But Lillian Brent was something
more than puzzle to him, as she
was to many others.
She was a witty woman, possessed
of beauty indescribable, and if there
ever was woman who knew the
way to man S heart it was Lillian
Brent. She played with hearts of
men as toys. She could hold an au-
dience of them at bay at her will.
To scores of men she had made life
burden, whilst she knew how 10
make each and every one hopeful.
She knew how to magnify her
charms so that none knew her but
to love her. The strong and the no
BILE vainly worshipped at her shrine.
She carried her conquest far and
wide, but with all her advantages
above her sex Lillian Brent had a
heart like other women, and perhaps
after all Tom Walls pride solved
the problem.
Wall was not inhuman He, too,
loved her as the apple of his eye, but
uC uOSiOSo ttidt Sic StlOulu uOt lcSAu
him as she had led others, and that
she should never know his true feel
ings without sure foundation. He
kept aloof from her for months and
months previous TO her departure.
He would meet her and simply bow
and pass on, and never a word or
line from him to break the silence.
1t made her think that there was one
man in the world at least whom she
could not conquer, and that one was
the man of her choice, whilst others
were but tools.
Wall was not without his troubles
in her absence. AT times would ne
suffer agonies of mind. He would
write part of letter, perhaps finish
it, but overcome by his strong sense
of pride as often would he dash his
pen to the floor and consign his
heartfelt expressions to the flame.
"All things come TO US who wait, .
thought he. Il will not place my
self in that woman's power. The
tide will some day turn and per
haps shall know better how to meet
her."
So years passed on and they did
meet, and possibly Tom Wall struck
the nail on the head by his long and
painful silence. They had met again
and Toms words had paved the way
for the opportunity.
Just as you please, were her
last words.
Wall pondered over them day and
night and finally decided to shape
his course. So, on the the third day
after her arrival, he paid visit to
her TO the old mansion which he had
not seen since her departure more
than five years ago.
1t was a beautiful May evening.
All nature smiled and the merry
songs of the birds gladdened his
heart as he wended his way TO Blon-
dale, when he was met at the door
and ushered in the presence of the
woman of all women to him-the wo-
man who had echpsed his very soul
for what had seemed to him an eter-
nifty of months.
Mother Brent was now old and
feeble, scarcely ever out of her bed,
and Aunt Nell was perhaps no bet
ter of.
Unmolested they chatted on top
les of the day, her travels, &C.. At
length silence prevailed. Wall 5
mind was busy during the moments
of silence. 1t was his chance and
he quickly decided to make the best
of it. He looked at her straight and
humorously said:
Lillian-Miss Brent, don think
that | was much out of the way in
my compliments the other day. You
must have spent a pleasant time
abroad to look so much yourself aft
er the lapse OF so many long years. .
Has it seemed so long to you,
dr. Wall ?'' she said in an offhand
way.
Would you have me confess the
ruth p
Certainly. Truth IS ALWAYS nre-