The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-20

IA lie did not answer at
4 n once, for twenty years he had
not seen her, for England.
Africa, Australia, New Zealand had
known him during the intervening
space of time. Both had grown so
much older though neither had
lost in physical beauty. Every place
almost where Mother Earth had
gold in her close embrace had
drawn him toward it. In the who'll"
wide world perhaps there was no
more clever mining engineer than Dick
Leighton, And the life had suited him,
since the life he had cravod for, the
na tural life for man, shared with a
woman, could not be his.
Rut ne had tired of il now his pile
vas made, and so England and Joyce
Whitaker saw him once more, and to
Jovc" he had told all he had done in
those twenty years"
II don't know he answered a little
vaguely, looking at her and thinking
how beautiful she was. as beautiful as
sh" had been when he said good bye to
hcr--shc was girl of eighteen then
twenty years ago.
oh. but YOU must" she answered
smiling at him with friendly eyes.
Think how lonely YOU will be-not
nov, perhaps, but later on when age
begins to creep upon YOU
lie leaned little forward.
And YOU" h" asked
Sine colorod slightly and laughed. per-
haps tHtle bitterly; it was hard that
he of all men should put that question,
bur she looked at him braNcly.
"Oh. that is different" she answered
"Lcl cliness is often woman's portion,
most of us take up our cross almost un,
cCnplainnCly. | could have married
Of course; most women could-most do
Though one is seldom considered unique
because one does not. But | am not
like some women, | could not shape a
hus band out of any man aS--is it no,
OliVcr Holmes ys?-mUst women
can"
mo" | wife from any woman;
must love her"
80! III sure YOU must, but then there
ate so many lovable women, ana a mar
- not situated as q woman is; at best
her choice is limited while IA man ear
ASK fC' love here, there ana everywhere
/ think" smiling, "a bachelor must b,
~
MAY he not have loved once very
deally-and lost
She looked at him sharply-her hear
Leat little more quickly Twenty year!
ago. when they had said goodbye, he
had kissed her. they had parted a,
lovers, hr was to have written whor
good times came to him-hc never did
Shr had not understood it, she haC
gllrveG terribly at first but there ha,
been no enlightenment, she had not hat
HE right To question him.
Sh, had remembered the night before
he ,eft England they had danced to-
gether in a great ballroom, halfway
through the waltz, without "A word h,
had ted her away 10 the moOnlit garden
She could hear TN" music of the dane,
It'll. tie had told her he loved her
| Perhaps he did then; only man is man
and love with him is not an episode
! no; life itself as II is with "A woman
AID now after twenty years, she hat
met him accidently; he had SCENE,
| alad and had greeted her with no re
| straint lie had forgotten of course ~
p,l baps il never occurred to him. tina
| he Fad spoiled her life; and with Wo
manly prid" taking her cue from him
size had given him her hand in friend
| ship
some woman had come between them
no doubt, but ne had not married her
50 much Joyce mad gathered. He wal
| a bachelor still, and she. she told her
| self little bitterly, an old maid
| tLuugh truth to tell, there are no ol,
| maids now; the species has died out.
You lost her" she asked
lie looked surprised
YES" he answered, Il lost her
don't you know that | lost her? You o
all women should no put that question
! 10 me-"
| She did mot understands h" spoke al,
most resentlully-Why?
I'm sorry she said softly: "bu
your life has not been without its com
| p, Hsations you hav" enjoyed H. 4,
man has so much to take him out o
himself, to divert his thoughts; what
| ever else you have lost, YOU have scei
the world and perhaps found it beauti
| fui,"
II have seen the World--l have foun,
il empty, lonely" he answered, "Anc
you"
u? ON, ! have found my happiness
| in the happiness of others. in my sister,
hous es, their children, their interests $
their ioys-I hope | have been helpful
lanG comfort sometimes "a maidel