The sun., 1901-03-13
The Destiny Of Dolores
BY Kate M. Cleary.
SOtOOIsStsySXsSsfs sxsIs(.ksSSScScS
Copyright, 1901, by the Authors syndicats)

i ty tndt DOloreS IOund nerself an |
swering the questions of the clerk. She
wondered If he noticed anything
strange about her-if he was in the
smallest degree suspicious. A glance
at her reflection in the mirror over the
soda water fountain reassured her. 1t
was calm face that looked back at her
--an attractive face. The wide-apart
black brows arched on the serene
white brow, and the lips of frmness
and sweetness gave to the face dts all
of dignity--of nobility. No--there wa.
no obvious reason why he should sur
mise that she needed the liquid fol
other than disinfecting purposes. Sh.
took the bottle wrapped in glazed pa
per, and left the store. 1t was early i'll
the afternoon, and the day was divine
The air was not sharp, although No
vember was at hand. 1t was soothing
mellow, as old wine. State street
looked less commercial and more poetic
to the wide, clear, penetrating gaze OF
Dolores Burnett than she had fancied
possible.
'It must be because | am seeing j,
for the last time" she said to herself
She stood on the doorstep and looked
north and south. The sidewalks OF
both the fashionable east side and the
workday west side Of the street were
crowded. The last fine Saturday of til /
season had tempted many out. a
hustling, hurrying, colliding crowd
what conglomerate, bewildering, pitt
able, fascinating, suggestive spectacle
they all made.
A man passing recognized Miss Bur
nett and raised his hat.
She bowed-a queer, whimsical, lit
tie smile curving the corners of her
mouth when he had passed.
"He has taken three of my stories,
she murmured. "And he will pay ftl
them on publication" She glanced
down at the vial in the glazed paper
81 wonder if he would pay for one o1
them now if he knew!"
Then she decided it did not matter
did not matter in the least. A few more
written-a few more accepted-or ;
few less. She couldn't make enough Il
live ON if all were paid on acceptance
/ every one of them.
''Five years!" she said. 'Five years
of poverty, of ambition, of sacrifice
and at the end, failure!" She hat
reached the pavement, was walking
southwark, mechanically avoiding con
tact with people while not really seeins
them. She walked with the firm, as
sured, undertaking step of those fa
miliar with city streets. Suddenly shi
paused, arrested by fame OF color
saffron, and crimson and purple.
"Asters, lady?" cried the man
standing beside his wicker basket a
the curb. "Asters, dahlias-mari
golds?"
She shook her head and went on. Sh
had no money for flowers. No none.
for anything if it came to that-no
even for carfare. But the sight of th
old-fashioned blooms had brought
wave of homesickness which seemed t
wrench all physical strength from he
and leave her weak and tremblin,
How plainly she saw 1.-THE old home
The square green farmhouse, with ii
clematis-covered porch, it's sweep @
sward, its flower beds outlined wit
mathematical precision. And twas i
the summer-house there-the warpe
old summer -house-that she had tol
Everett Harper she could never be h;
| wife.
I my work is mapped out for me-
{ she had said. 81 have been scribblin
all my life. want to be write
I shall not be content with a litt
success. I must become famous. An
/ shall. I've been reading a gret
/. deal about the women who have SUI
:, ceeded. They almost all went I
cities. Many worked hard for tim
on newspapers. | can do it kno'
e l can. It's my destiny!"
II But you cannot go to the cit
alone, dear heart!" he cried, aghas
He did not like her sad name of d.
lores, and seldom called her by
Besides, this whim-"
. 1T is no whm!" she had fared on
: '.1t is the work | am born to do-tf
!, work / am fitted to do. Now thu
il my mother is dead, and brother Re
q and his wife are running the plac
I'm only in the way. No one will mi
me if go"
mo one!" he had said, passionat
ly. "Oh, love-my love!" Huskine
caught him strangely. She only n
ticed what an ugly tie he wore.
4, ssYou won't care after awhile. Pc
- ~ haps you don't care now. Perha
=. you only think you care!"
n, "Dolores!" he said in a tone s.
ey had never heard him use before.
ID She had always been her own M
a tress. She had lived in books. 5
ne had exaggerated ideas of the facili
ne with which one, imaginative, althou
~ unframed might earn living by !
., =, erary work. And she did not drea
az a, that in such work experienced medic
a, rity counts for more than crude, U
th polished talent.
d. 81 don't mean to hurt you. Evere
&C. but / must succeed-I must. ] knt
what a pleasant home you have
offer the woman you marry, anu HI
hard you have worked to gain It.
,se know how good you are, and if
,lv were not that I must work ort I
a destiny"
n 81 shall wait!" declared the you
he farmer, grimly. 81 shall wait
er- ways. And if all should not be
Oh you fancy--if things go wrong
~, Nothing will go wrong!"
,,d ,ns was sufficiently youthful and pref
"a in those days to be arrogant with6