The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-18

lclt CdIlcu upOu tu CApAdAh. The Lewises and Crawfords had been close neighbors> and friends for generations. Together they had emi- grated from the old country; together they had conquered the wilderness. Ned and Margaret Lewis and Tom Crawford had grown up. like brothers and sister. Then came the War of Se- cession. with it's bitter differences. alternating friends and breaking up families.
 MT. Lewis espoused the Confederate cause; Mir. Crawford was Union to the core. Ned Lewis. a cadet of the Vir- ginia Military Institute, enlisted un- der Stonewall Jackson, and later on was killed at Cedar Mountain. When West Virginia was admitted to the Union. MT. Lewis found his home too hot to hold him. He and his family left the State, glad to sell their farm. which might otherwise have been confiscated, fer a fraction of it's value. That fraction became in- finitesimal when some years later a seam of fine camel coal was discov- cred on the property. Not until then did MT. Lewis learn that his ex-friend Crawford had been the purchaser. The coal made the Crawfords millionaires, while the Lewises felt the pinch of poverty. and were sometimes even short of daily bread. until by the death of a relative Mrs. Lewis fell heir to a small but productive farm in the mountains of North Carolina. This, added to the death of his son, filled MT. Lewis heart with exceeding bit- terness. He peremtorily forbade his wife and daughter to hold any inter course. not only with the Crawfords, but with any of their former neigh oil ory to his misfortunes.
 The two women obeyed, after the old mans death, as we'll as during his lifetime. and no echo of the old life reached them in their mountain home. So complete was the separation that 1t was not until her present visit to Washington that Margaret Lewis knew that Senator Crawford was none other than her old friend and play mate Tom.
 50. really" she said in conclusion. T had rather not meet Senator Craw- ford. I am sure he has forgotten us, and MT. Vose will do all that can be done"
 Miss Jones was silenced, but her | active brain was busy. She had read between the lines of the story and di- yined what Miss Lewis had left un- | told, the romance nf two lives sacri- l feed to the Moloch of sectional diff ferences which in her opinion, should have been forgotten long ago. This Twas the reason why Senator Crawford, | courted and pursued of marriageable | women. was proof against feminine wiles; this also was why this pretty little woman, who must have been a beauty in her youth, was still a spin ster. And it was more than twenty years since they had parted! Miss Jones felt an intense desire to bring the two together. to see if she might | not thus set back the hand on the dial of time.
 It was with this end in view that she | took her companion to luncheon in the Senate restaurant. Miss Jones chose table near the entrance, and seating Miss Lewis with her back to the door. placed herself so as to see all who came and went. Her prayers | that Providence might be propitious were effectual. Presently Senator Craw- | ford entered alone and looking around
 caught Miss Jones' most radiant
 smile. He liked the clever woman, l who was too wise ever to intrude when
 her presence was undesirable; more-
 over he had old-fashioned ideas of
 courtesy, so he went step or two out | of his way to speak to her.
 She greeted him cordially, said
 something pleasant about his latest
 speech. and then appeared to recollect herself.
 Miss Lewis. this is Senator Craw-
 ford.'
 For one instant both the man and the woman stared as though each had
 seen a ghost. Miss Lewis turned white
 to the lips. too shaken to speak;
 Senator Crawford changed color, but
 with a strong effort he controlled him
 self and extended his hand. "Marga.
 ret" he said. huskily. Margaret, is il
 really you. after all these years? My
 God. how I have tried to find you"
 Miss Lewis tried to speak, she could
 only gasp.
 Miss Jones came to the rescue, with
 a society smile and a manner which
 saved the situation.
 What! You and Miss Lewis are old
 friends? How charming! She is
 staying at No. 100e X Street; it Is my
 address also.
 By this time Senator Crawford wa.
 once more the calm, collected man o
 affairs
 Thanks" he said. eff Miss Levi.
 has no engagement I will call this
 evening. We are very old friends, in. deed. I assure you"
 by William windham.