The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-16
The Globes Daily Short Story !

affairs and awaited in deadly calm the
fatal hour
The affair was one of swords, and aft
er the principals had hacked at each 9TH
er and the circuma n1bient atmosphere for
several minutes, the seconds fell into
dispute over some technicality which
had or had not been observed, and fell
upon each other with such hearty good
viii that MANNED and disfigured they Were
carried from the field of honor before
the surprised principals could enter a
protest at their irregular and unsports-
manlike conduct. The principals them
selves had received several ugly cuts,
and they were slowly and solemnly con-
veyed back to their respective homes.
Young Tom Symes, deaf alike to his
mothers complaints and entreaties, stay
ed with his father 3and nursed him ten
derly, while she. accompanied by the
obedient but heartbroken Alice, returned
to the home of her aged parents. An
1rascable but wealthy old uncle, learn
Ing OF the lapse from virtue of his ia
vorlte nephew Hiram, cut him off with
out even the traditional shilling, and dy-
Ing while his wrath was at fever heat
left his money for the founding of a
home for the widows and orphans of in
digent sailors.
The husband of Airline had loved her
devotedly, and, weakened by the wounds
received, consented at the earnest solic-
1tatlon of Armand his wife's brother,
to receive her in the sick room. The
willy and guilty woman found little diff
hculty in convincing her husband that
he had cruelty wronged her by his sus-
picions as to her fidelity. But pointing
out to him that many young women
were, like her, named airline, she made
his doubts of her appear ridiculous and
unjust, and when he was reduced to
the proper stage of humiliation and re-
greet, forgaye him, and most complete
and happy reconciliation followed.
Relief at so narrow an escape from
social shipwreck was soon followed by
deadly distaste of the pleasures of vir-
tue, for Airline having once wandered into
a forbidden paradise, found existence
without it's gates rather tame, and six
months after the duel she eloped with
handsome gardener in the employ of
her husband and returned to sunny
France.
Sweet Alice Symes had for some time
been betrothed to the handsome Armand,
but after the distressing events which
had followed her mothers adventure with
the flea, she sent for Armand and told
him that union with him was impossi-
BILE in view of the shame and misery
that had fallen on their homes through
her fathers sin. In vain did the young
man plead his cause and hers. She re-
manned deaf to his entreaties, though
her beautiful, agonized eyes and gray
white face testified to what she suffered.
Armand, after his dismissal, went up
to London, and wild stories of his fol-
lies and excuses reached the Symes fam
lily. Alice brooded over her lovers mis-
spent life, and feeling poWerless TO re-
call him, spent her time in prayer for
his redemption. She stayed hours daily
in the damp and noldy old church, and
contracted a severe cold, which resulted
in her DEATH One1tyear from the date
Of her separation from her lover she was
borne to lonely grave on the bleak
hillside.
One dreary November evening Benja-
min Dawson, F. r. S., assembled the hill
and idly roamed about among the graves.
AT one he paused and slowly read in the
waning light the inscription on a simple
marble column, Sacred to the memory
of Alice Symes. Aged nineteen. Rest in
the Lord
Nineteen repeated Benjamin, softly,
young and fair and beautiful, no doubt
What a happy fate was hers. Taken
from this sordid, wretched world before
she knew aught of its sin and SORROW
AS he spoke a belated sun ray pierced
the gloom and a single shaft of light
glorified with its radiance the word al
ice."