The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-05-16
!! ON THE
REBOUND
By GARFIELD MACNEAL.
Copyright, 1901, by
Garfield MacNeal.

Lillian Treadwell awoke on the
morning of her thirtieth birthday to
the sickening consciousness that she
was an old maid She parted the
cretonne curtains OF her bed. curtains
covered with red roses. suggestive of
summer sunshine, and turned her eyes
toward the window. Rain beating
against the panes and dull gray sky
proclaimed cheerless November day.
She sighed. Then. stretching out n
shapely arm, she took silver hand
mirror from the nearby dressing table
and carefully studied her features
In the language of Shakespeare she
saw mo deeper wrinkles yet" face
long and oval, patrician in outline and
expression. skin rather olive, eyes
erously nodded, and a wealth of brown
hair. On the whole it was notable
face and one of character
Dropping the mirror on the bed, she
called, Lois" A French maid, neat,
trim and smiling, appeared with the
breakfast tray.
"Ah. ma'mselle. A thousand con-
CALCULATIONS on your birthday"
"My thrtieth, Lois. But thank you
just the same"
"Ma'm'selle is still young, and al
ready fame has come to you. And
when your novel is published the world
will be at your feet" said Lois with a
comprehensive sweep indicating the
world.
"Oh. yes. the novel" murmured her
mistress, sitting up and starting in on
her coffee and rolls. while the maid
laid a bundle of letters and manu-
scripts on the bed.
Miss Trcadwell opened the one bully
package aud looked ut the accompany
Ing letter. 1t was from great pub
fishing house, formally expressing re
greet that they were unable to accept
her novel.
She gulped down something in her
throat. Her novel declined Her first
really original work, to which she had
given the leisure hours of six years.
Truly, this was most delightful birth
day gift.
Lois" she said-and her voice trem-
bed-"Lois, my novel has been de
clined."
"Ah, nam selle. l am too sorry
with quick sympathy-"bu some other
publisher will accept it,"
Her mistress shook her head. 81
shall not send it out again. | shall
stick to hack work. can at least
make a living at that Then she ada
ed reflectively, my life has been a
failure
Lois protested. She worshipcd hel
mistress. "Mam'selle has been sue
cessful. You have pretty apartment
and everything you want"
"Other women, too. have pretty
apartments and everything they
want
"Ah, yes, but they did not work fol-
Them" said Lois with worldly shru4
as she went in response to the electric
bell. which at this moment buzzed
loudly in the hall.
She reappeared with a huge white
box. Flowers. ma'm'selle, and q
note" she said gayly
Miss Treadwell cut the ribbon that
held the box and disclosed a mass of
violets. They seemed to look up at
her tenderly yet shrinkingly as she
bent over them. With sigh of pleas
ure she took the note and studied the
Dold handwriting OF the ..sIir rip
tion. Her heart jumDed 1t
was Jack's Desr
membered hpthe foot
She S}iiiers was IN
and was shown
goods which he
terms The Sena
edge and Dietric
i'o' W WY N town
it served, one Sssaenareu your address
other S'Magazine and send these
vitrs to warn you that am coming
to invade your sanctum sanctorum and
talk over old times. Always your
friend, Jack Ainsworth."
She started up. scattering letters and
manuscripts on the floor. Lois" she
said decidedly, Il want you to lay out
my new morning gown, the sea green
one with the train"
Sitting down at her dressing table
she began a careful toilet Her
thoughts were busy with the past
Jack had been her girlhood friend in
the little inland town where they were
both born and bred Again she was
twenty-four and he was twertv-Siv
WY had he never spoken? d"
he loved her. and, peri
loved him. too, IT,
mothers - Glue de le
land. ire
.,lhe ,J--7l7.--O. for
tune Jack had advised against it.
but strange peryersity made her deaf
to his warnings.
At first they had kept up CORE
spondence. Soon even that link was bro
ken as she was drawn more and more
into the absorbing whirl of newspaper
and magazine work. For five years no
letters had passed between them. To
be sure she had heard of him Indirect
ly, how he gradually forged ahead |
from clerk in the railroad office to /,
manager of the whole system, and she |
had been glad for his sake.
And now. after all this time, they |
were to meet. She wondered what he |
would be like. Doubtless he had lost |
the fresh boyish beauty she so VOL |