The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-08-08
A TWICE-T0LD TALE.

In income Some way she had been 30 busy
engineering imaginary love affairs that she
had never Thought OF her own
She was not yet prepared, however, TO
admit that this was the name Tor tie con
dition oil mind in which she found herself.
She had known Spencer Coles Just one WIN
tei. but had seen him very often since
that first night they had met at Mis-
browns birthday supper on the stage oil the
Forrest after the performance. II mad mol
seemed 50 many times, either, until to-nlght,
when he mad told her he was going abroad
for three months, and she realized that she
would not see him until the end OF that pc
Rod.
And yet she was happy, because, II he
had not been going away, perhaps he would
not have looked at her just as ne dld "heh
telling her of it. judith was skilled IN ieac-
ing eountenanees. She had labored hard 10
have the right sort OF emotions brought out
on them at the rehearsals OF her plays
Judith then and there resolved to give
a dance at which people could do as they
chose. She would call it the Declaration
Dance, and when charged with using TINS as
a SYNONYM for proposal she would retor''
oh. no; | mean the Declaration OF lnde-
penGence from the leading strings OF con-
ventionality.
Meantime she was happy in dreaming
of the past, in forecasting the future. AhFee
months would soon pass, with that DOW Oh
promise forming rosy vista at their end.
Judith wondered if her friends, sup
posing they suspected her state OF heart'
would think her silly. She was very near!
20. But the best of it was, not one OF them
did suspect.
Her intimacy with Coles was well known,
but everybody seemed to ascribe 1t TO DusF
ness sources. The dramatization OF Coies
novel by a Wayland pen would surely De
the play sensation of the season, they
prophesied. And yet, in all their talks, TINS
was matter that had never been broached
between them. Judith often smiled TO hef'
self as she recollected this fact.
The three months were hall gone Wheh
one morning, while Judith was sitting III d
box watching rehearsal, Amy Drown, IN
one of her breathing spells, came to her lof
little chat.
81 had a letter from Clara Sands yester'
dav." she said. you know she went over
+, do Hvacinth at the Earl's last month.
Well. she has not let the grass grow under
her feet. She writes me that she Is engaged
TO Spencer Coles. Think OF it, what eaten
for her. only a seascn out Of her soubrette'
hood. know you would be interested, dear,
knowing them both so well. Why, 1t was at
nv birthday supper you met Mr.. Coles,
wasn't it? But listen, my cues coming !
must run.
Judith sat there, gazing at the dolngs on
the stage and seeing nothing. She was
thinking of another play of hers, that had
been acted season before last on these very
boards. and in which the heroine discovered
she made mistake in thinking an invitation
from the hero was meant for her. She had
treated the episode farcically, and the
bouse had echoed for almost hundred
NIGHTS with laughter the situation awakened
laughter that now seemed ringing Win
soundless mockery in her ears.
OF course she came out of her abstraction
presently. before anyone noticed it, In this
end of the century period nobody Is PRIV
legged to be blghted being, He-or she
would be called a crank or queer or weak ID
the upper story. and maybe capped into a
private asylum.
The world is too busy to have patience
with the man who is not of piece with hls
fellows, so that it knows just how to take
| him.
Il am not going to let it hurt me, Jud1t,i
| told herself; which, being interpreted,
meant: Il am not going to let him see that
| it does."
And forthwith she arranged to depart
with tourist company bound for the Holy
Land. They sighted Coles steamer coming
| in lust as they left Sandy Hook astern.
She was watching it with burning eyes
i when A man to whom she had been INTRO
duced not an hour before in the turmoil OF
| good-bv. came up to the rail and joined her
That's the Mystic, they tell me, Miss
Wayland," he began. 81 see by this morn
| ings Hel aid that Spencer Coles is aboard Of
| her Odd that two M of such prominence
| should hear the same name, and both write
| books, too"
"Oh. yes." Judith replied, still with hei
ewes on the distant steamer. The other :
an Englishman, / believe; a knight of some
| sort. But our Mr.. Coles is far cleverer.
| Judith always took special pains to speak
well of the man who had broken her heart
in novels she had noticed that women al
WAYS avoided mention of such personages
and she had come to regard it as justifable
cause for suspicion.
I ooh, undoubtedly" was the response
"but this similarity of names must entail
I
ANNOYING confusion. | know OF magazine
that very nearly used the portrait of one to
accompany description of the other. and o.
course you have seen that canard about
our Mr.. Coles, as you call him, being en-
ga ed to the actress, Cara Sands. But that
| | take it. is clever advertising device o
! Miss Sands own The correction of the mis-
apprehension gives the event twofold men
| zion in tbe nress All there comes the boa
| for the pilot"
| Everybody rushed to the other side of tn,
ship, but Judith still remained where sh'
was. her gaze fixed on the incoming Mysti
bearing TIE man who on his arrival woult
receive her letter of congratulation on hi
engagement to the woman another man wa
going to marry .-Washingto Times.
| A seIf-Constituted EOncpo1fst.
| That wise ON is the truest wealth
| Is ar asss rtion just.
The egotist imagnes he
Has orgar.zed trust