The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-12-06

Jor1e.
ened. It never came true And besides,
/ am three years older than Marjorie.
Would you think I was rs. Steve?"
Stephen turned the rimless eye
glasses on her with cheerful scrutiny.
Thirty he said pleasantly.
How long were you engaged to him7'
1.-TWO weeks and a half"
Last OCTOBER"
She nodded her head.
IT'S a bad time Of year for engage
gagements. Dead leaves and general
dampness and all that. always choose
early summer. 1t don't hang on the
nerves so. Try June next time. Con"
She turned to him with sudden i'm
patience.
TT isn't that I don't want to see
Marjorie happy. or that I care about
last October. I am afraid she will
waken as I did. He is 50 perfectly
colorless In temperament that II Is
simply infuriating. A girl doesn't seek
new engagement every summer,
Steve. ! never was engaged before,
and don't you know when you've been
looking forward to something ever
since you could chase butterflies, to
falling In love with the one man who
was to be your prince OF dreams, and
all at once you think you've found
him, and you love him and promise to
be his wife, and nothing happens at
all. why. you feel like the boy who
spent all his Fourth Of July money for
on"
Better said boy than the boy who
shoots the merry rocket and then gets
numerically batted with the fallen
stick" said Stephen gently and philo-
sOphically.
"Haworth was Just the same. He
ID 70 hoxr
derful 1t all was to me. or how a girl
wants it to be wonderful We were
good, stanch friends and comrades,
and he cared for me. I know he did,
last October, but there was the rose
mist missing. He wasn't my prince
of dreams. He was just himself.
One likes the rose mist OF life, you
know. even II one knows they are all
Illusion. They give a glory to the path
behind and the hills ahead"
But they aren't worth cent close
around" said Stephen. Rose mists
aren't worth a rap floating around
ones self. when one is busy living to-
day. Seems to me wouldn't want any
Illusions around the one I loved best,
either. And don't think Marjorie
would. Haworth's a splendid old chap.
We've been friends for over ten years.
He's given me many a hand grip over
tough places In the first days when
was only a fresh kid fighting for a
place in the crowd, and he's always the
same 1t may be monotonous. but it's
mighty comforting. Perhaps after ten
years even you might be glad to find
man unchanged"
Perhaps" She smiled bitterly, but
bravely still.
He looked into her eyes interestsdly.
Honest, don't you care. Con?''
She hesitated.
Not as long as It IL Marjorie, ana
she will be happy" Her voice was
low. "Of course one may still remember
the prince Of dreams, when the dreams
never came true"
'Haworth was ND to my place last
night and we talked sense. No rose
mists or dreams, Just plain sense. And
I told him that was going to marry
the dearest girl In the world. II she'd
have me-"
''StephenI" Her face was radiant.
her tone tender and maternal In its
quick sympathy. I'm 30 glad for
you"
IF she'd have me-" repeated Stephen
modestly. And Haworth opened up
and told me few things about a GER
tain dearest girl whom he had wanted
10 marry. but she wouldn't have him.
He wasn't bitter. you understand. or
wearing Grape for any dead hopes He
Just told me. He doesn't quite under
stand why she gave him up, but he
believes she loved him, and that some
day the world will seem lonesome and
strange to her, and the rose mists she
cared for will have faded. Then he
thinks she may be glad to find him
unchanged"
"Stephen!" She turned her head and
met Haworth's gaze. His eyes were
restful and steady. as she had loved
best to remember them.
And 1 told him." continued Stephen
mildly, mot to wait for the lonesome
time, to take the day he was sure Of
And he said he thought he'd try to-
night"
But MarjorieI''
Her face flushed and her lips half
parted. She was still looking beyond
the yellow chrysanthemums.
Stephen smiled across the table.
The dearest girl in the world said
yes just half an hour ago." he said