Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-14
A Jade LOCket.


Thomas Ashland did not like girls.
He rarely spoke to them at all, and
when he did it was in terms of the
greatest disrespect, merely to say that
ne loathei them and despised them,
that some men might care for that
sort of thing, but he did not. All this
was quite at variance with the laws of
nature, for Thomas was big and blond
and ruddy, and should, in accordance
with these laws, have been in love with
at one and the same time. The six
and the twelve would have called him
Tommy" and adored him. But
Thomas he was, and Thomas he was
determined to remain. His path
through life was on the other side of
mime feet.
1t must be confessed that Thomas
had not always been so austere. But
he had grown up in hoCseful of girls
all older than he was. His sisters love
affairs he had viewed with scorn, and
the ecstatic weeping incidental to such
things had filled him with disgust.
But in his earlier years, he, himself,
had had slight wounds from the germ
tipped arrows.
His first love had been a small long
legged, short-skirted girl. She had
ainted, stupidity enough. when he pre-
sented her with a dead rat, and her
weakness was the antidote for his pois-
IN. A few years later he had laid
ais heart at the feet CT a cousin some
'ears older than he was, but he had
come upon her suddenly one day and
.ound her kissing photograph-one of
mis- own, it is true-but the absurdity
Of the action made him hurriedly with
draw the treasure he was Offering His
final attack occurred soon after his re-
turn from Italy where he had been
studying art and painting, weird i'm
pressionist pictures. He met girl,
and she fell i'll live with him-girls dir
as rule. He condescended to think
her worth while, and was on the verge
Of considering her still more deeply
when, at a studio tea given in her
honor, she CHANGED to express her ap-
probation of art. She was standing
before one of his flame-shot drab paint
ngs of Vesuvius. Her pose was per-
feet. her coloring exquisite, her eyes
soulful
Its awfully sweet" she murznured,
isn't it? Awfully cute?"
1t was after this episode that Thomas
mad crossed the road and spurned every
feminine inducement to retrace his
steps.
But before very long another girl ap
peared upon the scene. She crossed
,ver to his side of the way, demurely
offered him companionship, slight:
favored with friendship, and. after a
Few preliminary Zigzags, led his steps
back into the ordinary ways of life. AS
matter of course, he fell before her.
completely, desperately, unreasoningly
n love. She was in reality all that he
IN his widest imaginings considered
her. She was beautiful, charming, in
,eresting, we'll versed in all the arts
and refinements of life, free from all
feminine weaknesses in the rest of her
sex. In her heart of hearts she idol
.Zed Thomas. even thought of him as
Tommy. while he was still gnashing
his teeth and c@rsing the placid friend
ship that seemed to exclude all
thoughts of love.
Then suddenly, passing fad, a
fancy of the hour caused her to lean
from her pedestal, to waver, almost
20 fall.
1t was summer, and she. catering to
rommy's weird love of color, acquired
for her personal adornment a green
gown, green as the sea, greeS as her
OWN eyes. She hoped that Thomas
would notice this, and upon such notice
would follow the declaration she was
accompanied by a chain-green with
bits of jade and locket set with Jade
The jade also matched the eyes and
night likewise lead to the longcd-for
words.
When Thomas first saw this green
GOWN he realized absolutely that his
entire peace of mind for all time and
eternity" depended upon his possession
Of the wearer, but at the same instant
/ premonitory SILVER passed over him.
The color was SO cruelty cold, so calm
and inimical to loves fervor.
They sat together and talked of the
prizes, of PHILOSOPHERS and facts, while
her cool green eyes smiled down on
him. But she tOyed temptingly with
the locket. He, longing to touch what
her fingers had held. took the locket
in his and praise-the Jade. Her heart
stood still. Had the moment come ?
Would he speak? Suddenly his face
grew white, and though her eyes were
iowncast, she knew that it had come.
that he would speak. A great rush of
red blood swept from her heart to her
cheeks. At this instant he raised his
eyes, saw the rosy blush and his own
face grew whittier still.
For a long time there was silence.
Then, with a inaudibly muttered word
of farewell, he left her.
In his hands the spring of the lock-
ct had yielded, and he had seen there
in the face, the well-known, handsome
! features of Hackett-Hackett, the matt
nee hero, the darling of every senti-
mental girl in the land. What did ii
| mean? Why did she wear an actors
portrait on her breast? There was but