The Jersey City news., 1903-02-04

stay, Gretchen" Eut I wns hypo-
critic when said IT.
Il knew that you would say that.
simply.
Gretchen, sit down and I'll tell Won
the story Of my life. as they say on the
stage" Knocked the dead ash from
my pipe and stuffed the bowl with
fresh weed. lit it and blew d cloud
Of smoke into the air. .Do you see
Y that. Gretchen,
Yes, herr sitting down, the space
! of yard between lis.
1T is pretty, very, but see how the
wind carries It about! AS 1t leaves my
throat it. looks like tangible sub
stance. Reach for it, and it is gone.
That cloud Of smoke is my history
1t disappears" said Gretchen.
And so shall / at the appointed
time. That cloud of smoke was for
tune. ! reached for it, and there was
nothing but the air in my hand. 1t
was woman's love. For Eve years I
watched it curl and waver In it T
/ saw many castles, and the castles were
fair indeed. | stroye to grasp this
love; smoke, smoke. Smoke is nothing
given a color. Thus it is with our
dreams. If only we might not wake.'
Gretchen's eyes were following The
course of the languid river.
Once there was a woman / thought
! loved, but she would have none Of
II. She said that the love gave her
was not complete because she did not
return it. She brought forth the sub
Ject of afinities and ventured to say
that some day might meet mine.
scored inwardly. / have now found
what she said to be true. The love
gave her was the bud. The rose
Gretchen" said I, rising, Il love you.
! am not hypocrite / cannot parade
my regard for you under the flimsy
guise Of friendship"
''Go and give the rose to her to
3 whom you gave the bud," said Gret-
chen. The half smile struck me as
oisdainful. "You are strange wooer."
Il am an honest one. l began
plucking at the bark of the tree. mo.
shall let the rose wither and die on
the stem. shall leave tomorrow,
Gretchen. shall feel as Adam did
when he went forth from Eden What
ever your place in this world is, 1t is
far above mine. I am, in truth, PEN
niless adventurer. The gulf between
us cannot be bridged."
NO" said Gretchen, the smile leav-
ing her lips, sfhe gulf cannot be
bridged. You are penniless adyen-
turer, and / am fugitive from-the
law, the king or what you will. You
are a man. Man forgets. You have
just illustrated the fact His memory
and his promises are like the smoke
they fade away but soon / shall be
sorry to have you go, but it is best
so"
do you love any one elseT'
{ q do not. love no one in the sense
you mean. 1t was not written that /
should love any man.
Gretchen, who are you, and what
have you done?"
What have / done? Nothing! Who
anil? Nobody.'
rs that the only answer you can
give?"
It is the only answer will give
There was something in Gretchen's
face which awed me. 1t was power
and resolution, two things man seldom
sees in a woman's face.
"Supposing Gretchen, that should
take you in my arms and kiss your
| was growing reckless because felt
awed, which seems rather a remark
able statement. 81 know you only as
a barmaid. Why not?''
She never moved to go away. There
was no alarm in her eyes, though they
narrowed
you would never forgive yourself.
would yous''
thought for moment. "No. Gret-
chen, | should never forgive myself
But know that if ask you to let me
kiss your hand before go you viii
grant SO small favor"
There" and her hand stretched to-
ward ne. "And what will your kiss
neany'
THAT love you, but also respect
YOU, and that shall go.'
Il am sorry
1t was dismal packing. / swore a
good deal softly. Gretchen was not In
the dining room when ! came down to
supper. 1t was just as well. wanted
to be cool and collected when made
my final adieu. After supper i lit my
pipe q shall be buried with it, and
went for a jaunt up the road There
was a train at 6 the next morning.
would leave on that. Why hadn't
taken Gretchen in my arms and kissed
her? 1t would have been something to
remember In the days to come. was
a man and stronger; she would have
been powerless. Perhaps it was the
color Of her eyes.
I had not gone up the highway more
than 100 yards when saw the lonely
figure Of a man tramping indirectly to-
ward me and directly toward the inn.
Evsn in the dusk Of twilight there was
something familiar about that stride
Presently the man lifted up his voice
In song. The second lead" as they
say back of the scenes, was about to
appear before the audience.
Evidently Hillars had found sJeri-
clo' distasteful and had returned to
protest.