The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-08-26
The Knot in the Pearls.



", with the prettiness that is quite un-
mistakable and generally acknowledge
ed, that can even triumph over frock
that Is not quite fresh or a style of hair
dressing that is not altogether suitable.
But then, in her case, 1t was such
charming hair so bright, and so curly,
that he told himself fashionable dress
ing, which would have reduced her
head to the level OF repetition of all the
other he" Is in the room, would have
been a mistake, a piece of vandalism.
And as for the dress, that was, at any
rate, simple-although of the kind that
II not expensive, or even particularly
tasteful-and he managed to overlook
It Yet that was something Of a feat
to bis credit or not, as you looked at
the Ihatter-for he had the reputation
OF being one OF the most fastidious
men in London. Moreover, the child
S-she was only a child, as he admitted
had absolutely no conversation.
And she was eighteen and badly
dressed, while he owned to thirty-five,
and was well known as an accomplish
Quisite taste.
The woman wasn't born, his friends
had been in the habit of saying, who
could entirely reach up to his stand
ard of perfection; among themselves
they had often pictured her, the near
est thing possible, the woman he
would surrender to, and she was cul-
trr nd wit al fa1u of hot 10
daintily beautiful, and certainly beau
tifully dressed to the last little detail.
And 1t must be admitted that he had
always so pictured her himself
After ALL" they said. so, after all,
the usual thing attracts him! OF
course, she's sweetly pretty, and he'll
choose her frocks" They didn't feel
any less pleasure in their idol because,
at last, they had discovered his feet Of
clay; they were, indeed, enthusiastic
cally inclined to applaud their newer
and more homely view Of him, and
they let the girl with the heaven
searching eyes absorb him, while they
looked on in an attitude distinctively
suggestive of hand-clapping.
After ALL" they would chorus, and
someone would invariably add, well,
he'll know how to spend the money!"
Yet II was common knowledge that
he was not overburdened with money,
having been, apparently, too overbur-
dened with brains to acquire it in any
quantity.
And all the time he was with her
he thought only Of her eyes and his
own power to waylay them from
heaven. But when he was not with
her, many Of his thoughts circled round
the cheap row Of pearls she invariably
wore, and his mind, attuned to great
subjects, took to itself a holiday and
spent 1t in wondering why she tied a
knot in them.
Was 1t of set design or did she really
think they looked better knotted?
There had come into his mind, the first
time he saw her, an old saying, long
forgotten, that girl knots her pearls
when she wants love letter. Now did
this girl of the innocent eyes in this
manner deliberately advertise want?
And was 1t simply love letter that
she wanted, as one might covet rare
curio, or, say, a first edition? He
said, first edition.) Or was 1t not,
perhaps, letter from d particular per-
son she had set her heart on? Some
one who might see the touching little
indication Of readiness to receive ten
derly worded epistle; someone who, 1t
was hoped. would be ready, would be
eager to comply? Although this last
possibility undoubtedly put the girl in
the better light, 1t is noteworthy that
1t was not the idea he honestly favored.
He followed the little story further.
For II the knot was the result of any
thing more than merest accident, or
other than a clumsy device for keeping
the row tightly around her white
throat, then, since, as far as he knew,
the knot was never united, also, as far
as he knew, she did not get her letter.
The blue eyes were sometimes pa
thettc; In time 1t grew to hurting him
that she should even possibly want
what he could have so easily supplied.
The whole question. as childish as she
was, and as strangely engrossing,
haunted and disturbed his leisure, and
one night, having just left her, he sat
down and wrote her the letter.
The bulk Of the talents for which
people praised him were in the habit
of emerging from the point of his pen,
and the letter was worthy of his repu-
tation without being at all above her
power OF appreciation-even supposing
she was in all things as young as she
looked. 1t was simple. In fact. as her
speech, and as beautiful, after its fash
Son, as her eyes; and, reading 1t over
he knew he had never done anything
better. But he wasn't as mad as he
01ght have looked--if anyone could