The San Francisco call., 1903-09-27
HER CHOICE
By Louise Hubert Guyol.

Then I cannot continus at all. for
bird thou never vert won't apply. What
shall I say7' He looked at the tall man
standing near. then into the eyes OF the
girl bride.
With thy clear, keen joyAnes
Languor cannot Be,
he quoted. then. improvtsing, continued;
May shadow Of annoyanOS
Never come near thee.
He raised his glass and turned toward
the groom:
Thou wilt love. and nSsr know IovSs sad
And amid a murnur OF applause and
clinking OF glasses the toast was drunk.
Then some one, taking up the thread OF
Wilton's thought, began:
What thou art we know not
What u most like thssf
And the boy who had used the slang
surprised them all by continuing the quo
tation:
She II like = glowworm golden Oh.
no, mol But. like q star OF heaven IN the
broad daylight or a rose embowered in
its own green leaves All that ever was
joyous and clear and fresh Or
Please" said the bride, appeaIngly
no more, II is very beautiful. but so en-
barrassing. I don't deserve II. am go
ing to drink to Shelley, who taught you to
say such beautiful things"
With such a subject" some one be-
gan, but Margaret and her sister had
disappeared.
Wilton slipped from the crowded room
out into the quiet halls, where he wan
dered up and down. thinking. wondering
how he had not thought the same thing
before. All these months past how stu
ptd he had beenl Yes, he thought II
would do no harm to try his luck All.
no, she never would-she could not love
him-it was too much to expect: she
would hfUheF Hrrf ha hr
chosen him for the little sister. whom
he knew she loved better than life; II she
thought him good enough for her, would
she not be willing to
The idea had taken so strong a hold
upon him from the moment he had looked
down into her eyes to thank her for her
compliment that now he wondered how
he could have been blind to II for so long
a time. 1t seemed to him as II he had
never had any other thought than this.
as II he could never have any other
thought but Margaret. He wondered II
The carriage was az the door. the bride
had her arms about her mothers neck,
the groom. already half way down the
steps, was impatiently waiting. A shower
OF rice filled the air, q white BAttn slip
per shimmered through the shower. with
q quick pull the horses started, and the
man within the Carriage turned Erom wAY-
ing q last Gdleu to the party O. th0 bal
cony and put bis arms about ths E1ri.
AT last I have you safa." he said. Do
you know I wRs always AFRAID q thAt
man WiltonT'
That man Wilton wa already eoliOwing
Margaret into the drawing-goom, 3uDt a.
q voice behind than Ba1d3
That's the best fellow IN town donit
see why he and Margaret aon'e@
The color rushed over MargArot'D face
as she glanced up to see II he had heard.
The smile in his eyes made her look down
again quickly. She walked to Ghs far end
OF the room, beneath the palms Whero hsr
sister had stood, and, STOPPING, picked up
some rose petals that lay scattered at her
feet She did II all unconsciousiy. When
she rose Wilton was standing over her.
He took her hands IN his. rose petals and
all, and looked down into her eyes.
II don't see why we don't. sithaR. Do
you, Margaret"
Some one had gone to q piano and the
strains OF the march from lie Prophets'
came to them through the open doors, a
breeze softly stirred In the palm leaves
above their heads, the pink rose petals
slipped from her fingers IN q shower down
over her gown a. she put her hands up
on Wilton's shoulders and met his eager.
questioning look.
mol don't" she said very softly.