The Washington times., 1903-08-02

i n
meet you in the old days. and MANY a
time since. There never was anyone
here. Perhaps ! frightened them awav
have been here so often. How lone "a
il since you left me, Algernon? 7 have
forgotten
The muslin OF her gown brushed him
and he moved away with an almost i'm
perceptible movement
An eternity. Mary he answered
Il thought so. too" she said. But
OF course. in months and weeks it has
not really been long. l don't know when
1t was that # came to me you must be
dead, since you had not sent me a word.
after that. 1t was easy enough, except
when-when I doubted. II was terrible
while / thought you lived
The man made an inarticuIate souni
OF pity
AND then papa died" she went on.
dreamily Il used to think papa was
angry with you and had sent you away.
But he was always good to me. poor
papa. And then / used to think that
there was terrible things said against
you-things ! could not speak Of or
WI 80 ~ was rot true.
'of course not. Mary" said the man.
with spasm of his face.
And it was because you died v,,,
never came back? You loved me too
well 10 leave me?"
II never loved you so well as when
1 left you"
And then you died, and you have
come back to me. VIII you come again
Algernon?"
Perhaps / NAV not no ,.-
mitted, Mary. came a long journey
for this night I shall have a long
journey to go to where 1 am. goinz. II
is time I took that journey. And YOU
you must not wander at night. child
Promise me you will not come here At
night
I am not afraid of the dead men. Al
gerron.
Il know. But promise me you viii
not come. You used always TO obey
me in the old days. Mary
Il will do what you tell me. AIeer-
non
And now you will go home: go home
and sleep. and dream happy dreams.
Mary"
The time will not be long" she sad.
now that | have seen you. always
knew that you loved me- But there
were vexatious things that would re-
turn. things that were said and ghis-
pered- They can never come back
again"
She stood looking at him an instant
Hitherto be had not so much as touched
fold of her garments. Now he moved
nearer and his face darkened as though
the blood had rushed to IT,
Give me one kiss. Mary" he pleaded.
for the sake of old times, to serve ne
for that long. long journey. for the eter-
nifty in which shall not kiss you again.
For moment she was as light as a
snowflake in his arms For moment
his lips were on hers.
Your lips are not cold" she MUIR
INJURED They burn like fire.
And yours are like the dews.'' h.
answered. And now, run home. child.
Your hair is wet with the sea fog. See
how 1t has covered the moon. And r.
member, you are to come here no mora.
Dream happy dreams. my dear"
She went with a hanging head. her
old habit of obedience making her 90
while she longed TO stay. When she
had gone a little way she looked back.
The sea had rolled in and hidden all
the bay. But on the higher ground the
moon was still shining.
Its light went with her all the way
home. II flooded the silent house as
she went upstairs. Once. as she passed
mufied mirror, she smiled to herself
catching a simmer as OF silver in it's
depths, and remembered that once she
had had vision in mirror Of how she
would look when she grew old
The moonlight was on her face while
she slept. Perhaps it was baleful, As
they say the moon is. Anyh0w, when
Mrs. Susan came to the bedside in the
morning, she cried out at the change in
Miss Mary's face. Her age had found
her out. Though the lips smiled and
smiled. this was not the Miss Mary OF
yesterday
But it was only that. in the night,
the .child's soul had escaped and left ths
body 10 the burden OF its years. Miss
Mary's heart had broken for joy.-Kath-
arine lyman, in the Sketch.
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