Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04

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Dan Cantren. The poor fellow was near
ly dead With consurnp tion, and long since
there had been no tidings Of him, SO the
isuppbsition Is. he died out there, :. and
She sighed
yes.'' said the traveller, Daniel
Craig Eantrell: s knew him well. saw
lot Of him when he was so lonely in
Los Angeles. He-wa a pitiable object.
downhearted as could be. It seemed he
left sweetheart behind him in Ken
lucky. He used to tell me about her.
Let me see.@it was a queer combinatio
some mans name with a sufhx. Wilhel-s
nina, perhaps. Anyhow. he loved her.
had always loved her. but felt It would
be q beastly shame to offer her heart in
such q frame. You see, the candle was
dipping low, suffering to go out; yet
somehow he had the idea that women
are sympathetic, self-sacrifcing and all
that sort OF thing. and that she would
nurse him. But it would have been de-
manding too much It was preposter-
Gus. Better to let his life go out In
loneliness than to hamper her with such
a burden!'
The woman's interest showed by the
deep tint on her cheek.
How stranger she murmured. After
all. what little world. To think OF un-55
ravelling the skein Of his silence by pick
ing up the right thread at last.
Then she seemed lost reverie Cantrell'
meanwhile devoted himself to quail He
wished her tc mediate
you see, Mr.. Craig she continued.
I'VE had been sweethearts from child
hood
"Really?' queried the traveller. raising
his voice without raising his eyes.
Eyes, replied the woman. y am john,
geeline.''
man: continuing
ct used to seem to solace him to dwell
on those old days. I remember his even
recalling how when you were school
children his carrying your books. And
one day, it was the first OF June. you
tried to catch a butterfly. lowering over
a damp spot on the pike: you Didn't I'VE
in the town, and somehow yoEr foot
slipped and you covered yourself with
mud. He picked you up. brushed away
YOUR tears and, despite the schoolbcys
jeers, imprinted kiss on your little red
lips, kiss that he never forgot. After
wards. followed by mutual understand
ing, a youthful engagement, more I'M
piled than actually existing, but which
he hoped verified when you two were
grown up He intended holding you to
1t. had his Deditl
Here Cantrell scanned her closely. Inc
light had gone out of her eyes, the color
had faded from her. cheeks and she was
very pale. ,,,
.Iyere you with him when he died?"
she asked TREMENDOUSLY.
NO he said, u left Los Angeles be-
fore it happened and cannot give TURNER
particulars. i was on the Island OF santa
Catalina for several years and when
returned the lunger had disappeared. II
is enough that he always cherished this
memory. Women are queer creatures,
mysterious, doubtful, uncertain. Suppose
he had regained his vigor, returned and
found you changed it might have shat
tered his faith in women. Time Is
rude iconoclast when 1t comes to dealing
with ideals or idols. He might possibly
have become woman-hater-and then
well, at any rate, he would have pro
baby regretted not having passeu IL MS
checks"
But then" she said, suppose to the
contrary he had found her faithful all
these years, there might have been diff
ferent ending.
"Might have BEEN" Systematically inter-.
rupting; might have been, you know
or all sad words as the poet says
There was a sheer on Cantrelis face
for his patience was fast taking flight.
cusable, since he was the one to blame
for silence: but what right had she to be
sentimentaizing on an old love. with
those two children present as living wit
nesses of another affection. he felt
ashamed OF her disloyalty, but her voice
distracted him from further condemna-
ton. "O!4if could only see him asain."
There is no marrying in heaven, ne
muttered gruffly. otherwise it might not
be heaven
II meant on this EARTH explained she,
lameiy.
..Well! look at me, for Johngeeline. I
am Daniel Craig Cantrell."
A suppressed scream sounded on the
air. Then it was the waiter had to pick
up fragments Of shattered glass and
bring the lady another plate and napkin,
for had ghost confronted her. the wo-9
mans surprise could not have been great
er. Recovering her equanimity. feeling
Of resentment rushed to her rescue; and
covering her face with her handkerchief,
she blurted out:
30! you horrid man. to have pumped
me like that
ut is minor punishment compared
with mine" said the man as If jasttfyng
himself, for somehow he was beginning
to regard himself as the Injured one.
:.How?" indignantly.
Need you ask?'' and by a nod he in
dicated the two little misses, whose
youthful appetites made them oblivious
of aught else.
..You old goose; they are my brothers.
children. Rob, you know, was at West
Point when we were learning our let
tiers. Well, he's stationed at San Fran
cisco and I've been taking the children
to spend Christmas with him. You, of
course, don't know, but he lost his wife
when little Johngeeline here was born,
so these little folks fell to their auntie's
care
..My darling. then you are still single!"
burst from his lips.
He would have liked to press her to his
heart, but the conventionalities of the
dining-car decreed otherwise. Just then
the porter put his head in the door. call
ing out: Marshall Pass"
Leaning across the table, Cantrell's
voice sunk to a whisper:
Eve are crossing the Divide; can =
reckon the highest pofnt of f1appiness