Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-11

Sunlight was in the sky, upon the streets.
over all things. The sound Of church bells
rose above the noise Of voices and OF foot
falls on the sidewalk. What light, charm
ing costumes the women wore, and the
men. how carefully dressed and how eK-
pressive Of admiration and a desire to be
especially amiable.
NDne tall man, who looked prematurely
grAEe for thirty years, walked alone. Few
passersby noticed his face. OF these few
some wondered that such melancholy was
abroad upon this morning Of mornings, this
most radiant Of Easter days,
A 1.-THE. fair girl came down the steps Of a
graystone house and walked of briskly. She
wore a close gown of gray and a hat
adorned with small, artificial spring flow
ers. Eighteen years Of life, 4 fresh, hand
some face, great gray eyes, a prayer book
and a parasol in one of her small gloved
hands, what a fitting picture for the day.
And, to complete II, In the other hand a
white lily, perhaps th%oughtlessly plucked
from its stem. The solitary man was walk
ing several feet behind her. He happened
TO look up from where his cane at each step
met the pavement. He saw the lily over
the girls shoulder.
The man sighed. THAT lower and that
girl bring them back to me still more
wildly" he unused; that other Easter
day, that other Easter lily-and heri"
The girl in front turned to cross the
street. The man recognized her and raised
his hat in response to her bow. She hesi-
tated. dropped her eyes, stopped and waited
for an approaching cab TO pass. When the
man came up she faced him with a smile.
He was vaguely conscious Of a heightened
color in her cheeks and Of a delicate
fragrance environing her.
tnO0d unornfnC MoUafnuF Mplanr6OlvN -
she said in greeting. "Yeu see I haven't
forgotten my Shakespeare"
Like the sweet girl graduate that you
are" he replied carelesBly, as he started
forward by her side. "But why do you
bring your Shakespearean knowledge to bear
on me In that way7 Am I melancholy"
"Doiefull And on such a morningl It's
wicked to be ssa IN sunshine like this"
And in such company it's impossible.
That is to say. it would be II you didn't
re,mind me. you and that flower in your
hak-but pardon me, what am I saying7''
|The girl glanced up at her companion in
some surprise. Then she became thought
fui. Mechanically she looked ct the lily
in her hand. Presently she spoke in a low
tone.
"As you were saying, what are you say
ing? Or, rather, what were you going to
say? I remind you, l and my iower-oi
WHAT"
He spoke without seeing her shy, side
look, as they passed on among the crowds
u churohgoers.
N"Of another woman and another flower
like that, on another day like this. You
bring back a story that began on such q
day when such a woman lightly gave such
q flower toto the hero Of the story"
yourself, OF course" This was spoken
" a. 49, ~,N~AN Ho.v, r1tVa1
his curiosity had he not been in q re-
Elective mood.
"Yes," he answered.
And the story was Above storyfT
Naturally"
How interesting! And It ended in-ir
what3"
I'm a grave in Spring Grove. eight months
aa~fterward," he replied softly.
"Oh," she said, gently. They walked OF
In silence for a time. Then he added:
81 died of pneumonia a month before
the time fixed for our marriage. That was
six years ago. 1t seems yesterday"
But the story is finished"
"oh, yes" he said, with a slightly bite
smile. THAT story is. And now you know
why l was not all smiles when you me
me. Notwithstanding the morning"
They had come to the church. He stopped
on the outskirts OF the converglng crow,
at the foot of the wide. stone steps befor
the great entrance.
"And you are not going int" she asked
with some establishment, as she ais
stopped.
He smiled. MOI; I didn't intend to. In
not a churchgoer. In out OF practice"
Then experience a novelty. ] can't In
vite you to our pew, for Aunt Agnes an
my cousins have already left only roor
enough for me. But you might enjoy stand
ing in the gallery. Don't you like Easte
mGsic2"
<Yes. perhaps ! may drop in bye an
bye"
He stood still, waiting for her TO leav
him and enter the church. But she di
not move. He must have been strangel
unobservant not to have noted all the ter
derness that suddenly burst all repressiv
bonds, instructive and conscious and glove
eloquently In her eyes. not to have penS
trated to the deliberate design hidde
under the surface of her next speech.
EAnd, that story being finished, has
hRd many-any-sequels. with the sam
hero2"
"None." no answered. None in 81
years"
ut began with a iilyY"
"A lily that still stands in a Grecla
vase beside my mirror"
Somewhat faded1"
eyes, poor flower"
But the old story being hnished," 81
said, speaking with increasing haste ar
very low. "and the hero still young, what
70 prevent beginning another stery-wii
another lilyf"
She held out the flower in her hand. tt
man, surprised at her manner and her a.