The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-09-10
Douglas


was told that Peter Douglas had gone
the day before. She said nothing 10
me about DOuglas. and / supposed she
was not aware that knew of his hav-
ing been there. At any rate, she gave
herself away by asking me to play
Accompaniment for her and insisted
on singing:
oh. won. YOU come back TO me. DouglnG.
Douglas. tender and trueT
/ did rot mind 1t at hrst, but when
found that she could never 60 to the
pfano without wanting to sing the
Douglas song tired of 1t. Finally,
one misty evening when she appeared
more thnn usually depressed after the
invitation to Douglas to come back to
her, slle--well she wept; wept with me.
an able bodied, fairly attractive man
present to entertain, amuse, interest
her. / wished that Douglns would
come back and remain long enough in
the grounds for me to go ont and
punch his head
finally intimnted that this Douglas
business was growing tresome, think
ing she would mend her ways. What
was my surprise when she sorrowcd
more for Douglas than ever. Besides,
she seemed hurt, IL not offended, that
should take so matter of fact view
of what she called tender associn-
the accompaniment again, playing 1t
herself and stumbling at every note.
Something must be done. Two weeks
once a year are too short to be spoiled
by such nonsense, and resolved or a
stroke One evening, after she had
walled the usual plant to Douglas,
went to the piano, and after few
melancholy chords sang:
Mary. dear. departed shade.
Where is thy place Of bliSsful restF
st thou thy lover lovyly laid?
Hearst thou the groans that rend MS
breast2
/ arose from the piano and went and
sat in a dark corner for awhile, then
rejoined NIarcella.
3.Don't you think" said, signing.
chat anniversaries are very sad?"
Very" she replied, not sympathet-
icalIy, 1 thought.
Nothing more So" sighed again.
t'I supposed you to be bachelor. 1t
appears that you are wtdower.
.sHow did you find that out?"
'.By your singing Burns beautiful
lament to his wife SO feelingly."
cam I to consider you a widow be-
cause you are plning for DouglasF'
She got up and went into the house.
The next day was Saturday, and the
usual overflow from the city was ex-
pected. MaFcella looked troubled.
whats the matter?" asked.
douglas moved farther awayr
She bit her lip. I didn't know then
why, but L found out before long.
without any reply she went into the
house.
In the afternoon when the express
came in the crowd came in with it, and
with the crowd who should come but
DoTlplas
wen, upon my word, and this Is
"'DougIas, tender and true'-a pudgy,
fat, knockkneed little man who slut
tered.
1 would have supposed that Marcella
would have met him. Not so. She did
not appear on the piazza, and Mt dinner
time had n headache. The next morn
ing haw her trying to steal through
the hall to get away to the woods, but
Douglas was watching for her, and
saw him approach with the air of an
old friend, If nothing more. Marcella,
who saw that was a witness to the
meeting, blushed violently, made few
incoherent replies to his tender re
marks and a dash for cover. Douglas
looked puzzled.
There was little seen of Marcella the
Monday after Douglas had departed on
the early morning train. The same
evening she sat In an obscure corner
OF the parlor with a novel. went to
the piano and sang
Won't you come back to me, Douglas.
Douglas. tender and true!
sang the whole song over twice,
then walked out on to the piazza. It
wasn't long before heard a few SOM
Der chords, followed by
o Mary, dear departed shade.
Where Is thy place of blissful rest7
1 couldn't understand what had led
the girl to play such a game. went
to a good friend OF mine, a married
woman of mature years and with
knowledge of the world, told her of the
episode ana asked her opinion.
"She undertook to get you," was the
reply.
"How?'
''By playing the man Douglas on on
.Do you think that high grade way
OF getting husband?''
.'You men can't be reached by any
high grade means. Women have to
give you what you are fitted for"
"Do you mean to say that could be
won by any such ignoble means?"
'Of course you can and are. You're
in love with Marcella-so plainly In
love that everybody in the house has
1 went out and Joined Marcella.
douglas coming back soon?" ask
ed.
"He is coming back with Mary"
ooh, perhaps 1t will be as we'll in
order to avoid embarrassments that be-
fore they come we should have an
understanding. 1t will save disappoint-
ment, remark and all unpleasantness.
VIII YOU take n stroll ~
A few days later when announced
to my mentor that Marcella and