Democratic messenger., 1904-04-16

u ~ HStttbs HtIl'H''i tst'tt tdii'ts
got what he wanted in the world, il
was 10y no means due to chance. When
he wanted anything: he began 10y look
ing the field over carefully. noiin. all
the salient points the advantages and
tile disadvantages. Then with his feet
u2 AMI cigar between his lips he
would consider all available methods
% securing the thin. desired.
Iavin: finally arrived at II decision
~ 10 The best course of action To- pur
slIe he pursued il w.,h an energy and
single mint.c,incss ti'ai We're open to
no odiScour::.cncnt. admitted no defeat
And the result WAS that. as life goes.
Mallory WAS accounted lucky.
lie WIS a handsome. vigorous man
OF fifty when. business affairs making
il necessary for him 10 spend a num-
ber of months In New York. u letter
of Introduction secured him the very
delightful privilege of reoms with the
Fosters. whose story of waning for
tunes he had heard from the friend
who sent him 10 them. The ominous
length of his upper lip was hidden un-
der n short gray mustachc. or Miss
Foster would have known from the
first that il was useless to oppose him
once his mind was set upon anything.
The romance of his youth was a
beautiful memory. Il thing as faint
and elusive as the scent OF lavender.
But he had been loyal TO IL for twenty
years. having been left at thirty a wild
over with two children. AS he sat in
the great dim drawing room where
everything was eloquent of other days
he noticed several things-touchcs un-
usual In stiff city drawing rooms. hut
which made for LONELINESS. lie sighed
with sudden wistfulness altogether
out of keeping with his height. breadth
and fioridness.
In the midst Of his reverie Miss Fos-
ter appeared. her delicate slightness
heightened 10y the massive doorway in
which she stood framed for n moment.
AS she rose TO greet her he wondered
idly what could have given her that
harassed look. this little woman with
the oval face and the piled up hair.
Her smile. he thought. was oddly shy
and girlish. and I'm a few minutes they
were talking with the ease of old ac-
luaintance.
amusingly on her she showed him the
rooms that she and her mother rented
to eke out their small and uncertain
income. and the next day found him
Installed In them.
Often during the following months
he would spend an hour with the moth
er and daughter. noting with hidden
amusement the latters unnatural little
air of elderiness. She would forget
and laugh and chat gayly at times:
then. in n moment. she seemed to re-
member that she was no longer young.
and she became in II trice the prOsaic.
carewOrn woman again. dra wing her
mantle OF years ungraciously about
her. II was as IL she had determined
not TO be surprised by old age and so
had rushed out to meet II.
Her references to herself were slight
ing always. as II TO one TO whom moth
ing but the dregs of life were left.
whom romance could not possibly
touch. whose role was one of duty un-
touched by grace.
At first Mallory took her at her own
estimate. concluding that she was about
his own age. Then one night she ap-
peared In a gown of filmy violet. with
her brown hair rising in a swirl above
her face. and he looked at her with
puzzled but admiring wonder. She
turned her head. and the surprise of
her profile fairly made him start 1t
was singularly delicate and youthful.
with small high bred nose and full
Tipped mouth.
His speculative glance now told him
that she could not he more than forty,
II she were that. But by the way in
which she was always putting forward
the young girls of her acquaintance 1t
WAS evident that she thought herself
too old woman 10 be of interest TO
any man.
'.She belongs TO the old regime" Nal
lory soliloquized. land has probably
considered herself an old lady ever
since she emerged from her teens. She
HaSn becn able 10 aSSlnllate tniS
bachelor woman idea" And lie smiled
! to himself
by the way. Miss Marion" he said
nonchalan:ly Il have tickets for the
opera tomorrow night. BE good and
come too
There was a fash of surprise in her
face that for one brief. fieeting moment
said frankly that he must have taken
leave of his senses. Then courtesy
prevailed. and after hesitating for an
| appreciable moment. In which il was
apparent that she was casting about in
her mind for some plausible excuse.
she accepted.
When the time arrived she was dis
turbed by an uncomfortable conscious
ness. She had the air of person who
felt that she was going to be subject
Of quickly exchanged glances and half
laughing comment. All this Mallory
OWNED. and he put forth every effort
TO make her forget herself to such good
purpose that by the end of the evening
she was laughing and chatting as un-