Courier Democrat., 1904-08-25


rfval :oe dozen q % embsa1coed Class
mates Gt vas IN the tine Of brilliant
eanoe.s) Who sent up vo!leT Of col
,ese cheers in his honor. How plainly
tie dear old. young faces rose up before
him tonight the men from wEoae lives
be lad slipped: Dearest and jo:!!est OF
TIE faces was that OF Tom Meeedith-
cluhna:e classmate. his closest friend
,he thin. redheaded third baseuan. he
nu.d see Toms mouth opened at least
yard. i: seemed, such was his frantic
voc.terorsness. Again and again tie
cheers rang out HAIRLESS. Hark-
less: on The end Of them. In those
days everybody. particularly his class
mates. thought be would be minister
20 England in a few years. and the Or
chestra on the casino porch was play
ing The Cnnquer!ns Hero Cones in
bis honor and at the behest Of Ton
Meredith, be knew.
There were other pretty ladies BE-
sides Mrs Van Skuyt il the launch
load from the yacht but as they touch
Cd t5e pier. pretty girls or .re:-: wo.,-
en- or jovial gentlemen. eli were over
looked in the wild scramble the college
men made for their hero. They ba!sd
him forth. set him on high. bore bin on
the!s shoulders, shouting ''Ssal % the
Viking snd carried him up the wood
ed blu. to the casino. Ue heard Mrs.
Van Ssu;t say: "OA, were used 70 il.
We've put in at several other places
where be had friends he remember
ed TIE wild progress they made for
him up the slope that morning at Win
ter Haroos-how the people looked on
and laughed and clapped their hands.
But at the veranda edge he lad no
uced little form disappearing around
a corner of the building. q young girl
running away as fast as she could.
''See there" he said as the tribe set
him down: you have frightened tie
populace'' And Tom Meredith had
stopped shouting long enough 70 al
swer: Its ny little cousin. overcou-
with emotion. She's been counting
The hours till sou camebeen hearing
about you for good while. She hasn,
been able to talk or think Of anything
else. She's only fifteen, and tie crucia!
moment Is too much for her. The great
Harkless has arrived, and she has fed"
But the present hour grew on him
as be leaned on the pasture bars. l,
had been reminiscent day with hin.
but suddenly his memories sped, and
the voice that was singing ScLuhert's
"Serenade" across the way touched
him with the urgent personal appeal
that a present beauty had always held
for him. 1t was a soprano and without
tremolo, yet came to his ear With
certain weuulous sweetness. 1t was
soft and slender. but the listener knew
1t could be lifted with fullaess and
power if the singer would. II spoke
only Of the song. yet the listener
thought Of the singer Under the
moon thoughts run into dreams and
be dreamed that the owner Of tie
voice, she who quoted The WalruS
and the Carpenter" on F!Sbs@,'S notes.
was one to laugh with you and weep
with you, yet her laughter would te
tempered with sorrow aad her tears
with laughter.
When the song was ended be struck
the rail he leaned upon a sharp blow
with bis open hand. There swept over
him feeling that he had stood precise
y where he stood now on such night
a thousand years ago; had beard that
voice and that song and been moved by
the voice and the song and the night
just as be was moved now. He had
long known himself for a sentimental
ist. he had almost given up trying to
cure himself. And he knew himself
for born lover. He Tad always been
in love with some one In his earlier
youth his affections had been so con-
santly inconstant that he finally came
to settle with his self respect by rec
ogniztng il himself a fine coustancy
that worshiped one woman always. It
was only the shifting image of her that
changed. Somewhere Che dreamed,
wMmsically indulgent Of the fancy.
yet mocking himself for it, there was
girl whom be had never seen who wait
ed till be should come. She was every
thing. Cntil he found her he could not
help adoring others who possessed lit
tie pieces and suggestions of Ler-l,er
brilliancy. her courage, her short upper
lip. like a curled rose leaf" or her
dear voice or her pure profile. He had
90 recollection of any lady who had
quite her eyes. BE had never passed
q lovely stranger on the street il the
old days without thrill Of delight and
warmth. If he never saw her again
and the vision had only lasted for the
time 1t takes lady to cross the side
walk from shop door to a carriage
be was always little in love with Ter
because she bore about her somewhere
as did every pretty girl be ever saw.
suggestion Of the faraway divinity.
One does not pass lovely strangers in
the streets Of Plattville. Miss Briscoe
was pretty. but not at all in the way
that Harkless dreamed For five years
The lover in him that had loved so of.
ten had been starved Of all but dreams
Only at twilight and dusk in the SUM-
ner. when strolling be caught sight Of
! woman's skirt far up the village
Itreet. half outlined in the darkness