Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-06-10
Suppose
BY KEITH GORDON
Copyright. 1909. by T. c. Mcclure.

The saffron radiance OF the electric
lights that bloomcd rs yellow rosebuds
on the walls flooded the balcony. Here
and there n lamp with n red shade
glowed like carbuncie. From the
palm room below the aroma of black
coffee greeted the nostrils delicatelv
One OF the musicians traiIed his
hands over the keys OF the piano and
at the sound the violins adjusted their
instruments with affectionate care
The men ut the bass viol. cello and
flute stood at attention. and in another
moment the music began again.
1t seemed to roll through the place
In waves, the thin edges of which
went curling through the open doors
and out into the darkness of the street.
where the passersby slackened their
steps TO listen. The half dozen per-
SONS who sat In the balcony listening
succumbed even more completely 70
its charm.
Lovers-lovers everywherer' muir
INJURED Agnes Jennings mirthfully as
her gaze wandered idly over the scene
Deiore her. Her companions answer
Ing smile was somewhat abstracted
While she had been watching the
others he had been watching her. II
was habit he had acquired. and it
was particularly in moments like this,
when her head was thrown back
against the chair. her eyes were touch
cd with dreamlncss and the shadowy
smile was quivering on her lips.
There were. indeed, two absorbed
couples near them. and Richardson
obediently pretended 20 be interested
In them. OF the older pair, the man
was OF the stout, flushed. prosperous
type so common I'm our cities. ''I'm
as good as You are" was written I'm
every line of his face.
But as he gazed at the woman be-
size him, who was oppressively pink
OF cheek, bright of eye and black OF
hair, you saw that he made one ex-
ception. For the moment he was an
idealist and she was his ideal, In some
clumsy, speechless way he showed
that he felt that he wasn't so good as
she-that he aspired. that he lovedl
lie has forgotten that he's the sue
ccssful Tim O'Donohue." remarked
Richardson laughingly. "IIe has for
gotten how he started with n pickax
and spade and now wears n diamond
In his shirt front-he has forgotten
everything but her"
He finished the sentence as IL he
were speaking TO himself. and his com
panion paid him the tribute of a linger-
ing glance I'm which n question mark
was barely perccptible. Then she re-
turned to her dcrisive contamination
OF the lovers once more.
They certainly are naive" was hcr
next comment, as with droll smile
she watched the other couple-a slen-
der girl with sweet blue eyes and n
lordly youth with rcassuring brendtl,
or shoulder and crisp dark hair. Tho
blue eyes were gazing up Mt him nc 10
no were cooling, rs I'm fact he looked.
The cunning things" calculated
Miss jennings softly, as the youths
hand gently touched the girls as IL Law
on the arm OF the chair "S-h-h. don't
moVe" she cautioned. as Richardson
shifted his position TO get n better
glance of them. You'll attract their NJ.
tenton. and then they will sit up stiff
ana straight and talk OF the weather.
Apparently they were oblivious TO
the people about them us well as TO
the laughing scrutiny turned upon
thenl' as they sat gazing bllssfully into
each others eyes.
Now, what do you suppose they see
therer drawlcd Richardson. going
back to his interrupted contemplation
OF Agnes profile. She laughed lightly.
Everything floating I'm n rose color
cd mist. Nothing but joy. Joy. 10Y,
Invisible music - and always Them
selves together and happy" she haz.
arded. Its n bit cruel 10 think how
different it will really be. isn't itf"
AS she turned toward him with n
look grown pensive, Richardson was
riled with sudden optimism.
1t may come true. You can't telIr'
There was something vaguely su--
gestive In his tone. and Miss Jennings
looked again. She was half inclined
TO believe-but no,
The music stopped. The youths dark
head was bent toward the girl, and he
was murmuring to her In low, mufiied
tones. The man, whose appearance sug-
gested contracts shrewdly and profit
ably carried through, was making n
palpable effort TO say something that
was determined not TO be said He
shifted In his chair. and the red OF
ais race grew darker, while his COM
panion chatted composedly-too COM
posedly, Richardson thought. as his
glance came home TO the
lady ut his side.
isn't IL odd" said she. breaking
the silence, that they are so uncon- |
scious? They don't seem 10 notice MS |
to think that perhaps we are watch
ing them. Fancy forgetting everything
like that"
Her listeners eyes seemed to he re-
duced to mere points. He felt oddly |
nettled ut her words and as Quick as |
4 Hash decided 10 make an experiment
Was she really so cold and impersonal I
rs she seemed? Well. IL was decreed |
that he should find out some time. and |
this was perhaps as good n time as |
any.
My dear girl" he began In a father
y tone, lit is only in the shadows that |
lae thinks of the opinion of the public.
Don't you know that In the real mo-
nents or life, the moments that mean
one cares as little about
The public rs about the leaves ON the
rees! Don't you know that II must
)e SOP"
She opened her lips 10 protest, but
lie gave her no chance to speak.
NOW, put yourself in the place of
hese people here. Suppose"-he man.
lged to fling a word of teasing sar-
asm into his words-'suppose for in
tance, that j, here and now. should
ell you that love you; that I've loved
'ou since the day we met for the first
line; that i cannot and will not live
without you; that
lie stopped abruptly in order to take
fresh start Something-urgent ear.
est, appealing-had crowded the mock
ry out of his voice. 1t had the ring of
ppeaL 1t sounded far too much in
arrest He called the mockery to his