The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-08
AM UNPRECEDENTED LOSS.
By A. B. SCUDDER.

Jeanne Prentice, only daughter OF
Doctor Prentice, the old rector of St
Jude's, was gazing abstractedly at a
sweet face before her in the looking
glass. Jeanne was thinking. AS she
rested her elbows on the dresser, sup
porting her dimpled chin with her
hands, the expression around her
mouth settled itself into unbecoming
dissatisfaction.
Out of pure wilfulness she had quar-
relied with, and was now parted from,
the man she loved True, she had re-
pented Immediately, for Jeanne had
meant to do nothing more than tease
Bob Marsden. But Mr. Robert Mars
den had seen fit to take her acceptance
Of attentions from the new curate,
Renwick Erecting, in a more serious
manner that Jeanne had intended.
After a reception at the church dur
ing the winter, at which the tall young
curate had monopolized Jeanne's time
more than Bob liked, he had remon-
strated. Jeanne had laughed at him.
That was all.
Just then, Dannie, the boy who
pumped the organ used for the Sunday
school, came with a message of import
ance from one of the members of the
firm with which Bob was associated,
and he had gone off hurriedly and cold
ly. The next afternoon she had sent
repentant little note over to Bob's Of
f1ce, by John, his fathers servant, who
came to return an umbrella. No an
swer came, and couple of days later
she heard that Bob had gone away on
a business trip for the firm-gone with
out word Of good-by.
In all the city there was not mer-
rier girl than Jeanne, but during the
last three months Of Bob's absence
there were times when in the midst of
laugh sigh would come and her
sweet face become o'ershadowed.
Tonight she was going over to the
church, and with the assistance OF sew
eral other young girls and men OF st.
Jude's arrange the flowers around the
altar and in the font, for an anniver-
sary tomorrow; a service to commem-
crate the twenty-f1ftf year of Doctor
Prentice's rectorship at the church.
So Jeanne sat thinking In front Of
her glass, thinking of past happy times
at the church, where from childhood
Bob had always been with her, ready
and willing helper. She felt she could
not endure his silence longer. She must
do something. But what? Bob had
not answered her note, and was gone.
Nothing could be done.
Jeanne rose YEARLY to join her ex-
pected friends as the doorbell rang;
but somehow she could not get her
mind away from Bob, and as they en-
tered the church she thought of how
last year he was there and how much
she missed him now. Jeanne abruptly
turned to Renwick Erecting, who had
come forward to welcome her, and be-
gan lively conversation. But under
the stream of idle chatter she heard
in loving memory Bobs voice, as he
softly called her sweetheart"
She was sinking into reverie again,
and aroused herself with start.
WnaC IONIlSnneSS! sue JnOuSuI.
am wasting my time thinking about
man who has forgotten me-"
At this moment the door in the chan
eel opened and. "a gentleman stood look
ing at the altar made SO beautiful by
the light fingers Of the young girls.
"Why, Mr.. Marsden, is it really your"
they cried, running forward to meet
him.
What had happened to Jeanne? She
stood perfectly still, but the walls of
the old church were spinning around;
the electric lights bobbed up and down
and the flowers and the altar seemed to
float away in a great white mist. 1t
was only for a second. No one hap
pened to look at her; no one noticed
that she had turned as white as the
lilies in her hands.
In the round of handshaking that so
heartily welcomed him, Bob came to-
wards Jeanne and bowed gravely as he
took Der hand. She managed to greet |
him with a slight smile. She felt she
must keep up appearances. whatever