The Somerset reporter., 1904-09-29

"Yes, it's all for the best" she said
aloud as she closed the door of her
room behind her. Its nll'-
The rest was lost in the pillow, for
the ex-queen had thrown herself face
downward on the bed and was In
dulging In the plebeian comfort Of q
good cry.
For days thereafter such interest as
she felt. in the dull, gray world was
sentered In the postmnn and such mes
senger boys as appeared from time
to time IN the street In which she
lived.
Not that she repented that ringing
mo" that she had given Steven on the
day of their quarrel-by no means Her
heart, she told herself, was dead. She
could not be poor. She would not,
She would marry some good old soul
to whom she could render the respect
OF daughter-and the bills Of wife.
That was all that girl In her position
could do. 1t was the fault OF modern
ideas.
1t was after she heard about his at
tenttons to the Folsom girl that she
wept no more and became mark edly In
different to the coming of the post
man. From this time, too, she con-
scientiously tried to tolerate old Mr..
arriving with an alternate regularity
that was full OF meaning.
She pictured herself as d queen again.
and this time with all the outward
setnblanoe OF one. But, perversely
enough, she could not keep Steven
Converse out OF tho scene. IL she 81 w
herself rolling down Fifth avenue In
the Fullerton vehicle she aS instantly
evoked the image OF Steve dofnng his
hat with cold politenese, while she
nodded with the naughty nonchalance
OF great lady.
And 80 the weeks heightened into
months, and the ex-queen assured heT-
SELF that she was forgetting.
mot going out my dearYT protested
her mother as she appeared IN the hall
one gloomy Sunday with macintosh
and umbrella.
Yes. mother mine. It's a fine day
for the art museum No crowd, You
know
She had never entered the place
since that fateful afternoon, but now
she was all a.uemble with eagorness TO
get there Some inward barrier Of
pride had gone down. and she knew
that she wanted to visit the scene once
more just because there she could feed
little nearer to him.
The turnstile admitted her, with a
click. not so much. It seemed to her,
into the museum as into the atmos-
phere of that distant afternoon Be
fore the Victory" she stopped foT u
mournful dedicatory moment 1t wns
here that he had accused her OF being
no more than statue herself, and
then-then he had gItpped her arm and
made her sit down and listen.
With little guip, she turned away
and wandered blindly onward. When
the mist cleared from ber vision she
found herself In the Egyptian room,
Great carved figures glared ut her with
stolid faces, and a ripple Of interest
stirred within her. With mournful eyes
she read the inscriptions beside the
mummy cases.
So this brown and moldering bun
die had once been n queen Through
the raised lid OF the case she could just
catch glimpse of the object now SO
dried and terrible, but once so splen-
d4dly human.
Poor queen~ she murmured softly,
as with her chin resting ON her hand
she gazed down at the gorgeously or
namented mummy case. Poor queen"
And before she realized 1t a tear had
splashed down on the glass
Having been queen, something Of
the sadness and futility OF 1t all wrung
her spirit. Somehow being rich or poor
happy seemed the greatest thing.
She was too absorbed IN her thoughts
to notice young man who had been
making his way nearer and nearer 10
her In a somewhat furtive manner
Suddenly, as II he could NOT longer re-
sist the temptation, few quick steps
brought him to her side
The sx-Queen looked up In surprise
and then put out both hands impul
sively. But the proud. high look of
mastery had not yet vanished from
his face.
did you really mean itY' ho de
mnnded.
For an answer she lifted her eyes to
his for one brief, full moment Even
queens must learn their lesson. She
had had hers.
Outside the steady drip. drip, drip.
OF the rain was only interrupted by
the wailing OF the wind. and the Egyp-
tan room WAS very quiet and deserted
AS the newly enthroned queen turn
ed to leave she looked down with
flushed, wistful face at the royal mum
my. Then she murmured something
softly
whats thatY' asked her lover. But
at her reply he looked slightly mysti-
fed.
There's no use In telling you," she
laughed being only man, you'll new
er understand, but l was saying good
by TO the other queen"
Cruel.