The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-29

and with teaful eyes I sadly gazed
across the spreading plains lying be
fore my window and felt for the first
time all the emptiness and barrenness
Of q loveleSs world.
Ten years have passed. I am nc
longer a reckless scapegrace OF a rel
low. The passing years have some
what sobered me into a recognition OF
the fact that the world requires more
of a man than simply looking to his
own pleasures and chasing after mir
ages that but lead him a merry dance
and leave him worn out and disap.
pointed at the first point his maturing
mind shows him the useleSsneSS and
folly of his course.
However, much Of the credit for
nv change of nature should be given
to another party. a sweet. charming
little woman whom I met here at Yer
| sailles and who had quite captured my
heart.
And tonight, as we sat close to-
gether under the Towering trees, with
a fair moon casting pale shadows
about us, I felt how happy I was in
having Won such a prize, for we were
soon to wed.
There came a little lull in our con-
versation and my mind was running
back to my previous little love affair,
the remembrance of which incident
had never quite left me. Then 1 made
a resolution. Turning to my fair COM
panion, I said:
"Vera, I must confess to a little de-
ception practiced upon you. 'Oh. don't
start, it was quite harmless. You re-
member the other evening you asked
me if I had ever loved before? A
woman's natural question, and such a
foolish one. And I answered, as most
wicked men will, and as the question
justly deserves, perhaps, that 1 never
had. 1 have thought upon it since, and
feel that truth is best. whatever be
the consequences. I have loved be-
fore"
Vera gave her breath a little inward
hiss and turned her flashing eyes upon
me in surprise, but said nothing. She
apparently awaited my further confess
sion.
"Some ten years ago 1 came by the
photograph of a young lady in a Pc
culiar way. 1t was such a dear little
face that, I frankly confess now. l fell
in love with it. But my love did not
live long, for a few words on the re-
verse side of the card told me much.
She loved another. I have carried this
card with me until now. and tonight,
after having confessed to you, I shall
properly destroy it,
I drew the card from my inner
pocket where I had carefully guarded
it ever since the night I so strangely
came by it. and not without some
slight feeling Of the old passion, placed
my fingers in position to rend it
asunder. Then Vera asked to see it.
1 promptly handed it to her.
She gave a cry of surprise, and turn
ing to me, asked hastily
"Where did you get that"
81 found the photograph in a rail-
road wreck in New Mexico. The flames
from the burning mail car had re-
moved all trace of the name of the
photographer. or I should have-eh,
that is, L"
Cor you should have gone in search
of your ideal. Am I not right?'
"T-I-think so; but-but you see I
had not met you then" I stammered
in my confusion.
at seems we are old friends. You
would have gone in search Of your
ideal! how long it has taken you to
find her" And, IL my utter amaze.
ment, instead of being angry, as 1 had
supposed, Vera burst into a hearty
laugh.
"Ah, but Vera, you know as the time
goes on our ideal changes"
"Oh," pettishly, docs it? That is
too bad. I referred to the particular
ideal of ten years ago, not only the one
of to-day"
Her words mystifed me. She saw
my wonderment, and again broke into
a hearty laugh.
"You foolish Ounce! Yet how
strange. Have the passing footprints
Of time stamped out all semblance and
erased the beauty in the original, the
substance, that you admired in the
shadow? That is a photograph I had
taken twelve years ago in San Fran.
CISCO"
At this revelation of the strange
workings Of destiny, I could only sit
and stare like a man bereft of his
senses. Then I remembered the rude
shock I had received upon turning the
card. Again torments began to rack
my soul.
and Vera, the-the wording on the
back?"
"You foolish, jealous boy! I had
mailed this very card to my mother,
then in New York City, and that
scrawl was only for her. I had often
wondered why she failed to receive
it,"
"And now. darling, you are mine
truly, the wide world over"
For answer she nestled closer to me.
-Waverley Magazine.
u,--f