Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-09
Her First Love
ISABEL c. wEIITEHURST

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 tCepyright. 1908. by Daily Story Pub. Cop NOU will let me confess to you, won't
 you: You are just the listener I want. You can be sentimental have seen the tears in your eyes when you have listened to tale of distress, and when you are moved I have seen the color come and go, and your lips quiver, and have known that you could feel. Be quiet, you interrupt me. You say you are not priest, but man? That if you sit and listen. and l. sit and talk, some day you may also be found with arms about me telling me to be faithful. Absurd! We know each other too well, you and I. You will never again be my lover, there must be mystery and diff ficulty and reticence for love, and it is an atmosphere we have emerged from long ago. So long ago that I have all most forgotten, and I do not hate you for that past. No, I do not hate you. [ like you, and I will believe you, and when have told you all my story, and there comes the moment when you will know why I have told you, will be guided by you entirely; because what I know you know, only more-for l know only the men have loved or those who have loved me, while you know men when they do not love, and it may come to that.
 When, where, how shall begin my confession to you? Here, I will roll you cigarette, will light it for you. see; I will take one myself. Sit there, in that low chair, that cushion will fit your back, and through the snoke-rings you shall see me young again. No! do not want compliments from you. I am young still, fair still, of course; were not, you would not listen. But the youth of 30 and the beauty of 30 is not the youth and beauty that wish you to see through the smoke.
 You have often wondered why love Ashbury Park. It is because first met him there. I was barely IT then, and had gone down from my home, my coun- try home, on the upper Hudson, where papa was a poor Episcopal clergyman, to visit my uncle, who had a cottage there for the season.
 I remember it well. We were about to start a game of tennis, and I had a racket in my hand.
 Dolly, dear," said my eldest cousin. "do you mind not playing this set? Papa has brought man down with him; see, they are just getting out of the coach. He is asthmatic or consumptive, or something, and can't play. Talk to him instead of me, there's good girl" :" I was always amiable; am not amiable now, dear? I consented, and they be- gan their game.
 This is our little cousin from Oak kindly. Dolly, dear, this is MT. Bas- ing; he is little out of sorts. You girls must cheer him up among you, and you had better be the first. You are the Quietest, and won't frighten him."
 He turned to me, and said, in voice that had in 1t a musical hoarseness, such voice as had never heard before, nor will again, think, unless I hear 1t in Heaven, for have listened for 1t all my life:
 ''No; don't think you will frighten me-
 He was tall man, very slender, with brown beard, and hair so thick it stood up on either side of the parting quite an inch above his head. His eyes were small. deep set, and brown, with dis tant look in them. I can see him now more distinctly than can see you. have always seen him distinctly. Shall show you his portrait? There it is Be quiet, be quiet, do not say word E; 1t hurts like touch on 8 wound if you should criticise, if you should even ad- mire.
 If you dare to laugh shall hate you but, there, you may laugh ii you will, il Is true, all the same. have been faith. ful to him-in my way. But will put away the portrait. then can tell you oi 1t better.
 l Salt air sprayed in our faces in those summer mornings by the long sea walk In the evening the band played, and by the band it was light, and the crowd. moved hither and thither in the gas But we walked apart from them all, h, and I, between the green hedges, hand in hand. believe there never was z love dream like ours. He was dying O consumption, and half my love was pity ! but he went down so deep in my heart and the uprooting left the place so ten
 der, could not bear touch, and so
 shut it up, and people say since then
 have no heart.
 If you ever love young girl-don' protest, you are the very man to do it with your blue eyes and sensitive lips
 if ever you should love such one, thel ' remember this: If, though she love you
 she doessnot shrink from you. if. thougl