The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-04-02
.--9g--1
| Three Faces
BY
Copyright. 1904, by Daily Story Pub Co.,
GEORGE E. p1cKE7T


hall and vines trailed up the long stair
ways.
In an upper room the heiress to the
magnificent mansion and the broad
acres surrounding it, arrayed in bridal
robe, was submitting to the final
touches of skilful hands and listening
to the chatter of her maids.
II am her maid of honor" said the
tall, dark girl who was arranging her
veil. "She must give me her bouquet,
else where are the privileges of my po-
sition?"
THAT is not fair" replied maiden,
whose golden curls fell in riotous
mass over the tiny slipper she was fit
ting to the foot of the bride. You
have highest place and will be the most
observed and admired. She must throw
her bouquet fairly and let chance select
the fortunate one
eff you do not go away now and give
some attention to your own adjournment
you will not be ready to go down with
me and there will be no fortunate one
to receive my flowers. Had l known
you were going TO quarrel like this
would not have allowed you to send
my dressing maid away so you might
practice the art of costumery at my
expense. Go off now, every one of
you"
Putting them out and shutting the
door, she came back to the center OF
the room and stood looking about her.
She was taking leave OF that room, the
sanctum OF her maiden life, and of all
the beautiful things in it which had
been her pride and JOY in the happy
days she had spent there. Tears came
to her eyes as she thought that those
days were going away from her for
ever. She would leave everything j.
the room just as it had always been
and come back to it sometimes, but
it would never be the same. 1t would
belong only to her little episodes then;
never again to her life.
She was not sorry to leave it. How
could she when she was going to the
future that she was to share with Alan
Warrington? 1t would be a wider,
deeper life than any she had known
more sunlit and more shadowed Its
joys would reach to heaven; it's sor-
rows would fathom the realm Internal.
With all it's possibilities of pleasure
and pain she welcomed it with low
ing heart ana willingly put away her
girlhood spent in this happy room.
She knelt and said a prayer for the
happiness of that coming life-for it's
true happiness. Not that it might be
free from the thorns that are the lot of
all who tread we'll the path of life, but
chat two might walk hand in hand and
bring blessing each to the other that
would heal every wound and light the
darkness of the road until it should
merge into the shining way She re-
membered in ner petition, too, the little
life that was being given to her care,
for Alan Warrington had once had a
lovely young wife, who had died and
left little boy to comfort him for her
loss.
She stood by the window and looked
out at the ripping river in the distance
and away over to the horizon where
the dreams of her childhood had taken
form in the days gone by. She heard
carriages driving up to the door, She
could hear them bowl around the curve
and turn into the drive. There the
heavy, arching trees hid them from
view. Some one came running down
the winding road. She observed him
idly, scarcely consciou of his presence.
He came on up the pathway to the
door.
How still the house was. The muir
muir of moving forms and light voices
had suddenly been stilled. 1t was the
hush of expectation, she thought. Alan
would soon be there. 1t had been dis
appointment to him that he could not
nave had one sweet hour with her to
close the old life before they had en-
tered on the new. He was stationed al
q fort in the west with his regiment
and weddings were not included in mil
itary duties especially when there was
an excitement on the border. So he
was to arrive just before the hour SCI
for the ceremony.
Something was coming down the
road, moving slowly. AS it came near
er she saw four men carrying a stretch
er covered over with a dark cloth
now?
After a long time her mother came
IN, all the light gone out Of her face
Ginevra held out her hands.
"You need not tell me-" she said IL
voice softer than whisper, yet NOR,
insistent than thunder-tone "Alal
is dead and you have come to tell me
will go to meet him. He cannot COM
30 me-"
She walked steadily out Of the room
and down the stairs, her white rob
trailing in silvery billow on the floor
Her mother followed and tried to de
tain her, but she broke away from tn
OBTAINING arms. She crossed the va
cant room at the foot of the stairs an
opened the door opposite On a coucl
within lay the still form and beside 1
stood her father, physician and tw
of the guests. They stepped forwar
TO intercept her, but fell back in awe q
her stiffness and the majestic air wit
which she waved them away. She stoo
upright and looked for an instant a
che white face on the crimson cushion
She turned and walked with the sam
stately step and moveless face bac
80 her room, the maid of honor fol
lowing her, weeping and clasping he
hands.
A. cab came rapidly up the drive.
young man with arm in q sling hastil