The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-12-31

it was OF an antiquated model and had been
folded away in lavender for score of years,
it fitted her slender shape as well as on the
day when She first put it on. At nine
o clock the yule log was lighted, aud Mil
dSa sat down before the fire to wait. For
om she did not know.
4 sketch of Ralph by Basil hung over
.lhe mantel Her eyes were fixed on the
spirited face; her thoughts went back TO the
last evening Of her brothers. life, twenty
years before The hour she had so eagerly
anticipated came unheeded; she was living
in an hour long passed Ten o clock
struck 'she did not heed the strokes She
did not hear a step on the stairs; she was
unaware of the presence of a man who en-
tered the room until his voice aroused her
Mildred, have you ne word of welcome
for me p
Phillip
They looked long and silently at each
other, as if eager to find the face each re
membered
You are faithful to Ralph tryst, "
said Mildred, her gentle eyes filling with
tears
You never doubted me? p
No. | knew you would come if you
were alive
You did not even know whether was
alive or deadr'
-1haye heard nothing of you iu all these
years.
Nor | Of You. Mildred. They must
have been good years to you. How young
you are, nn, a gray hair! Look at me.
Shoad yoa have known me?
Il might have passed you in the street
and l.ot recognized Your face. Your yoice
is tie same; ! should have known that
anywhere
Tell me there Is much totell whore
shall we begin
Let Us wait and see if Basil comes be-
fore We begin.
Where Is Basil2 Not finding him
with you, feared, hardly dared speak
,,f him
II haye neither seen nor heard Of Basil
eincr be day yaa both left me
..Ntlrel, what are you saying went
AWAY because ! was ~, strong euon4h To
bear seeing yoa and Bssis happy together
| knew you loyej each other
II think you were mistaken, said Nil
lred. sllly.
i'hihp seated IN Ralph armchair, hid
bls iaos iu has hands and eruaned
The rlo,k struck eleven \ carriage
stopped before The do,r. and moment
h,ry g.,si entered the p,on. The others
were smiled ia tiad his eager face and It's
light tsore 81 much As they remembered
them, save tor deepening Of the lines
acrSs the brow aud above ;he month and
a hruadcuiu. 1t the chest
80 yaa are both alive, Thank God
be said, taking hand of each Philip
yua will allow me 10 kiss my old friend :
hsnd, after 80 many yeays of absence ?
Mildred drew back. Basil it is not
as you thiuk. she said
liz looked woaderiugly iron one to the
other "po you ,sean that you are nc,
man and gife he asked
4 am no ,aaa wife, dear friend | ana
the old Millrei you remember. Come,
draw eloser to the Sire, You are shiyering
with the e,ld
Basil and Philip stared blAnkly =; each
other. Mildred moved restleSsly TO the
piano, and played short prelude that had
bseu favori,e with Ralph Whea she
releincd the two men BY the hre. each saw
with jealous paug, that there were tears
in her eyes.
You remember, Basil, that according
20 the conditions If Ralph tryst we al
+ agVe,-i to tell the stories of our lives? We
+ have waited for yeu. Mine Is a tale thai
/ Is quiekly ioIl; viii yon hearit first sais
( Mildred
/ Surely, said Philip He passed hi
( hand aer,es bis forehead, as If TO wipe on
the hnes time hsd drawn there Basi
/ said nothing his consuming eyes were fxee
on Mildfed' face.
when ron were al gone, Ralph
/ Philip and Basil. and were left alone
there was nothing for me TO do but To carr]
out the work yoa hsd begun You remem
her Ralph idea for = public library
Philip scheme for school of designs
Basil ; longing for museum Of fine arts !?
II remember. said Basil Philip "a
silent
Those dreams Of ours are aeS realities
and haze helped little 10 make them -
The first seven years | worked for Ralph
library; my next seven years are built int
the foundations of Basil museum; Philip
school of design, last but not last OF th'
three, has been in existance for past year
you have done great things Mildred
Nv LIE shows poor beside yours, sai,
Philip
As he spoSe. he sighed BaSil's eye
had los, their Seree hunger; they were iul
| Of tender comprehension now. ''Wh'
could have believed the little sister would
DO such large things ? he said.
II have done no more than the gardeue
who tends the seeds his predecessor Ia
planted The time was ripe for thes'
things | was often discouraged and at
tempted 20 turn aside, but something
stronger than myself compelled me 70 =
ON. Whenever a cause seemed lost, sam,
champion rose up, as if divinely sent, y
turn defeat to victory
Ralph himself could hardly have don
more. said Philip.
As drove through the city though
passed Ralph headings, which we thre'
saw planned in this very room; bat the
looked 50 misty in the moonlight that
lancied my imagination had played me
trick. said Basil.
The old Basill cried Philip 'Aeve
quite sure what is fact and what is fancy
Tell us your story next. What have lh'
years brought Ia YOU
Il am the last Of all, said Basil; lie
me speak hast.
Philip threw handful of pine cone
upon the fire. The blaze spraRg up an,
showed his earnest, alert face, his thie
iron gray hair. According TO the world
lstandard, mine has been successful life,
he began. II went to London witl
Ralph legacy, his half completed inven
fiea. He and had often talked it nye
together; | believe | am the only man il
the world who could have finished it. |
vas uphill work at first. | held IN M
II u oP o,,