Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-11-26
MAY MEREDlTh'S " AGER.

bSL you SlA PSaliS Vi Sio'cSs my
dear, that bring that scorner of women
to my feet within six weeks!" exclaimed
Miss May Meredith. as she sat chatting
with a gay party OF girls.
She was an acknowledged belle anon.
them, and although the man in question,
we'll adapted to win wome3s hearts that
he was, was known rather to avoid the
sex. or to waste upon them cynicisnls
OF courteous sarcasms, there were none
present who did not believe May Mere
dith had but to will and do.
None present? In q far-off corner of
the luxuriously furnished room sat a girl.
busily sewing. The shell-tinted ears
could not fail 10 catch the conversation,
and although the long lashes did not lift
themselves from the great brown eyes,
bent upon her work, slightly contempt
, nous curve oathered about the well cut
lips, followed by a fortunately unseen
shrug of the pretty rounded shoulders.
It was only Miss Harlon, Mrs. Mere
dith's poor dependent. She was dis
tant relative of the family, but so dis.
tant that the relationship was lost sight
of in the meager salary paid to her for
ing the part somewhat of Cinderella for
the young ladies.
What mattered it that. three wears
before, she had sung out her young
heart, from morn till eve, in the pretty
country parsonage in which her dear
father had been rector? He had died and
left her with the song unfinished on her
lips. The blow mad almost killed her;
ht,N 10. e 4.
strong arm ready to protect her, and fill,
as best he might, her fathers place,
enabled her to live through it, until she
learned, as she supposed, that all the
world was false, and she gladfully,
thankfully accepted Mrs. Meredith's final
offer Of home and independence, howS
ever small.
bringing him to your feet, May, is
rather ambiguous, is it not?" questioned
one of the party. What do you mean
by the phrase?"
Il mean that within six weeks. if |
so will il. l may become Mrs. Leigh
Creighton"
The words We're greeted with laugh,
| but from the girls hands in the corner
the work had dropped, ali trace of color
had left the lovely face, the great brown
eyes were open wide, even dilated, with
strange, frightened expression in their
depths.
Leigh Creighton Was it her own fancy
which had imagined the words? No,
They were all busy chatting now, and
his name passed from lip TO lip, while
| they told of his attractions, his hand
some face, his remarkable grace, his long
, stay abroad, his return home, his strange.
| ly Indifferent manner, until the color
came slowly back into her cheeks, and
her trembling hands steadied themselves
while she stopped and regained posses
sion of the fallen work.
! A week later she sat in her own room,
| looking out into the dark night, while
| up through the closed door came sounds
Of music and laughter-it was one OF
! Mrs. Meredith's "at homes"-when sud
denly the door few open. and May, with
ont Knocking. rushed into the room.
Excuse me, Fanny" she exclaimed,
but mamma is in such state of ex-
element. Miss Adams, the soprano, has
disappointed her, and she says you must
come down at once and sing
oh, May, | cannot! Your mother
| must excuse me
My dear child, YOU must! ] should
not dare carry her such message. and
You know the music room is away from
the rest, and | viii see that no one dis
turbs you. Slip on your black silk, and
! pin this white rose in your hair. Therei"
she added a few moments later II shall
have TO keep you in the dark now, lest
YOU eclipse us all"
"Oh, if dared ask her if he is there"
| thought Miss Harlon, as, seating herself
at the piano, she caught a glimpse of tho
brilliant assenbla2c in the room beyond.
A moment later every one turned to
his neigbbor in silenced amazement as
the eXquisitely clear, trilling notes
thrilled through the room.
As the song died away one man
/ stepped from behind curtain which had
concealed him. His handsome face was
/ very pale, and there was q look both Of
regret and anger in his eyes; but both
gave place to great Tenderness as he
stepped quietly to Miss Ilarlons side
Fay" he whispered
At the old name-the name only one
had ever given herthc girl grew death
/ " white
Fay" he said again have you no
welcome for me after all these years 2"
She opened her lips to answer. but the
words Of scoTn she meant to utter re-
I fused to come. Pride struggled des-
perately with the sufTocating feeling that
was growing up about her heart, but in
vain. A veil Of darkness shut ont from
her Leigh Creighton's face, and she fen
/ fairting in his arms.
| The six weeks were drawing to a
| close, and May was growing uneasy on
the subject OF her wager. For the first
time her carefully shaTpened arrows had
failed to hit the destined mark; and al.
| though her heart was not interested, her
pride was, and she determined anew upon
conquest. But with Fay the wager had
/ been forgotten, as one afternoon she stole
down to the music room. Every one was
! out. The house was deserted, as she sat
/ down at the piano and let her hands play
1 nth ho lava Had 81