The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-02-02
swlftly rolled i agaIn, before he went

will not tell you her name-yOu would |
not know her-but she was young-I
was young then, too-and she was so
beautiful that all men were attracted |
to her.
"Do you smile to think that was
attracted, too? True-I had not lived
the life most men live. / was a stu
dent, and had lived among books and
dreams. She was the embodiment of
all that was pure and lovely in litera-
ture and fancy. / had worshiped her
afar off until she called me to her.
Howard, she sent the others away and
called me. at a queen calls courtier,
and | went"
The paper was growing ragged at the
edges He held it up a moment and
looked at it, then clasped his fingers
around 1t till they were white from the
pressure, and went on:
"For weeks / saw her every day. |
found that l could say brilliant things
to amuse her-I, the recluse, the silent.
Other men, wealthier well-known. so
cially, stood off and We're amazed, but
| cared nothing for them. Through
all the ages. through all the impossible
ties Of time and space, our two souls
had been coming together. Missing
her / would have gone on, a solitary
student, to my journeys end. | shud-
dered. sometimes, TO think what my
life would have been If had not gone
to the house where | met her first.
Missing me. she would have laughed
ard jested with the crowd of suitors.
until she wearied of them. and they
fell away. one by one, and left her still
heartwhole and alone
"My life was filled with such dreams
as these. which seemed so true. so
natural that l felt it necessary to speak
to Elinor, for she must see as clearly
as l."
The food was carrying him on-he
resumed hurrledly, with his eyes on
the paper:
Zone evening I went TO her home.
Elinor was alone. with a shadow on
her face. and something took posses
sion Of me. and II spoke. see you
/ are HIT AOu hNRh NV
be troubled-it was all over, long ago.
| have lived through it. / can laugh
now, when think Of it-ha ha, ha!
"She laughed, too. at the time, and
said it was the strangest thing that a
girl could never be friends with a man
but that he spoiled it by wanting to
marry her She leaned back in her
cushioned chair-there was something
made Of silk and lace behind her head,
and-and she looked so fair and dainty
and gentIe-but she was laughing; and
she told me that she liked TO have me
near her for several reasons.
In the first place, l was tall, and
she liked tall men. Then / could talk
to her about books, and that enabled
her to talk about them, too, without
being at the trouble of reading them
herself. Then. l was so deliciously
serious. and that refreshed her-and
above all. she knew she was perfectly
safe with me. for no one would ever
be insane enough 10 dream Of our
marrying.
''She laughed a great deal, vet she
was vexed that ! had spoken and
spoiled it ALL She had broken her
doll. and. finding nothing but hearts
blood inside it, she threw it away. But
mea were all alike. she said; they all
took themselves so seriously.
"And then l laughed also. and went
out into the night. A little while after
she left London and went abroad;
ard IL sat here at my desk and
lived.
"Yes. l am quite ecoyered-fortuD-
ately. With some men it might have
been very serious thing. There are
men. you know. who put SO much Of
life into a thing that what is left be-
hind isn't worth considering. 1t would
be SO with you. Howard. | have
thought Of you many times, for knew
what might come-and I wanted TO
warn you. When you are pouring out
your soul they are tolerating you be-
cause-beeause you are tall 1t would
ruin your life. my boy. Don't let them
do it,"
"Wait a moment,v said the pale
faced younger man, with his hand on
the others arm. "Never mind-I would
not have needed it-no man would
but your warning comes too late.
was married last week. l am on my
wedding tour. / thought you knew"
The elder pause-, with the paper
held out in both motionless hands, and
stared at him vacantly.
"Marricdr he whispered. "And to
-whomT p
"To Miss Elinor Vancour."
The paper dropped to the floor with
crash, and In the pause that fol-
lowed Howard heard his watch tick
Then the man who had outlived the
tragedy of his life arose and heard
himself saying, formally. a lCug way
o.:
ALLOW me to congratulate you."-
Illustrated Bits.