Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-28
DAILY SHORT STORY
THE FLICKER OF A PAST LOVE.

papa. For several days he has been
| dreaming At times there seems TO
| fiutter within him something of his
| PARKWAY youth l can see il in his
step. his eve. his smile, though he
| smiles SO seldom"
Heaven grant replied Fanny.
changing color. that he has not been
caught by some designing woman.
| How terrible to think of specially
manufactured mother
| Richard Shirleys married life had
been devoid of anything more than u
family affection His wife was a cold
| woman. whom he had married for her
fortune She had given herself. but her
fortune she had retained i'll her own
| keeping Nainly had their younger
| daughter. Fanny, tried 10 shield her
| father from the mothers reminders
that she held the purse strings. Rich
ard Shirley had been married, but he
had never known what II was to be
| mated.
The family remained at their country
seat till after the holidays, and every
morning Mr. Shirley took his constitu-
| tional walk. usually alone. On GER
| tain morning in November after a
| storm. when the air was full of ozone.
| few red leaves We're clinging TO the
trees and a thin coat of ice covered
the smaller streams. he was walking
along Il road. Ahead of him he saw a
carriage that had evidently been stall
ell or broken down. When he came up
| two Iiveried servants We're examining
a broken spring. one of them just start
/ A. Id haI
alighted from the coach and was stand
ing looking on. On seeing Mr.. Shirley
she stepped forward TO meet him.
I'VE meet inopportunely," she said.
| extending her hand, after SO long a
separation"
separation. What separation? Are
yOu not mistaken in your person, mad
| ann"
| NO. Mr.. Shirley, l am not mistaken.
| / am not likely TO have forgotten you.
But why stand here? Let us go to the
stone bridge yOnder while my men are
| looking out for the repairs
Mr.. Shirley walked beside her, and
| they sat ON the stone coping of the
| bridge. Too gallant TO acknowledge
| that he did not recognize her. he re-
| Trained from speech.
do you remember" she said, lone
| evening years, many years. ago a
| young girl sitting in her music room?
Her piano stood against the wall, her
harp in a recess. sheet music scattered
| about From a bay window was a
view of river. with mountains be
yOnd. while between were the happy
autumn fields There was n career be
prive her of it. The man who drew her
| from il WAS handsome, winning, re-
fined. aristocratic. He, too. had de
ciSiOn to make. He was born to for
tune; fortune was needfui, to him, yet
lie was without fortune. Should he
| give himself TO a poor girl or reserve
| himself for Il wealthy one?
They sat before the window, but
not looking out. They We're gaZing.into
| each others eyes Each knew the 9th
er'S problem. The man bent forward,
placing his lips near hers. His right
! arm rested on the back OF the sofa
| ready To fall about her waist. His left
hand nearly touched hers. She must
decide whether TO accept what might
come by remaining where she was or
decline it by rising. She decidedeto re-
main. 10 give up her career for, him.
Suddenly he arose, went To the win
dow and looked out. He had decided
for himself, and he had altered her,de-
ciSion."
The old man when she's began had
been looking straight into her eye.
She was at least ten years younger
than he and far better preserved. In
deed, she was still handsome woman.
She had been beautiful. Before 4 she
finished dimneSS came before his
eyes. and he turned them toward
wood on the other side of the road.
Then his hand found itss way tothers.
What had the fortune fhe never got
been TO him in place of that sweet
sympathy which. spriRging suddenly
between recognized mates, grows
stronger. deeper. hoHer to the end?
Slowly he turned and. looked her IN the
eyes
Il remember" he said
That decision gave me Succession
tune"
1t gave me neither. Itsdeprived me
of that which Is worth far more Than
bOth-love"
our summer Is past, eShe went on;
we have sowed our seed and have
gathered the harvest Now we are
only waiting. That lowe we knew IN
our youth We cannot know now We
can but treasure memory. 1t is a
faint satisfaction, like "a whifftfrom a
crumbling rose. yet itimay help, US as
our faculties wane and we await the
inevitable winter that here at least has
no awakening spring"
1t will be more than.t that to me. ~'he
said. 1T will be a cheering hghts on
what is left OF the path II tread; light
from which all that Is sensual has
burned away. 1t Will greet Ice when L
awaken In the morning. and after my
eyes have been closed eat night it will
still shine in upon my heart"
L.