Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1906-02-07
]=ls Jn The
Long ]1go
by VIRGINIA LEILA WENrz
coppfOht, nos. By Z. c. Parcels

Gown weary of his reading. Kent
aarding glanced across the deck
There slender, girlish figure leaning
M-y over the rails caught his atten-
ton Although the veil of her Yacht
Ing cap was down and it was possible tc
distinguish only the vague outline of her !
profile, something in the graceful poise |
OF Eer head, in the tip of the shell-like |
car and in the lustrous brown hair
tE&t cleaned in the red shine of the i
setting SIN made him think of a girl
whom he had known in the long ago.
by Jove! l wonder if it could be,' |
he specClated, looking at her sharply
ard blinking through the smoke from
his pipe.
Just then she raised her veil and
turned. Harding saw that she was. in
fact the selfsame girl. She knew him
instantly as he came forward. and they
;acoi hands heartily, as became Old
friends.
"Cf course, when we get back tc
New York, you'll come and see me-"
continued Vittoria after they had talk
cd of many things. You know, when
BROTHER married, issued my declara
ton Of Independence It's Il dear little
box of house in Greenwich village.
All alone? Why, to be SIRE That's
tie principle upon which l made my
stand-a woman against the world"
She smiled as she spoke, and her teeth
giisteneI prettily in two little rows.
sounds more terrifying than it real
ly is" she went on without giving him
a chance to throw in, for the bachelor
maid has only to acknowledge to thirty
and the world losses up the sponge at
once It doesn't care to continue a
fight after it's ceased to be interesting"
But Harding had put his beloved pipe
in one corner of his mouth and was go
ing through an elaborate pantomime Of
counting on his fingers. Mine and
twenty" he corrected.
VittOria colored slightly and strum
med nonchalantly on the arm of her
steamer chair. "What an appalling
memory said she.
Whereupon they both laughed. and 2
little silence fell
"Nine years." observed Harding sud.
denly. He had been stretched out lazi
" in his chair, his hands beneath his
curly head. his gray eyes staring
straight into the glory of the western
heavens. It's good slice, isn't it. if
one hasn't accomplished
IN the midst of his sentence he saw
Vittoria nod to some one. Following
the direction of her eyes, he perceived
tall. blond girl, smartly gowned and
of rather naughty demeanor, walking
briskly toward them. A maid followed
more slowly with steamer rug and an
armful of wraps.
"Ah. it's Marion" he exclaimed hall
to himself. And to Vittoria, DO YOU
know hery'
Our acquaintance is only a bowling
one" volunteered Vittoria coldly. q
met her last month in Switzerland"
'Iello, Kent" cried Miss Marion
Lane carelessly, as he rose to greet her
From beneath her inky lashes SIN
glanced at Vittoria indifferently anC
nodded slightly again. "Ybu can JON
mother and me when you like-no hur
~" she murmurel amiably as sh
swept Oh down the deck, where he
maid deposited her rug and wraps be
side an alert looking little widow Il
black.
I'm engaged to Miss Lane Harding
said oddly at length. AT least. Nv
aske,i her to marry me-"
"You'- began Vittoria lncredulouS
5 ly. Then change took place in he
: feminine mind. And her answer?
she said simply.
Shes considering it. In the NEAR
tine. Of course, it's Il secret"
"Of course"
81 love her" said he, bit shame
!, facedly. 1T must seem strange that
to say this-to your he stammeret
mo. | think | understand she sal
quietly. And then size listened with il
credible patience to his foolish rhal
sodies. There never was such an ado
able creature as Marion-such wealt
Of tenderness and undiscovered charr
shortly afterward Harding took b
leave. The twilight was fast comiT
on. and Vittoria sat for a long tin
leaning over the rail again. She WI
looking into the long ago.
Now there was ONCE girl, and 81
h was barely seventeen-oh. sentiment;
TO be sure And he was a nice b'
home from college en- his senior vac
ton. she had cared for him. for
was nice boy and had such mani
y honest gray eyes. And then one SUI
\ mer day as they had stood alone in {
old fashioned garden he had kissed h
10 All. how unforgettaDly vivid was
& hackground-the gold of the sunfowe
~ and the crimson Of the hollyhocks!
And the next day they had walk
over TO the village. where he got her
foolish little ring set with Dlue STUN
= .S,aoousa hlue means true love-" SO
he. Just boy and girl afair. a
- the next week the boy hau peen VIM u
ae on continental tour and b
an. sa,,tarorlated the University Sett
do st FINALLY. however, he had co
lay AA~Hf- ot1fbnrffv