The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1906-07-03

Tue girl stood on the threshold q
life looking forward into its vas
yistas through the goldhued glasse
of youth. She was not what woul,
be called a pretty girl, but the god
had endowed her with the diyin,
quality OF imagination and idGality
To the unobserying her rather thin
pale ana irregular features, surmount
ed by wonderful shock of red hair
| marked her as distinctly common
place The more observing and ana
! lytical who took time to look into
! her bright, restless, sparkling eyer
paused ana said; There's something
! in that Graceland girl"
It remained for Frederic Walling
| Hapgood, man of the world, con
/ noisseur and dilettante, to discover
the true worth and vital beauty
which lay within her.
II happened at the Springs, where
She was taken by her grandmother
/ with whom sac lived--being an or.
phan, and who regarded Marie sim.
ply and wholly as one born to min
lister to her comfort and convenience.
For the first time in her lonesome
narrow, provincial life the girl had
an opportunity to see life as she
had dreamed it, It was not sup
posed TO be pleasure trip for her
oh, not at all. Grandma Graceland
had heard that the Springs held
wonderful curative properties for her
rheumatism and straightway had hied
herself hither-taldng Marie along to
as sort OF necessary evil.
But Marie was not a servant in any
sense Of the word, and nobody would
have resented an insinuation TO that
effect more than her aristocratic old
grandmother who treated her as such
in their personal relations, but who
would have fayed alive any person
without the Graceland family who
dared put a slight upon one Of "the
royal family And SO Marie plunged
into the great world ana saw it at
close range-for the Springs was not
exclusively a health resort. More PEG
pie perhaps, came for pleasure and
recreation than for the curative prop
critics of the waters.
Well ultimately, Fred Hapgood !
tired OF all things and at the Spring
for a rest and change, met this
curious damsel-and with the true I
scent Of the thoroughbred detected ,
the great things which lay hidden !
within her Where others saw her ir |
regular features he saw the the es I
sential vitality flashing from her eyes
Where others saw her pallid complex
ion he saw the seductive lines Of her
lithesome figure Where others saw
her shock of red hair he saw her
ardent, imaginative. girlish soul Hel
very ignorance and innocence attract
ed him and it pleased his humor tc
pay def and scientific court to this
bit Of femininity.
To her it was as incense sent by
the gods Never had she had court
paid her even by the callow youth.
Of the yillage-she was not the type
10 attract the average youth and her
nature was such as to repel rather
han to gain admirers But when
his polished gentleman bowed oven
Ter hand and used all the arts of the
nan OF the world she responded with
IN ardor which nearly carried him
If his feet 1t was a new experience
o him as we'll as to her, and il in
crested him more than he supposed
{ possible 10 be interested in any
woman affair-at his time Of life and
lis stage Of experience.
Being so unique an experience, he
pursued II the more industriously |
nd it was not many days before the
most ardent love scenes were beina
nacted in the quiet groves and della
bout the Springs.
1t was an epoch in her career wher
ne mOonlit evening he t.rew hi.
rms about her and drew her 10 hin
18th all his strength while his eyes
loked down into hers and spoke vol
mes Without hesitation she twinet
er arms about his neck and raised
or scarlet lips 10 his. In the mo
rent Of that passionate kiss all hor,
reams, all her hopes, all the fancics
+ her Imagination were realized q
nd she passed from grlhood to won
nhood ,
There were but a few days Of this ii
elirious joy for her however. anc /
lcn the old. old story was reenactcd {
apgood was called back TO the city G
n business. He went away-ant 1 e
Ided from her life There were ? d
.w letters. it is true. but Of a most
)n-committal sort and growing moro O
I'D and informal on his part as G
icy grew more infrequent d
At last she understood and then she a
allied thar the great passion Of her
fe had come 10 her and had passeC {
r. She knew that while 10 her q s.
~ been the great thing Of all hes v
fe. IL had been TO him but a holiday a
lort She knew that she had beer q
him a mere pastime. and all the Ct
ty Of it. she knew that faith IN
ankind had passed from her life r.
ow even If the true knight came she
uld NOT respond. That which she
IA an her life wished for the most
ID cludcd her and could never
mo again II was a bitter thing