Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-22

"FoREyER?" I FALTERED, DAZED. were woman to give yourself light ly! You pledged yourself-have you forgotten that?"
 "i did not give myself lightly" she replied, now quite cool. And at no time did I ever pledge my conscience and my principle to you. pledged faith and devotion, love and care, and much else, him thought generous and noble. I am mistaken (there was dry little catch in her voice), ''and SO feel justified in the step. would feel justified in it if we were married, which, thank God! we are not
 That night I cursed the era which gives women the spirit of men. Why could not Juno let me judge for her in these matters? Why did she not trust entirely to me? There were questions and issues into the mysteries of which a woman like that should not venture. While I strode the length of my apartment many times, I crushed in my palm the slender sym bol which she had tossed back to me.
 
 Ten years had passed. felt, as I stepped from the vessel, lonelier and more deserted than I had been in a foreign land. This was home, but l was not at home. I procured my old rooms, and tried to fancy myself as I had been, but it was out of the Ques- tion-the club had changed, the fel- lows had married or moved, or for gotten me; and Juno-Juno!
 Abroad I had found wealth and some fame, for had the artistic soul within me-a narrow, bigoted soul. she had called it in her passion-and people are not slow to discover those thus prospered. So cards deluged me, which I did not accept, and l hoped at home in preference to being bored away from 1t.
 One evening I met Hewett. an old chum. now married and very much settled down. He would not take no. and spent the evening quietly at his nome, admiring the babies and trying to get up an enthusiasm for Mrs. H.. who is a characterless little thing. at best, but a pleasing kitten, all smiles -or with only an occasional pout.
 Before left Hewett. Jr.. fell asleep in her lap. and her pink and white face took on such breeding tender ness. her eyes caressed the flushed cherubic countenance on her bosom with such maternal concern. that thought I had never seen anything quite so beautiful as that group. with the frelight dancing htfully. and cast ing a ruddy glowing charm upon the figures of mother and child: nothing 50 beautiful. that is. excepting Juno. with her naughty little head. and her proud air and her indignant pose, and her white gown against the brown of the oax. and the quivering hammock. had carried this picture of my lost sweetheart for years In . foreign land. and had hugged and loved the vision with sn intense passion. though the sight of it gave me pain.
 It may have been partly this that made ft impossible for me-as I sur veyed the group in the nrelight-to keep . mist from settling In my eyes -eonfound them,
 1t vas past IA when I resisted the of Hevett vho abuses
 
 hurried down the steps ia the chilly autumn air. A wave Of unusual lone Illness toOk possession of me. and vTthSut rees0aing- vithou, asking myself to consider what I did took the veIlreuenhered vay 10 . faniI- iar street. where I paused before . bis koase. which despite the hour. | vas axisre with Hehts- The Fursyths .fke tc keep ooen boJ<e. arf ttig win-.