Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-07-31
Where Two
w Paths Met.
By INA WRIGHT HANSON
copyrighted. 1907, by Mary xcKeon.


ance because my sister. who kept my
house. should invite girl to visit her
and then insist that 1t was my duty to
help entertain her would do moth
,ne Of the sort. I was thinking. when a
4urn in the white blossomed pathway
brought her to my view.
She was slender and had great
mass OF brownish yellow hair. pinned
m with gold pins. one Of which glow
ed sardonicaIly at me with its topaz
owe. While was wondering why she
didn't comb her hair smoothly she
turned. and her eyes, OF wonderful
vivid blue, seemed to look down into
my very soul.
astand perfectly still. Mr.. Angove,
and shut your eyes. Is there anything
90 sweet in this wide world rs birch
oath In springtime? Don't open them.
Mr. Angove. want you to get the
fragrance uninterrupted by any other
sense"
Why I should have stood there Will,
my foolish eyes shut tight don't
know. but / did uutil she gave me
permission to loos 1T the white feath-
cry sprays and at her. Then quite so
ciably we strolled the rest Of the way
together. began to feel interested in
knowing what she would say when we
came to the end Of the path aud she
saw
why, l don't know your name"
said abruptly.
AT first you are going 10 address
me as Miss Britland." sbs replied
promptly. 'Afterward you will say
Frances, and at the end yox will call
me Caprice"
why In the world should cali you
CaprIcefr | asked.
II don't know" she said. Don't you
ever say things Just as II somebody
inside of you were saying them with
your own tongueY
Ny reply to this amazing question
was hindered by the ending OF the
birch bushes. We stood facing little
pagoda of white marble. I looked at
the girl. Her hands wefe tensely
clasped: her red lips were Qutvering.
Its like walking down tho pathway
Of love and suddenly coming to the
very temple of love itself- she ex-
claimed.
frowned. Why should my sister
prattie to strangers OF our ancestors
conceptions? She seemed to divine my
thoughts.
why do you look at me like that?
What is It? What does 1t meant"
! showed her the Inscription on the
worn threshold-"Temple of Love-
and with a sudden swift grace she
knelt above the lettering. Then she
sprang up. Come. Mr.. Ansove," she
cried gayly; 81 will run you a racer'
So back along the birch lined path
We ran like two children, and only my
sisters amused smile at tho end of the
race reminded me Of my forgotten dig
nifty. ! spent the rest u the day
among my books and alone.
Next morning Miss Britland and
selected walk opposite the birch path.
This was straight path through an
avenue of stately pines. Yesterday the
gin had been fanclful or merry; this
day she was neither. She walked Sc
dately by me, talking quite learnedly
OF the future Of radium. l began to see
why | might some time cali her Ca
price.
This Is the path of the pines"
said when we had exhausted radlum.
We should have taken this one first,
Tor 1t leads straight and true as the
compass needle to the temple, while
Tue orch path meanders foolishly this
way and that and makes one many I'M
necessary steps to reach the same
place"
One welcomes unnecessary steps
when one walks with the spirit of the
WOODS" she answered. Anyway, you
should not have told me that this path
,eaas to the same place. II would
nave been nicer for me to discover II
for myself"
SO 1t would" answered humbly.
How shall l atone?"
BY telling me OF yourself" she re-
piled
There isn't much to tell / said,
,eeing pleased at her interest We sat
"a the pagoda, and for me at least II
was the temple Of love. Let he who
VIII pirate of long growing affection
40 NE love came as the sun rises sud
uehiy over the mountain.
told her of my life as a boy In col
wye, as man in the business world
w this estate came to Inc. neglected
auu long uninhabited.
another day told her about the
supple how my ancestor had laid out
ese paths to typify his love for his
.ar young wife and her love for him
oue path, quick and true as the com
sass needle, the other sweet in its shy
seaections. but ending just as surely
!" the temple.
she asked.
~ Ixx,x