The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-04-27
90 a0s3 @49STs9S
Z What a Dress Was
Z Responsible For.

[orIgInaLl

the world. first under the primevaI for
est, then in a skin covered dwelling
and now in splendid residences. The
man was Ia the conventional black,
the woman in dream Of d costume
that had Just been turned out at the
hands Of an artist.
"Your answer Is finaIT1 asked the
man almost with q moan.
"Yes.''
"But you have admitted that you
could be very happy with me-"
'The happier could be the more
miserable would be-
''What do you rneanT'
sIn poverty would suffer in seeing
you suffer"
"But you might wait for something
better than poverty At the gold fields
shall
"A bird In the hand is worth two in
the BUSH
Weir anxiously.
within a few days shall be en-
gagged to q man whose fortune is not.
In the bowels Of the EARTH
II was with a sickening sensation
about the heart that he went away
from the place where he had been told
that all he cared to strive for was de-
MED him. He turned aud looked back
at the lights. and the music came to-
him In mockery. Should he 20 to the
river and end 1t all or carry out his in
fention to so to the gold fields? The
former course was but momentary
weakness; the latter would take him
far away from the girl who was about
to pass to another.
A man with d few streaks OF gray In
his hair and beard entered ballroom
At the farther end a woman stood with
her back to lin. The moment his eye
lighted on her costume be started. Fiji
teen years before the girl who had
worn that dress or It's counterpart had
refused him and told him that she was
about to marry a man whose fortune
was real tangible thing, not d dream
OF the future. The figure was the
same, and the hair, like hers, was Jet
black He advanced, and when still
at distance she turned She was like
his lost love. too much like her for the
interval of years that had passed since
he had seen her He had expected to
see her look older. But it was she.
or that be was quite sure
She walked past him on the arm Of
an attendant. but gave no heed to the
newcomer who was so much interested
IA her. He was not surprised that she
did not recognize him. II she had not
changed he had He had been buriea
In wilderness and had done nothing
but dig in the earth.
THAT" he said to friend, pointing
at the same time to the girl, lis or was
Miss HowesT'
ayes, Miss Howes."s
"Please present me to her without
speaking my name plainly, SO that she
will not hear it,
The introduction was made and
donald King" so distorted MS to sound
like another name.
"Are you resident Of the eltyf9
asked the girl by way of Introducing
conversation.
81 was at one time. I have been
away long time.r>
II thought you must be a stranger,
since don't remember ever TO have
seen you before"
'You have known me WE'LL
"Iln She looked at him searchlngly.
~ must admit that you have passed out
of my memory"
THAT'S natural. It's years since we
parted. l might not have recognized
you had 1t not been for something to
guide me-"
"And that Isl"
The orchestra gave the call for
dance. A man came hurrying up to
Miss Howes and led her away.
Donald King laid his plans 70 make
more than a casual acquaintance OF his
former love and kept his identity so
well concealed that he did not reveal
himself. He was careful TO chat with
her only on subjects entirely discon-
nected with their past affair and learn
ed little more about her life since then
thnn she knew about his He wished
to know why she had not married. as
she had intended. but feared to reveal
himself by asking. He made rather
quick love, but the lady seemed in
clined TO listen.
Finally he revealed himself IN this
wise:
"When l went away you said that
You considered a. bird in The hand
worth two IN the bush. Why did you
not take the bird In the hand?r
"You speak in rlddles.s
"You are the woman loved and the
only woman l shall ever love. might
not have recognized you Oh my return
had It not been that you wore the same
dress as the night before my depar-
ture, when you told Inc there was no
hope for me on account OF my poverty.
But ON my return / recognized you,
and you excited in me the same
"Are you bereft Of your senses, or
have you mistaken me for some Que
else? That dress was given my older
sister years ago by my cousin, Edith
Howes. MY sister wore It occasional
ly, and now that it's sleeves and other
things In It's makeup have come again
Unto fashion have been making use
Toe it."
"And you are not Edith HowesY
"No. / am Rebecca Howcs."
Donald King married Rebecca Howes.
One day while driving with his wife