Middletown transcript., 1907-06-15

They were sitting on the front
seat of and open trolley, which
ratified through the ugliest OF in
formally hot streets. But the
city dust could not defle their
immaculate cloths or their cheer
full demeanor.
Surprised? echoed Morton,
feasting his tired eyes on her
distinguished figure. If any man
had told me you'd be in town be-
fore October, I'd have called him
an everlasting idiot. And still
think it must be a dream that
we're to-day, like the comrades
we always were, I don't under
stand it. For the first time in
years you had got comfortably
away from brick pavements, yet
here you are back again in the
middle of August. Now, Sarah
what's the reason?
I misssd the brick pavements,
said she promptly.
All show Of pleasure faded
from his face, He suddenly
knew that he was tagged, that his
stiff collar was choking him, that
the suns reflection from the
baking houses scorched his
skin.
All! he said, I used to posses
your confidence, but that is of
the past. I suppose that I, too,
am of the past. One must ex-
pect it, when one has reached
fifty without making a fortune.
She regarded him keenly,
while he took off his hat to wipe
his wet forehead. She noted
the streaks of gray in his we'll
kept hair, the many lines around
his eyes and the bitter curl
of his lip. Then, laying ner
hand on his woolly coat-sleeve,
she said softly: Morton, do you
mean to insult me?
Why, no, he stammered. l
thought I was insulting myself,
if anybody. You have a right
to keep your own counsel.
Morton. what's the matter
with you? You know I never keep
my own counsel, when l have
you to counsel with. I told you
the truth about my coming back.
I did miss the brick pavements.
It was his tnrn to look keenly
at her. She was pale by nature
and the hotter the weather, the
paler she always became. Now
she was as white as her linen
dress, as white as the chiffon
veil coiled around her hat. Her
broad, mobile face expressed
perfect candor and understand
ing, and she smiled generously
with eyes and mouth.
The sight restored him. He
felt as fresh as a lark. He for,
got that he was fifty.
I see it's one of yonr jokes, he
said. Tell me about it,
Just what I should have done
at first, if you hadn't got into
that nasty huff.
But instead of explaining, she
slid closer to. him, saying eagerly:
Now we're just as cozy as old
times. Isn't the heat delicious !?
And isn't it nice to hear the car
bells and to see the dirty child
rem sitting on the curbstone ?.
And, do look!-there's an old
woman quarreling with a huck-
ster over q piece of stale fish !!
Morton's gaze rested upon the
long, shapeiy hands, which
clasped and unclapsed each
other nervously in her lap, and
he smiled as he said, You are still
the same Sarah.
Did you expect me to change
into another Sarah, just because
my cranky uncle left me his
money? / believe you did you
queer creature. Now to go back
to the beginning. You know how
they got me off to Bar Harbor,
before ] had time to wink. They
said I'd never had any fun, and
that being rich made me free to
go where I liked, Of course l
would join their summer colony
aud see life. Life! contemptuous.
Iy-I've seen more life in the one
since ( come home
Wasn't Lorimer at Bar Har-
Dor 2 asked the man doubtfully.
Mr.. Lorimer was most decid-
edly there, answered Sarah. put
ting up both hands to her head
and stabbing a hat pin into her
trim chip hat. Mr.. Lorimer
seemed to think that ] existed
Tor his special benefit. / couldn't
move without encountering Mr..
Lorimer. I must 60 in his.yacht;
must go in his automobile. You
know q yacht makes me sick, and |
n