Pleasantville weekly press., 1907-09-21

haunting tense OF perIect Idmulafltys
to be sitting here in this same little,
low raftered parlor-the same picture
before him on the wall. the same china
bowl upon the shelf, the same volup-
.1ous sweetness from the oyerhanging
tea roses without-all just as it had
been seven years ago, when he used to
sit here with his arm around Jane hour
after hour of those delicious summer
evenings Of his youth. All as it lad
been, except Jane Grand herself; ana
she-how fearfully changed!
During the first hour that they were
together Mohun could scarcely bring
himself away from one idea-the change
on James face. He had expected to see
her somewhat altered. Of course, but
for woman to have 80, utterly faded
at eigbt-and twenty, or;y his own age
gave him a shock thar was positively
painful. He had known many women
as fresh at eight-and-twenty as at
eighteen, OF, II not actually as fresh. as
charming in all the subtler graces OF
matured and experienced beauty; and
Jane looked all but middle-aged.
Perhaps Mr. Mohun forgot what Jane
Grand's life had been during the last
seven years, the amount Of suffering
she had gone through as compared
with that of the well wearing charm
ing beings with whom he mentally
placed her ut such disadvantage. For
a woman to look young long two things
are necesssry-frst, an infantine mig
nonpe of cast of features; secondly,
great capacity for feeling nothing
acutely. And Jane possessed neither
Of these, Her fragile. oval face was
one sure. even in far happier life
than hers had been, to lose Its youth
early. The fine complexion of her
younger dass-had alone saved her from
looking too frail and delicate even
vixen she vas quite young girl, and
this she had whollsS and forever lost
within a very few days Of the ending
of erehgk cement to Mohun. she was
pale, mpradhan PALE bloodlessrlookins
now. The blue veins were painfully
distinct upon her, thin temples; faint
violet shade around her eyes gave them
an unearthly look Of size and luster;
her lips, so scarlet when Clifford kissed
them last, were colorless and wan. The
seven years which had brought Mohun
to the best stage of mans life, to the
fullness Of mSture. youth, had brought
Miss Grand almost to the confines OF
age. M
az am greatly changed, Clifford" she
said to him once during the evening.
"You never thought to find me az OLD
and faded as l am?"
ssYou are Jane Grand STILL" said Gil
ford. The daylight was quite gone
now, and in the tremulous on-cominy
Of night he saw only the dropping lines
of figure. the soft-curved throat, tho
delicate hands, which took him back
so strongly to his boyish passion. Jane
Grand-more to me, however changed.
than any other woman in the world"
She did not ask herself by what
process his indifference to others had
been attained. All that her heart
greedily drank was the thought that
she was dear to him, was something
to him still. The love, story had re-
opened at much the same page as OF
old. Sitting together here in the twi-
light, Mohun was simply sensible or
comfort to himself, of peace, OF quiet,
almost Of freshness in this little silent
room, with the odorous country air
playing on his face, and woNan
however gone off) who still adored him
at his side.
Jane felt only that the dream Of her
girlhood was clothed with flesh and
blood once more. She was with Gif-
ford; Heaven had not remained for
ever deaf to her entreaties.
Yes, changed though they were in
some things, the story had reopened at
the same page as Of old-one loving.
the other submitting to be loved. 1t
was a page beyond which Miss Grand
was fated never to read as long as Mr..
Clifford Mohun continued to be the hero
of her romance.
The time went on upon swift wings
that summer evening; and when at
length the lamp came in, Clifford began
to think he had too hastily passed judg-
ment on James good looks. Lamplight.
Of course, suits all compilations. that
are not young and faultless, best; and
then poor James face had become really
flushed with something like its old soft
color during the intense happiness or
the last hour and a half.
As she poured out tea and brought 1t
to Mohun, Just as she used to do when
she was a girl. he was struck with the
perfect grace-which was, in truth, LEI
one inalienable charm-with the soft
fall of her plain black dress, her noise
less step, her timid. pleading voice
more timid, by far, than any Of tn"
much younger London voices he was
accustomed to. Flow would it be fo-
him to return TO his old, pure, uncalcu-
lating first love? give up the life he
had got SO little OF satisfac ction and SO
much Of ruin out or. and betake him
self to the creature comforts Of calm
country lomesticity, with this pale,
gentle, .adoriag woman for his slave?
The question really seemed capable
OF being answered alIirnativcly: and,
after good deal Of preamble. Clifford
1T last Lei Miss Grand know that it
.vas not utterly impossible for him to
entertain it.
son rey,eat touioursr- she was sit