Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-08-05
Il Grain of Hope
Rx seatrice Heron Maxwell.

II began at an afternoon party,
where as usual, people were feeling
more or less bored, and were getting
on one another's nerves.
The rooms were too warm, to begin
with, and everyone would congregate
in the corner by the ices, so that the
music room was almost deserted, and
the artists were distinctly annoyed
at finding themselves warbling to a
few stragglers.
Il am so sorry for Mrs. Dunstan, :"
said Mary Beresford to the man who
had just been introduced to her. Il
am afraid we are not treating her
well. Don't you think we had better
go and listen to a song?'
Il would rather not" he answered;
"but / am at your command. Only,
viii you do me a favor afterwards?'
She looked surprised.
Certainly, if it is in my power
she assented civilly. what is it?"
She was looking comely and cool
in a green and white dress of some
diaphanous fabric; and there was an
atmosphere of pleasant repose about
Miss Beresford that people appreci-
ated without analyzing it.
It had never occurred to her to
marry any one, though the suggestion
had been made to her from time to
time. She was well off, she had no
near relations and she had reached
the age of 80 while still possessing
the charm for others and the interest
in life which were hers at &c. She
was neither a feminine bachelor nor
an cd maid, but simply an unmarried
woman who was eminently marriage
able.
Il am the victim, or, rather, sup
pose l should say the hero of &c
nance continued the man, "and
have an intense yearning to tell some
one about it. viii you let me con-
fde in your"
Mary laughed, and for the first time
looked TO see what manner of man
this was.
A dark, clean shaver face, keen
and strong. such as you might find
among naval officers; tall, well set
up figure; a gravity Of voice and man
ner that were redeemed at times, as
at this moment. by twinkle in the
handsome eyes, and a cleft, indicative
of humor, at the corners of the lips.
"You must let me know your name,
she said, 'if you are going to tell me
the story of your life. l didn't cstc.
what Mrs. Dunstan said.'
Lawrence Home, he replied, "and
/ have just met my fate"
Really" Mary's amused glance
swept over the crowd round them
and rested on a girl with straight
Gear cut profile and dark hair, to
whom she tansiently remembered Mr.
Home had been talking when their
hostess divided them.
Il see you are trying to guess, he
said, but | want to begin from the
beginning. Won't you let me off the
song, Miss Beresford, and come to
the balcony over tnere?"
at is unprincipled, said Mary, wa
vering. Mrs Dunstan asked US to
go to the drawing room"
principles can be carried too far,
be argued. Let us be selfish for
once and choose the balcony"
And so you are romantic?' asked
Mary when they were esconsed in
a shady corner
Not at all by temperament" he as
sured her; but l have become so
lately. l saw a woman at a concert
and felt so attracted by her that
paid no further attention to the music
Since then chance his willed that
we should often be within speaking
distance Of each other-in the street
in a room. at an entertainment-and
the attraction has grown with every
meeting; so that when | have re-
ceived an invitatian lately l have
said to myself, I wonder if She viii
be there? She with a capital letter
But we have never been introduced
until today. l found her here.
asked Mrs. Dunstan to introduce me
when favorable opportunity oc
Cured, and the thing is done
"And you feel that your fate Is
sealed?'
Mary began to be interested, fol
though his tone was easy and uncon
cerned there was something-shf
could not tell what-which seemed Il
show he was In earnest.
For better or for worse-yes," BIZ
said. Il am sure she is my altel
ego. the one woman in the world fol
me: but she may not have the same
feeling. In fact. know for certain
that she has 10 feeling of any sor
about me. and no consciousness o
erer-having met me before. So N!
only hope is to see her constantly
and that is not so easy as II sounds
H.