Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-06-19
Che falling
Of Lucy.
BY CLARIssA MAcKIH.
Copyrighted, 1908. by Associated
Literary Press.

T-l~t"t't't~t~t"tt~t''t~t
Elwood craned his neck as the train
drew in at the little station. Yes, hero
was the low, red brick structure, from
either end Of which the road wound
away between the young oaks, now
showing a faint misty brown in tho
late April sunshine.
With sudden impulse he arose and
grasped his hat and grip. In another
instant he stood before the station
house, while the train screamed away
through the wooded tunnel Of oaks.
He looked around at the familiar
scene, slightly bewlldered at the result
of his impulsive action. He had left
Ing the week end with friends al
Shrimp Cove, but the familiar scenes
through which the train had sped and
which marked milestones In his mem
DRY had reused within him depths OF
feeling that he thought could not now
exist
Evading the puzzled glance of the
station agent, he turned down the
right hand road. Ultimately 1t would
take him to the village hosiery. Incl.
dentally 1t would lead him over old
paths and permit his fancy to revel In
banished dreams.
He plodded through the thick vel.
low sand with eager eyes on the bud
ding hedges. Gratefully he inhaled the
delicate spring odors that seemed to
emanate from the golden afternoon
sunshine.
He paused, once beside q foaming
spring where sweetfiag was shooting
green blades from the black, oozy
mud, and again In the Honeyspot road
where arbutus chung to the steep
banks and the pink pouch Of the moe
casin flower sprang from the lichened
tree stumps. Zach time he removed
his hat and stood with painfully knit.
ted brow and reflective eyes. Then he
moved on.
The village hotel was under new
management, and he passed unchal.
ltHkeu ny Ulu AhN
strolled down the irregular street after
the evening meal was over and In the
spring twilight revisited old haunts
and revived old memories until his
mind was chaos Of rage with him
self and grief for the unattainable.
The next morning when clamorine
bells rang out from the white painted
churches and the quiet streets were
gay with the Easter finery of the vii.
lage bellies Elwood made his way to q
quaint old edlfice tucked away on the
shore road, so that when he was seated
In familiar place he could see the
white sails In the harbor and the thin
drift of smoke from passing steamers
on the sound.
The gathering congregation looked
curiously at the dignified, middle aged
stranger who sat In the old Elwood
pew, but he maintained an attitude OF
motionless rIgidity, with eyes fixed
steadily on the ripping water beyond
the window. He was listening with
painful eagerness for light step.
1t came He heard the swish Of silk
and the soft slip of her feet as she
assembled the steps of the chancel and
took her place among the assembled
choir. In his eyes mind he could sec
her, cool and pale, with Haxen hair and
dark blue eyes.
There would be little change In her
appearance after fifteen years. Her
fair skin might have faded little.
and her slIEiness might have become
anguiarlty, but ehere would be no 9th
or visible alteration. Still. he could
not look.
Two women rustled into the seat be-
hind him and conversed In kissing
whispers that reached his ear with an
noying distinctness.
Lucy Clifford's got on her blue fou-
lard silk, amt sher
"Yesl I wonder IL she's going to sing
today?"
II suppose 80. Mr.. Larkin said It
would be the last year she could sing
In the choir"
"Her voice Ii getting terrible thin.
and once In awhile 1t gives out. She
amt sung for two or three weeks now.
I guess she was saving It SOS she
could sing To-Day.
"Lucys getting to be q regular old
maid Now that she's left alone down
to the old place, guess she wishes
she'd taken up with young Elwood
after ALL"
II hope her voice don't fail today"
remarked one of the women as the low
tones Of the organ rumbled through
the church.
Elwood turned his head. Yes; there
she sat. her pale. pure profile outlined
against the red and purple Of the chan
Gel window
She looked as his memory had limned
her save that she was not angular;
she still retained her youthful slim
ness. There was pathetic droop to
her once proudly lifted head and a
usefulness in the full lidded eyes as
she turned toward the congregation.
The organ ceased, the white rObed
minister entered and knelt in prayer,
and then with q triumphant burst OF
music the choir arose and the notes OF
the anthem rang through the little
church. Elwood pressed hand across
his singing eyes as the familiar melo-
dy proceeded. It seemed but yesterday
that he had stood beside Lucy Clifford
in the choir and lifted his strong young
voice In that same strain.
He heard the high notes of her thin
soprano above the reedy tenor and the
rumble Of alto and bass, and there was
an uncertain quality in II that caused
hts heart to beat little faster In the