The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-20
TIE EVENING STORY
The Falling Of Lucy.
by Clarissa Mackie ,

The Falling Of Lucy.
tby Clarissa MackieA
drew ~ craned his neck as the train
was +ha the little station. Yes. here
either ne low. red brick structure from
away hatr OF which the road wound
iat faint misty hrown &; ~.
iate April sunshine oio"n In the
1rasned uuoen impulse, he arose and
insta peo his hat and crib. IN ano, anu
house. Will stood before the station
trough the wooded tunnel Of o.E away
ne looked around at tn es..s;.
81 , snght1y bewildered at tbs ,.s,,,+
Me-, ms lmpulsive action. He had left
ing the wi with the intention of spend
tnnrlmp Cove. but the famiiiar .s.e
huusn which the train had ana an6
ucn marked mile stones in his ,r..-,,-
"a, mao reused within him dentnS ~
| exist ousHt could not now
| Evading the puzzled elsnc. 80 ~.
ba.ion agent, he turned down the r,eht
h; Ho ROAD. Ultimately it wouId tsire
| 11 :. ~ lHe village hosiery: incidental-
| permit hio isao MIN over old paths and
dreams. ie'ei IN panlsned
s. ne PIodded through the thick yel,ow
SSao with eager eyes on the buddinr
| cats ateIuiIy he inhaled the deli
nate frars Uuors that seemed to ema-
| shine! eon AFTERNOON sun
ne paused, once beside a foaminp
rns wnere sweetfiag was SHOOTING
60 piaoes from the black, ooxy mud.
arbutSs in I'm, IN the Honeyspot road.where
ar chung to the steep banks and
tne pink pouch Of the moccasin f1ower
sprang from the lichened tree stnmns
sto1 TINE ne removed his hat and
$1,000 with painfully knitted brow and
The VINES ses' ,o linen he moved on.
inanasement, and he passed unchal-
iensed by old acquaintances. He stroll
leo Gown the irregular street after the
snrin meal was over. and in the
and revived old memories until his
mlno was chaos Of rage with himself
ana grief for the unattafnabIe
me next morning when clamoring
Deus rang out from the white-painted
cnurcnes and the quiet streets were
lage bellies, Elwood made his wav to a
quaint old edifice tucked away on The
snore road, SO that when he was seated
IN a familiar place he could see the
wnIte sans In the harbor and the thin
drift of smoke from passing steamers
| on the sound.
| Inc gathering congregation looked
cur1ously at the dignified. middle-aged
stranger who sat in the old Eiwood
pew: but he maintained an attitude of
steadily on the ripping water beyond
the window. He was listening will,
painful eagerness for a light step.
IL came He heard the swish of silk
and the soft slip Of her feet as she as
cended the steps of the chanceI and
| took her place among the assembled
choir In his eyes mind he could see
ner, cool and pale, with haxen hair and
dark blue eyes
There would be little change in he,
appearance after fifteen years. Her
fa1r skin might have faded a little aud
her slfmness might have become anRu.
iarity, but there would be no other yisi.
Die alteration. Still, he could not look
Two women rustled into the seat be-
nlnd him and conversed in hissinf
whispers that reached his ear with an.
noying distinctness.
Lucy Clifford's got on her blue foul.
ard silk, amt she?"
"Yesl I wonder If she's going to sins
today?' ~ ''''e
Il suppose SO. Mr.. Larkin said 4
would be the last year she could sim
in the choir"
Her voice is getting terrible thin
and once in a while 1t gives out. sh
amt sung for two or three weeks no y
1 guess she was saving it SOS she coil,
sing today
"Lucy's getting to be a regular oil,
maid Now that she's left alone dow
to the old place. guess she wishe
she'd taken up with young Elwood af
ter ALL"
j II hope her voice don't fail TODAY.
remarked one Of the women as the Low
tones OF the organ rumbled through
the church.
Elwod turned his head. Yes Their,
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 slimness
There was a 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 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 mel
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
j soprano above the reedy tenor and the
rumble of alto and bass, and there was
An uncertain quality in 1t that caused
his heart to beat a little faster in the
fear that her voice might fail alto
gether. Anxiously he followed her
through the anthem and sighed with
| relief when the final Amen" died awav
In the rustic Of the kneeling people.
The service proceeded as 1t had pro-
ceeded fifteen years ago. There was an
other minister and. save for Lucy Clif-
ford, other voices in the choir. There
| were strangely familiar faces in the
congregation and his eyes eluded many
a glance of recognition. 1t was enough
| for him that he could look upon Lucy
| Clifford's sweet face once again. In
| the morning he would go away.
When the long sermon was finished
| the organ commenced well-known
prelude, two gray haired wardens