The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1908-10-01
THE CHANGES
OF TIM Z
By Emily D. Carroll

,,op,onbood our friendship grew sun
stronger till at last we were almost III
senarable. cannot tell how many
foolish promises we made 10 eacl
other for we were romantic young
simpletons and we loved each other
know one promise was never TO
marry. but always live together IN
some snug cottage where we should
be as happy as the day was long.
proved recreant to my promise, as
witness my husband and two OF the
sweetest darlings that ever gladdeneu
a mothers heart. Mary still lives
in maiden meditation, fancy free.
She was a very pretty girl, four
years my senior, though she did not
look IL. She was an orphan, and when
n rich uncle in Philadelphia agreed to
adopt her she consented to the ar
rangement Not long afterward her
uncle died, and Mary was his heiress'
According to promise we CORE
sponded regularly for a time. Such
lengthy. loving letters as she wrote
me! Never did a fond girl prize her
lovers letters more than / priced
Mary's. She missed me so much, she
said She wanted to see me so badly.
must come and pay her a visit. This
was before my marriage. One thing
and another happened to prevent my
going
Gradually the years slipped by, and
had taken another name and my
heart was thrilling with a strange. de-
lightful, yet solemn feeling. But Mary
Grey, my girlhood friend, was not for
gotten. / wanted her to share my joy.
l wanted to say to her: Here is my
husband and your brother, Mary,
sweet sister" wanted to lay my
first-born in her arms and say: HE
is mine, Mary Love him for my
sake"
But the poor girl was tied down
in her New England home. She
still wrote to me occasionally, and
to her but not so often, for other du-
ties claimed our attention. ! talked
about Mary so much that at last
Charlie grew tired of hearing her
name and began to tease me.
Your friend is an old maid, isn't
she, Lucy?" he asked me one even
ing.
An old maid!" replied, indignant
ly. mo, indeed, sir; she is not al
old maid"
At last Mary agreed to pay us 6
visit. What a time I did have In
planning for her reception. She was
| an heiress, and, l feared, might think
our little home very poor indeed. True
1t was comfortable, and all that
Charlie and l cared for, but Mary was
rich and used to much grander sur
roundings, | mused.
The glad day arrived, and Charlie
was TO bring our guest from the sta
tion in time for lunch. When heart
the carriage l ran eagerly to NEE
Mary. But was that Mary; that tall
thin, sallow, dignified woman, who
looked as If she had certainly "swal
lowed poker" so straight and stiff
did she appear?
1t was Mary beyond doubt, for sh,
kissed me quite warmly and said hat
changed very little since she last saw
me, She was dressed very elegantly
but not tastefully, and she had los
several of her front teeth. In short
she looked anything but the pretty
delicate Mary Grey l had known ant
| loved.
Are you not dreadfully bothere,
with your children, Lucy?" she aske,
me after luncheon, or are you fon,
of them?"
"Passionately,' ! cried, as | caugh
my darling florrie in my arms an,
kissed her rosy mouth.
1T is very fortunate that YOU lik,
Them she replied. Il do not lik,
them / know very little about chill
dren, never having lived much will
them"
My heart turned sick. Not love chi,
dren' How could she ever get alon,
with us?
when the little ones were mt +,
sleep that afternoon took some aaw
ing and entered Mary's room for
chat. began by sympathlzing will
her In her lonely life, but to my sur
prise she informed ME that she reaII,
mad quite pleasant time. She live
in handsome house when at homo
and Keeps up continual round of oay
ETY., Some further attempts m ~,
part TO bring out a line of converse
ton on which We might be mutuaI,, u,
interested failed, and l gave nm th'
task NY 'n'
Both Charlie and tried to mak,
her visit as pleasant as possih,o anI
In her dignified way she seemed -, :,
enjoy 1t as much as she couId erio, "
anything But when it drew to a I%so' oioo,
and Mary bid us farewell con,d ,'oS' ,'S
refrain from drawing a sipb H nt ~ ~
lief s" Vi re
1t was such a dreadful awako,,u,
from the bright dream of NV pir,hnnI
The Mary Grey l had know 5ad ea'inood '
Iy taken flight, and in her stead a[ sure ,,,
a woman who missed much ns "a'
good things OF life. 'h'
Only a short time ago we boon,,
] Il Il VI