Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1908-11-27
Che falling
Of Lucy.
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.
Copyrighted, 1903, by Associated
I literary BRASS
By CLARIssA MACKIE.

Elwood craned his neck as the train
drew in at the little station. Yes, here
was the low, red brick structure, from
either end Of which the road wound
showing a faint misty brown In the
late April sunshine.
With a 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 bewildered at the result
of his impulsive action. He had left
New York with the intention of spend
ing the week end with friends at
through which the train had sped and
which marked milestones In his mem
cry 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 It would lead him over old
paths and permit his fancy to revel in
banished dreams.
He plodded through the thick yell
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 a foaming
spring whore sweetflag 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 Each 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-
lenged by old acquaintances. He
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 Il chaos Of rage with him
self and grief for the unattainable.
The next morning when clamoring
bells rang out from. the white painted
churches and the quiet streets were
gay with the Easter finery of the vii
lage bellies Iswood made his way to
quaint old eIitce tucked away on the
shore road, so that when he was seated
in a familiar place he could see the
white sails in the hIrbor and the thin
drift Of smoke from passing steamers
IN the sound.
The gathering congregation looked
yuriously at the dignitied, middle aged
stranger who sat III the old Elwood
pew. but he maintained an attitude of
motionless Rightly, with eyes fixed
steadily on the yippling water beyond
the window. He was listening with
painful eagcrncss for light step.
1t came. He heard the swish of silk
and the soft slip If her feet as she
Gscended the steps Of the chancel and
took her place among the assembled
choir. In his eyes mind he could see
her, cool and pale. with flaXen 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 slimness might have become
angularity, but there would be no 9th
er visible alteration. Still, he could
not look
Two women rusted into the seat be-
hind him and conyersed In kissing
whispers that reached his ear with an
noying distnctness.
Lucy Clifford's got on her blue fou-
lard silk, amt sheY
Yes! wonder If she's going to sing
today?"
Il suppose so. Mr. Larkin said 1t
would be the last year she could sing
in the choir"
Her voice is getting terrible thin,
and once in awhile it gives out She
amt sung for two or three weeks now.
guess she was saving 1t SOS she
could sing today"
"Lucy's getting to be a regular old
maid Now that she's left alone down
to the old place, l 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
eel window.
She looked rs his memory had limned
her save that she was not angular;
she still retained her youthful slim
= ness, 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