Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-11

train would leave 81. Pancrns at 1880
set about his packing and dismissed
/ from bis thoughts the Incident created
by the ut rev cnturcr ard at o'clock
or thcrcabout3 IL himself out Of his
room dressed FOR the evening. light
/ rai9ccat over ere arm, IN the other
hand cane. the Crizzle having
ceased
\ SOLID Bliss 1T carried him down
u the grou.d r'or Il the establish
mont ia sOuu;li g Err, Il Eve min
utcs. PausinS IN the Office long enough
20 settle his bill ard leave Instructions
! 20 have his luggage conveyed TO the
| boat train, he received with entire
! cQuanimity the arabio benedlction Of
! the clerk, f. whose eyes he still fig
urod rs that radiant creature. an
| American millionaire, and passed on TO
! the lobby, where he surrendered hat.
! coat and stick TO the cloakroom at
tcndant ere entering the dining room
The hour was "A triGc early for
! London dinner. the handsome room
| bat moderately filed with patrons.
! kirllwood absorbed the fact uncon-
sciously ana without displeasure The
! earlier the better. he was determined
! to consume his last civilized meal las
| he chose 10 consider IT. at his serene
| leisure. TO live fully his cbbing mo-
mcuts In the world TO witch he was
| born. 20 drink 10 Its clOying dregs one
ultimate draft OF luxury.
| With a dc'crcntial flourish the wait
| er brought him the menu card. lie
| had served "a his time many an Amer
! lean millionaire; he had also served
this Mr. lakewood, and respected him
| as one exalted above the run OF his
| kind In TINT he comprchcrded the art
OF dining.
Fifteen minutes later the waiter de-
| parted rejoicing, his order complete
IT, distract n conscience whispering
OF extravaganza Kirkwood lighted
| cigarette
The room was gradually filling with
later arrivals. II was the most ia
vored restaurant In London, and de-
spSe the radiant costumes Of the WON
EN- it's atmosphere remained sedate and
rcstful.
cab clattered down the side street
on which the window opened.
At n nearby table woman laughed
quietly happy. IDeurIously Kirkwood
glanced her way. She was bending
forward, smiling. fattering her escort
with the alteration, OF her eyes They
were lovers alone in the wilderness OF
the crowded restaurant They seemed
very happy.
Klrkwood was conscious OF a strange
pang of emotion. 1t took him some
time to comprehend that It was envy.
He was alone and lonely. For the
first time ho realized that no woman
had ever looked upon him MS the wo-
man at the adjoining table looked upon
her lover. lie had found time TO wor-
ship but one mistrcss-hS art.
And he was renourEing her
He was painfully conscious OF what
be had missed, had lost or had not yet
| found-thc love OF woman
The sensation was curious. new,
unique in his experience.
His cigarette burned down TO his
fingers as ne sat pondering. Abstract
cdly he ground its fire out in an ash
| tray
The waiter set before him q silver
| tureen, covered
Tie sat UP and began to consume his
soup, scarce doing Il justice. His
dream troubled him-his dream OF the
| love OF woman.
From a little distance his waiter re-
garded him with an air Of dlsnppoint.
mont. In the course If an hour and n
| half ne awoke 10 discover the attend
ant In the act of pouring very hot and
/ hlnplr Iwf s,ff
into dcmitassc OF fragile porcelain
Eirkwocd slipped a single lump Of
sugar into the cup. gave over his cigar
case to he filed. then leaned back, de
liberatcly lighting n long and slender
panctela as a preliminary 10 last lin
gering appreciation Of the scene OF
which he was n part.
TIc reviewed It through narrowed
eyc!Ids lazly, yet with some slight
surprise seeming to see It with new
vision. with eyes from which scales Of
ignorance had dropped
This long and brilliant dining hall
with It's quiet perfection Of proportion
ana appointment had always gratlncd
his love Of the beautiful Tonight 80
| pleased him 20 an unusual degree. Yet
| IL WIS Ibe Same rs ever It's walls.
tinted n deep rose with their hanglugs
OF dull cloth Of gold: rs lights discrim-
inatlEgly clustered and discrcctiy
| shaded, redoublcd I'm half hundred
mirrors; its s'tbdued simmer Of plate
and glass, It's soberly festive assem-
blagc OF clrcumspcct men and women
splcndldly gownod. It's dccorously
mutcd murmur OF voices penetrated
and interviewer by the strains Of
hidden string orchestra. cnrcescd his
senses as always, yet with differ
cnce Tonight ne saw &c room popu
lous with lovers, lovers inscnsibly
! paired, man unto woman attentive,
woman If man rcgardful.
lie had never understood this before
This much me had missed IN lifc
II seemed hard to realize that one
must forcgo SC an forever
Presently he found himself acutely
self conscious The sensation puzzled
him, and without appearing TO do so
he traced 81 from effect to- cause and
found The cause In n woman girl