Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-12-02

ldubuiuS idSSo.
Late one sultry afternoon In mid
summer, almost year from the time
Armitage had come to the paper, the
city editor and Miss Amory CHANGED
to start out to dinner at the same
time. AS they went down in the ele-
vator Armitage glanced at the face OF
the woman beside him, and his heart
smote him. The corners of her mouth
dropped and her eyes showed vain
struggle with melancholy.
"You look very tired" he said to
her when they reached the street
Wont you come for walk In Bat
terry park? You will enjoy your din
ner better after a bath Of fresh air."
Miss Amory made no objection to
this plan, but walked by his side in
silence II wonder why it is" Armi-
tage asked himself, that when she
does not talk she seems to be saying
so many things?"
At the lower end of the sea-wall Ar
mitage led the way to an empty bench.
"Sit down." he said, land tell me what
is troubling YOU"
She sat down and looked out at the
water a moment before replying.
Your prophecy has come true" she
said at last.
my prophecy" repeated Armi-
tage in questioning tone.
Don't you remember telling me,
that night at Mrs. Holden's dance,
| that the loss Of my ideals would de-
stroy my happiness?"
Armitage drew in his breath sharp
ly. So she had remembered, yet had
been silent all this time. Well, 1t was
like her. Any other woman would
have spoken at once or not at all.
Are your ideals shattered?' he
asked.
$50 completely that I cannot even
gather up the fragments" she an
swered.
"And your faith in human nature?"
THAT went first of all"
The mans face grew grave. II know
what you have gone through" he said.
Tell me about It; trouble some
times become lighter by being put in
to words"
There was time when could not
talk of it." the woman replied, "but the
hardening process you said 1 could
not stand is well advanced. / am quite
willing now to admit the facts that
truth and honor are mere words and
heroic deeds tricks, done for the sake
Of the applause they gain. / have
learned to see below the surface of
things" she went on, not looking at
him, land am becoming a pessimist
like you"
There are depths and depths" Ar
mitage returned, land I'm not pessi
mist any more. I began to see light
ahead of me a long time ago, the
night l first met you, l think 1t was
And now we have changed places
wish might help you as you helped
me then"
I'm afraid I'm past help" the wo
man said despondently.
mo, no." cried Armitage, you must
not say that. 1t is not true. There
was time when the world seemed tC
me a vast den of wickedness, and
grew to credit every man and wo
man I met with a secret history, ant
even kind actions with a selfish mo
tive; but gradually good and evil as
sumed their proper proportions AND
the latter slipped into its right place
in the background of my mind. o.
course, sorrow and sin are on al
sides of us, but there are other things
too-truth and beauty and love-"
Il cannot even believe in love AM
more" the girl said YEARLY.
/ Aypitage gently laid hand on hers
"D/'you see that pair of lovers com
ldg toward us?" he said. Can you re
main a pessimist with picture like
, that before you? Do you doubt tina
they love each other with love tina
makes life worth living in spite of tt
, commonplaceness?"
: "Of course, love exists" she ad
: mitted, but it Is fleeting, evanes
: cent, and selfish. The devotion tina
: asks no return, the loyalty that out
, lives silence and separation, are mer,
: phrases. Those two love each othe
now, but in five years, ten years, hov
l will it be?"
1.-The love will have sunk too dec
2 to show on the surface, that is all,
e Armitage replied. II used not to be
5 lieve in love either, but there came
3 time when | had to believe in 1t be
e cause"-Armitage took out card
e case and drew small package iron
{ it.
D why it is rose," his companion
: exclaimed, when he had unfolded tn
e white paper-"a faded rose. You low
r someone" she went on wonderingly
you have loved some one lon
e time"
s Armitage folded the rose in the pa
/ per again and his hand closed owe
e it. 1T was yours" he said quietly
you dropped 1t in the music-roor
/ that night"
A silence followed, which Armitag
/ was the first to break. Now yo
n know why l must believe In love an
J. loyalty" he said. After that nigh
n my cynicism fell away like cloal
o. | ifa ia hut n tourney from nountai