Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-11
MARC|A'S FREEDOM,
BY MARION MANVILLE.
copyright, 1909, by Associated Literary
Press.

Press.
The announcement came like thun-
derbolt out of a clear sky. Marcia
Deane had broken her engagement
with Jack Kelly.
They had been lovers from child
hood, always together always devoted
and absolutely loyal to each other, and
now, just a few months before the
wedding day, the unexpected happened.
The young people were planning a
nutting expedition, and Jack mad
called as he did every evening, to tell
Marcia the details.
''Wa start from Lawton's at 9. so
will come for you a little earlier. You
will be ready?" There was scarcely a
question in his voice.
Marcia was always ready. He had
finished up that subject, and his
thoughts were busy with something
else when it dawned on him that Mar
cia's answer and tone were quite diff
ferent from what he had SeXpected.
She had risen and was speaking rapid
~, intensely. "a
mo, shall not be ready then or any
time again, Jack. I'm not going with
you any more, and here's your ring"
She thrust the mute emblem of their
past happiness into his hand, stood
eXpectant q moment; then, as he did
not speak, she turned from him and
walked into the house.
Jack was too dazed to move. How
long he sat there he never knew, but
at last he went away. The light and
happiness had been crushed out of his
life at one blow.
Fall slipped into winter, and the
usual festivities began. Jack Kelly
never appeared at them, but he heard
Of Marcia, first with one man, then
with another, the belle of the season.
And Marcia enjoyed her freedom. For
the first time in her young life she was
receiving attention from other admir-
ers than Jack, and she was constantly
comparing them with him.
Sam Duncan was splendidIy big and
handsome, though his eyes lacked the
genial twinkle, the tender sympathy of
Jacks. Dan Hemly WsS extravagant,
and she was sure It wa6 wrong-not
Jack was geneRous, too, but he had
some principle about it.
Ted Reynolds fell in love with Mar
| cia at once and insisted on taking her
eyerywheGe He was full of fun a
brilliant talker and an all around good
fellow. Marcia liked him immensely
until Christmas day. Then she found
his card at the bottom of the basket of
roses she had thought came from Jack.
and after that there was a bitterness
in her heart toward the man who had
dared to send what she expected from
| her neglected lover.
AS soon as spring came Marcia was
seen constantly in Harry Lawton's
automobile. Rumor had already en-
gagged her to a dozen different men, and
now it settled on Lawton as an abso-
lutte certainty. Marcia held her peace
Now and then, when Marcia had an
occasional glimpse Of jacks face, with
the deep lines around the lips that of
old were always smiling and tender
for her, she would go home, shut her
| self in her room and cry herself to
sleep.
"The old stupid! Why doesn't he
come to see me?" she would say to
| herself, angry at his unquestioning ac-
ceptance of her dismissal.
1t was the LIST of June, just a week
before Marcia's birthday, which was
| also to have been her wedding day.
An day long she had been puzzling her
brain to find a way out of her dilem-
ma. Things had not turned out exact
! ly as she had planned them in the
months just gone. She had expected
to retain Jacks friendship to have
him call occasionally, but she had
never exchanged a word with him
since the night she had sent him away.
At last, because she could think Of no
better way, she sent him note:
Dear Jack-A girl you used to know will
be at our house tonight and wishes to see
you. Come at Z. MARCIA.
Quite bewildered, unable to guess
who the girl might be, Jack obeyed
the summons He found Marcia alone
in the parlor. Never had she looked so
! bewitching to him as she did after the
months of separation. She was dressed
all in his favorite white, relieved only
by a single black red jack rose.
! Jack caught his breath with sudden
| pain as he realized all that it meant to
| love her. With irresistible longing he
kept her hand and drew her close into
his arms.
Marcia, darling" he murmured. his
face against hers, tell me it isn't
true. Say that this lonely winter has
been a horrible nightmare and I'm
waking now"
"The girl you used to know she
began.
Bother the girl! I don't want her. 1
want you-your
She drew away from him a little
1.-THE girl, Jack, is the one you used
to be engaged to-
He caught her in his arms again, and
Marcia finished her confession
"You never asked her why she gave
| back the ring. You didn't give her a
chance to explain that before she be-
came an old married woman she want
ed the experience of knowing some
one besides the man who had always
| been her constant attendant. She
meant to take a little vacation Of
month or two, but you made it so
hard she had to wait until-oh, Jack,
! do you know what a week from today
isY
Jack disengaged one arm long enough
! to slip glistening golden circlet on
| Marcia's finger. Then he answered tri-
umphantly:
do know? Well, think any man
ought to recognize his own wedding
/ day. It's the end of your vacation,
| young ladyw