Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-03-26
AMARYLL|S.
An Explanation That Reconolled
the SWeethearts.
ax MARTHA M,c..WILLIAMs.


white. high lying clouds scudding 80
thickly across a pale sky that only
wan and watery sunshine strained
through the breaks between. inside
there was the balm of May, especially
In the south parlor, where l knew
should find Myrtilla.
Myrtilla is tall and twenty, with
child's foot and turn of the head and
neck that would become an empress.
She has coral red lips, fine, straight
nose, olive skin. dark almond eyes.
heavily dashed and lidded, and low.
straight brow. deeply shadowed by
dusky floss silk hair. In virtue OF all
this she reigns as a queen over most
men. We had been engaged until two
weeks ago--to be exact until the date
of the Verinews' ball and the episode
of the Grantley girl
The ball is ancient history now. Be
sides, It has really nothing to do with
the case. left Off dancing with the
Grantley girl at A a. m. to ding my
self into tweeds and set forth upon
weeks journey. Coming home from
1t, 1 found my table numbered with
my letters to Myrtilla down to the
most fragmentary note-those OF the
last week unopened-my ring, my
books, bracelet or two, the locket
with my picture and n litter of those
idiotic things one sends at Christmas
and Easter and on birthdays. 1t was
this litter that saved me from uttel
despair. | reasoned that If Myrtilla
had cared enough for me to keep II
all this time she could not give up
caring for me in a moment.
Still, / knew there was tough job
ahead. But 1 did not dream she would
hear me or even to listen to my side OF
the case through Aunt Bah, most tact
full of Intermediates. Her people back
ed her, too-all but Dicky. Dicky lie
fifteen and owns the distinction of be.
ing the only think in trousers Myrtilla
has found herself unable to subjugate
l cannot fiatter myself that Dicky's
advocacy Of my cause was wholly dis
interested. Dicky has fine taste In
terrier pups and a relish for stolen gal
lops on my hunters. At home he is al
lowed nothing more hazardous than q
steady going cob However that may
be, 1t meant a lot to have any sort OF
friend at court. Otherwise how should
the hall door have swung open at my
approach? The servants had strlct.or
ders to shut it clvilly in my face.
"She's in there. 1t beats me why
you want her. why you want any girl
when you've got heaps of dogs and
horses" Dicky said. grinning, as shot
past him. "She's been real hateful pc.
lite; no good for even a fight this
whole week." Dicky's voice pursued
me down the hall.
The south parlor is a square jut,
open upon three sides to the sun. with
walls more than half windows, iron
barred outside and full of green grow.
ing things within. There is big fire,
place.
Myrtilla stood In front of it. her eyes
intently fixed upon the smoldering logs.
At my entrance she started ever so lit.
tie. turned her head the least bit and
kept on staring I'm the fire.
"Myrtilla," / ventured irresolutely,
my hand still on the doorknob.
She sat down and took up her em.
broidery. her face still further averted.
Then l knew had won half point.
If she had been as angry as she be-
lieved herself to be she would have
marched away with her nose In the
air.
I began again formally, miss Grey"
but stopped short. She had begun to
whistle over her work softly. medita'
lively, as though she knew herself to
be alone.
Something happened then. l am mel
Their poet nor romancer, but my rang
ing eye saw in the south window q
creature OF tropic charm, slim and tall
green gowned as a wood nymph, with
wonderful golden tawny eyes and a
crown still more wonderfully red. AS
1 went to her she shivered and set all
her green gown futtering defensively,
but I paid no heed to 1t. only said joy
ously, barring my head:
"Amaryllis! You are real godsend
/ was never so glad to see any one In
all my life."
Myrtilla's head came around SO that
I saw her profile out of the tail of my
eye. l fancied she stared. but dared
not make sure of 1t. My wood nympb
barely nodded; her tremors were all at
rest. bent toward her low enough
to look into her golden tawny eyes and
ran on:
what have you done to yourselfi
You are SO beautiful, so strangely, SO
rarely beautiful. 1t makes me desper.
ate that did not keep my heart for
you. or, rather, 1t would make me des
perate If hearts were things that could
be given or kept at will"
Certainly the wood nymph stared
The golden tawny eyes looked at me
unwinking. Myrtilla's head had turn
ed little more. Her lips were the
least bit parted. as though her breath
came hard. I Strengthened and stuck
hand In my pocket as added:
"The pity of 1t! There's true heart
gone to wastel True hearts are none
so plenty, Amaryllis."
Certainly they are not" came scorn
fully from the Preside. ] affected moi
to hear and went on manfully:
1--WE played and lost-lost so miser
ably. Listen--then tell me II you think
I quite deserve what | am getting"
II am going away" came family
from Myrtllla's chair. but Myrtilla her
self sat still and even made pretense
of putting stitches into her work. Find