The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-10

Any one watching Edwin Jordan as
he pushed his way along the crowded
thoroughfare of large city would
| Immediately class him as a success
full business man and, with no Tess
hesitation. as happy one. His clear.
smooth shaven skin reflected perfect
| physical health, and his broad shout
dered, yet slender frame, as he moved
| with 1.-THE confidence among the
busting throng. limited nothing Of
/ twenty years of o6Asefess business
| drudgery. Surely, he deserved the
| envious gianoes of the two Office
| boys, splendid In the uniform of the
| firm, Jordan & Stokes who turned
with a glance of recognition as he
unconsciously brushed against them.
Yet the dark eyes beneath the
straight lined brows we're restless,
| troubled, unsatisfied.
| Edwin Jordan vas not happy. He
| told himself that, as he furtively,
compared himself with his hnrrying
| companions. Perhaps much of the
happiness that he saw in the faces
about him was superficial. Granted;
but still there was a great deal OF
the genuine besides. For instance
in the face of that well gowned
woman in the slow-pacing victoria,
who was listening so intentiy TO the
| gay chatter of the slender mite of
q little girl at her side. there Was
| happiness Such happiness, Jordan
had not found, for he had never
married. II have no time for
romance" he used to say to his
friends. when they numerically
chaffed him for crusty old bachelor.
He had spoken truly; the years OF
his youth had been spent in climb
ing, step by step, the ladder OF
fortune. At last when he had reach
ed the top, and had leisure to con-
template the utter worthlessness oi
his hard earned wealth, he discover
ed, with hitter regret, that romance
had now no time for him.
Jordan turned with relief from the
gay afternoon prefneaaders of the
fashionatsl BILE thoroughfare into q
duieter by-street. He mudulatad his
pace here, and altogether stopped
now and then. to ga1e. though only
half interestedly. into the little shops
along tke way. He paused before .
certain window, arranged With
wealth of old china, brie-a-hrac and
antique jewelry. His eyes grew sofi
as he looked. He found himself
thinking of his mother, and, as he
paused at the next window, with
strange start. of Lucy
Lucy? He had lost track of Lucy
long ago. Why should he think OF
her now Jordan was calculating
sneolliative even. For the moment III
was almost awakened from his every
day self by the strange, almost for
gotten memories that crowded ovel
him. He wondered as his head
searched et,t the reason for thu
strange, unwarrarted beating OF nj.
heart. Then, In flash he FOUND
the olew.
The sign OF the building next tn
little antique shop read Mime. Brioh
French cleaner" Madame.s goods
cleaned and ready for returning Gus
/, TONER'S were arranged neatly IN tn
wlndow. Among the array of linens
|, silk waists. chiidren's honnets ant
EN- breidertes was long FUZZY feathei
purple plume. extraordinarily ricl
in shade and texture. Long ago Luc,
had had a haiti was all SO clea
nova large. plain hat turned up ol
one side and gloriously wreathes
with the one long feather.
He recalled as he walked BACK q
his lodgings In the gathering dusk
with strange renewed tenderness. tn
fragrance of the yiolets that she use
Il to wear in her. belt -.
After his discovery OF the plum
Jordan often wandered down the lit
ttle sheltered street, and his friends a
the club noticed. with surprise. tina
he sometimes wore tiny boutonnier
OF yioIets In the lapel or his coat