The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-03-12

went from the Uruguay to the stables and sought out the elderly dignified Bascom. The latter had been the Winnings family coachman for many years, but it was not he that Edith wanted to see. She found him in the harness room, busily experimenting the efforts of the groom to add q further Iustre to the already shining trappings.
 Beg pardon, Miss,'' said Bascom1 for a sleigh? I didn't get any mes sage. Which will you have, the open one, or the one you had yesterday? The weather's little milder today
 t'No, Bascom," replied Edith, ''E didn't telephone for a sleigh. I just came over to see Pluto and Proser- pine.''
 These were the names of their jet black team, the former on account Of his complete coat of black, and the latter on account of the white star which shone on her forehead like the mythological maiden's one gleam of hope.
 Beg pardon, Miss, if I may make so bold,' continued Bascom, t'but if I was you I wouldn't go into Proser- pines stall. She's inclined to be a bit ugly this morning."
 'Proserpine'' was the faithful Bas- com's compromise on what he con sidered an outlandish name for any horse.
 Thank you, Baseom.'' replied Edith sweet1y. "But nothing on earth can hurt me now. I bear a charmed life from this time on.''
 Please, \Miss,'' ventured Bascom anxiously.
 But Edith walked quietly into the muzzle with her delicate white hands until the mare whined with positive delight. There was no hesitancy in Edith's approach, which iS half the battle in winning the confidence of a horse, and, when Bascom wasn't looking she leaned forward and kiss ed the star which had earned Proser- pine her name.
 "Oh, you darling horse,9 she mur- mured, I'm going to see that you'ref happy for all tho rest of your life. l
 'tIt does beat a1l,'' the coachman n | was grum bling meanwhile, "the way the quality can go on. guess they're l different somehow from us. Why. | she tried to bite my arm off when | put in her feed this morning.
 Although quite a student of equine | psychology, Bascom naturally could 1 not know that there is no animal in the entire kingdom that would have harmed Edith in her mood that day She was so completely, joyously hap py that all nature seemed to respond. Raseom stood transfxed with won der as her white hands glinmered | in the dark stall on Proserpine's satiny neck.
 When she walked along the street men glanced at her and smiled, and then looked hastily away again, abashed, for fear she would discover their intrusion. Oblivious of all else but the thought of the man who had told her ardently that he loved her, Edith sped lightly on her way to the park. She was the one wom- an in a thousand who really knew how to walk,-with short, swift steps which were not staccafo. Dee vera incessu patuit. He would not be there, of course, but she could not master her desire to revisit the very spot where he had poured out his heart to you.
 q love you! love you! I love ycu!''
 Her footsteps echoed it in their swift cadence, the passing wheels rurnbled it, the whistles blew it, the breezes whispered it, her heart sang it. The great unalterab1e fact was all about her.
 She pictured Chester as she ha d first seen him, and recalled his ap- pearance at every subsequent meet ing. The tones of his voice found an echo within her, and it may even be that her, maiden fancy dwelt, as his had, upon that single kiss. But these be realms which no man dares to enter.
 spot, and when the careful, clear headed traffic policeman waved aside the impeding vehicles, and offered her his escort across the street, she re- called, with a smile, Chester's pretty story of the little girls coming homo from school The policeman has wondered ever since at her dazzling cutburst of gratitude for his accus- toned task.
 Then she turned to go to the Zoo, 3 nd every spot on the way held a sacred memory. Here they had dis cussed their school days in Paris, and thero he had told her a story of his | boyhood. Surely a man who could extract so much pleasure from the simple and beautiful things of life