The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-03

The old man sat in his garden. It
was a quaint old place with tangle
OF roses enclosing the space where.
near a fountain, was stone bench.
Here the old man sat each morning
and watched the gold fish In the pei
lucid water. To-day he wore an old
brown coat with silver buttons. His
hat was the fashion of bygone age.
everything about him showed that.
for him, life had stopped In the late
fifties.
1t was hot day. and his head nod
ded over his cane: the pigeons cooed
and wheeled drowsily over the roof
of the summer house on the other
side OF the hedge. The hedge was
the dividing line between the estates
of the very old nap and his next door
neigh Dor. =
But there was another sound beside
the cooling OF pigeons. and, at last the
old man raised his head to listen.
Then he moved, uneasily. stood up
and looked over the hedge
A large rambler made an ineffec-
tive screen between him and the sum-
NOR house. Through its interlacing
branches he caught glimpse OF
white gown, and closer observation
showed a girl curled up in corner
OF the wide seat within, sobbing as If
her heart would break.
At first the old man thought she
was alone, but presently he heard IA
mans voice say, You are very silly,
Marjorie"
The sobbing continued. Il don't
sec why you should make such fuss
over it," was the further masculine
complaint,
The girl sat UP. and the old man
had view OF her flushed face and
sparkling eyes. IL you love me.
she said. you could never have ta-
ken that ride with another woman"
who would have believed you
jealous?" her panion tainted.
Il arm not Jealous" and her voice
quivered, only / judged your feeling
by mine. / don't want to be with
any one else when l can have you.
and / had hoped you felt the same
way"
II have asked you to be my wife, -
was the reply. Isn't that enough ??
Il am not sure" her voice was
troubled. Il am not sure. Bruce"
When n man says that" was the
cool rejoinder. "a woman should trust
him. AS / said before. l don't see
why you should make fuss. Mar
jorie."
She stood very STU! and pale in the
door OF the summer home. Per
haps l am foolish" she said. but
I cannot be happy when you treat
me this way"
Bruce came up behind her and thus
brought himself into the vision of the
nearsighted old man.
silly" he said and leaned over
Marjorie and kissed her.
Then from the other side Of the
hedge came q voice. She Ii not sill
ly," said Jonas Kent: ut Is you who
are \ feolo lssss sss.sa
They stared at him in amazeme emit
Never before had they seen the re-
cluse Of the rose garden. People had
talked to them of him, of his almost
him withdraw from the world, and
live alone with his books He stood
before them now shaking old rig-
ure in a shabby suit, but there was
about him a dignity which made rid
icule impossible.
He beckoned to them with his long
foretinger. Come over here and let
me talk to you." he said.
In spite of themselves they obeyed.
He had the air of one who had always
commanded.
But when they sat on the stone
bench beside the fountain Bruce said,
You called me a fool, sir, will you
explain Why"
The old man looked at him thought
fully. Il called you fool because
was one. In my young days l testeo q
woman's love as you are testing this
girls, and one day she rebelled, and
let her go. and since then there has
been for me-nothing." His old voice
quayered. Il could never forget"
Then In the rose garden he told his
little story to the lovers.
''She was such a pretty little thing.
he said. IN those days women were
praised for their gentleness and their
meekness. and loved her because she
was different. She was a beauty too.
and wore her hair In curls that fell
about her white neck and made q
frame for her fair face. Pink was her
favorite coloc. and she used to look
like a rose when she came to meet
me here in this old garden. loved
her. and at last l won her. We were
to be married in the fall. Then one
June day there came visitor from
the city. She was dark beauty AZ
imperiQuS ~ my avn little lady