The Red Cloud chief., 1912-05-09

= SSu ." '"e carly May evening, turneu
her back on the couple next door.
The Howards somehow embarrassed
ner. Not that their behavior was
ever out OF good taste, but their very
K Stances were caresses. their house
Keeping progress Of cooling and
( nest building that made their neigh
oors face a bit more grim than the
softness OF young summer would seem
10 warrant. She was finding that she
could not get away from love. Also
mat the great passion ignores the
small matter Of age. So. at nearly
torty, and after the lapse Of nearly
twenty years. she found herself fond
ing pansy plant-and wondering
wnat had become Of Steve Stratton.
fears DO not oweeten the bitterness OF
woman deserted without explana.
ton BY her lover.
She weeded on. and heard young
Howard bid his wife good night as he
started on an errand down town.
Then she looked up to see the girl
wife coming toward her. and wishing
she did not make herself 30 unap-
proachable to people.
Good evening - what q lovely
garden you will have before June is
out! ! wish I could make things
grow" Eugenia Howard's very voice
was winning.
Miss Cornelia smiled and removed
her wedding gloves. She wore a
white dress with touches Of black on
1t. being in half mourning still for the
old father for whom she had cared 20
many years. And one who had known
the rigid. stern, pesvish old man
would not have wondered at his
daughters leaving the place where
she was brought up. and buying
cottage In q town where she could
begin life Of her own anew.
She led the way to the porch,
seated her visitor, and sat In silence.
but 1t was pleasant silence. She
was not without q sense Of grim
humor. and read the question In the
young wife's eyes.
"You are wondering why-I have
not married! Married women al.
ways wonder that about unmarried
ones. They are sorry for US. too
which they needn't be. by any
means!"
Young Mrs. Howard blushed Grim.
son. went white again, and gave
little gasp.
Don't mind my bluntness," con.
tinued Miss Cordelia. 1t 10 my way.
And I like you. and have never
told living soul why I am single.
At the same time, before ! tell you
why It is. let me tell you that hap
piness does not depend on others.
but on ourselves. I am not unhappy.
have known dozens OF married
women whose lives were burdens.
But. all the same. was once ter
ribly in love-terribly is the right
word. When things went wrong 1t
nearly killed me. and II my mother
hadn't suddenly died and left me to
the daily necessary care Of an in
valid father, l am sure should have
gone half insane" 6ho paused, and
the young wife reached out for
her neighbor's hand and gave 1t a
squeeze. There was no sickly weak
ness In Miss Cordelia-she straight
ened as she talked.
1--WE always wanted to tell some
body. ! was only twenty. and loved
a man q few years older than I, q
childhood friend, very sensitive and
naughty. He was the son Of the
village rich man. Father did not like |
him, but that did not change me. |
We had never spoken our love-but |
one night ! stole out to meet him
and-he kissed me. We didn't need
words. The next day had letter
from him formally asking me to
marry him. He knew my answer.
but l wrote It nevertheless. told
him about little silly half affair |
had had with another man. and that |
! never cared for soul but him.
and asked him to answer immediate.
ly and say It made no difference. ! i
also told him my father objected be.
cause Of the difference In religion |
and fortune. Well. days passed. and
did not hear from him.
"Then found he had gone on q
business trip for his father. wait.
ed for his return, and still had no |
word from him. Finally. wrote him
an angry little MOTEL said . mum.
Der Of hot things. among them that |
! hoped never to see him again. that |
he need not dare to come to see me;
that would return unanswered any.
thing he wrote! Then. without tell. |
ing my mother why. I coaxed to 20 |
for q visit to cousin.
II went. In few days my mother
died of heart failure. and ! hurried |
home. After the funeral and the
trouble was over I remembered my
lover. He HAD gone to Canada. I |
never saw nor heard from him again." |
"What-a shame!" murmured Eu. |
genia Howard.
The older woman showed q placid |
face. she rose and pulled at q grow.
ing vine.
1T wasn't-just losing him." she
- Ur< ~ss kunwin~ that ri. CT