The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-12-27
TWO SCENES
IN TWO LIVES
-
BY MARGARET BARR

~ keHuenldH IiNiuS On u couhtiy iV"e
was taking the air walking about his
place. Ii was not spacious. and the
house was not palatial, They indi
Gated an owner of moderate means
but there was something about the
premises that denoted he was refined
There was whirrlng Of wheels up the
road and an automobile appeared. Be.
side the chauffeur there was only one
person aboard. middle aged lady
well wrapped IN fur robes. The We
hlcle had reached point perhaps a
hundred yards from the place describ'
! ed when there was an explosion like
pistol shot The auto sweryed and
In doing so went over.
The chauffeur was unhurt. Not so
the lady. The gentleman who saw
the catastrophe went to her assistance.
She was lying with closed eyes, but
she soon opened them and looked at
the man bending over her.
Tell me. madam" he said. how
badly hurt you are that ! may decide
what TO do"
II don't know" she said in faint
voice. but doubt II my injuries are
serious"
The chauffeur Joined them. and the
two carried the lady TO the house.
Two young Indies. the daughters of
the host. took her In charge. while the
gentleman teephoned for q surgeon.
When the medical man arrived he pro-
nounced the lady unburt. with the ex-
ception of sprained ankle. which
prevented her walking He said she
might be driven TO her home Mt any
time Left alone with her host. the
lady said:
This is singular meeting. Mr.. Can
ming"
The gentleman started. I'VE have
met before?" he asked
Yes. You were once well known to
me. Bnt that was twenty years ago.
and my age is just double what 1t was
then. 1t is not remarkable that you
should not recognize me-"
But yon have recognized me-"
There Is reason for that"
"Wlll you give itf''
Yes, but not directly. will tell |
you little story. The scene is the |
vernnda Of house on an eminence |
overlooking river The season is |
spring The hour was that when the
twilight fades into night. A new moon
is standing over the western horizon.
Two young persons were sitting on
the veranda, a man and n woman.
The man took her hand in one of his;
the other he stole around her waist.
I love you. he said. and | wish you
to be my wife. The words were SIM
pie but more winning from their SIM
Dlicity. 1t was the happiest moment
Of her life.
But not relishing being won too cas-
ly she asked for time. promising an
answer within few days. He assent
ID. but reluctantly. When few days
lad passed she looked for him to come
o her for Ter answer. He did not
,ome A month passed and she receiv.
d letter from him from distant
'ity, telling her that he bad Suddenly
,een called away. that a new field had
'pened TO him. but that 1t would be a
ong while before be could expect any
.reat success. Had she loved him
eeply she would not have asked for
ime. This was probably fortunate,
ince he could not be near her a long
while must pass before they could be
married., and lie would only stand In
er way of being settled for life IL
he agreed with him In this an answer
) the question he had asked was not
ecessary. IL that answer was to have [
cen Yes and she preferred to stand $
Y 1t she might write him, and he I
'ould do his best to make good bis
fer.
This chilled her first and only love. }
he wrote him that doubtless he was
ght about the matter and since his
lew was hers. she considered his offer
nnnlled" II
The lady had reached this point !:
hich was the end OF her story, when
lie OF the young ladies in the house p
ought in dainty luncheon on a sal !"
r. She would have fingered. but her "
Their told her that the stranger was nj
Il equal to seeing more than one
rson at a time. The girl withdrew.
hen he spoke.
There is period in a mans life n
tween. say, eighteen and twenty-five. S;
hen what he Is TO be is forming, He
clay ready 70 thrust into the fur al
ce. This person you speak Of was s.
en- 10 that condition! He was at an
portant point of his life when the
o elements, caution and daring. are
juggling for the mastery. In his
Sc caution prevailed. And yet for be
ne the chances between the two were so
ual To