Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-07-20


OF Phyllis made shadows which cut
Them of from the view of the others.
When Phyllis spoke her voice had
In 1t n note which Whitney had
never heard from any woman.
II know you did not mean it--and
you know it."
Then suddenly he said the right
thing. mo, did not mean It. But
was a prig. an insufrerable cad.
Phyllis. You were a dear child. and
/ didn't know enough to realize tho
wonder of you then. deserve any
punishment. But don't punish me,
Tot me have chance to prove that
rye grown away from the calf stage.
let me prove that whatever my
'aults / can at least give you some
hing worth while in the way of
friendship. Let me prove to you
hat l am at least man"
She was very pale, but her voice
was steady. Il shall be very glad"
she said. "if you can prove yourself
q man."
The words stisng, but he bowed his
head. 81 deserve it." he agreed again.
AS she poured tea for him the next
day they had 1t out together.
81 love you" he told her. 81 know
I have no claim upon your considera-
ton, but / ask only this. that may
come-and that you will not shut
your heart against me-
N'It is useless for you to come" she
said quietly.
Then he Numbered. "There was q
time," he said, when you loved me-"
There was time," she said very
quietly. "when / let you kiss me-
because 1 thought our love was a
holy thing. / don't suppose any man
ever realizes how such kiss burns
forever the lips of woman. When
found out that love had meant for
you only a passing mood was heart
broken. / might forgive you thou
sand times, but / could never forget.
Even IL l should marry you now, you
can never be the lover of my dreams
las you were that day when you
gave me the violets."
He realized suddenly the hopelessnes
of it all. He had destroyed her girl
ish ideal. And he could never re-
build it.
There is only one way he said
earnestly. Fifteen years have
passed since then. l am not the boy
who hurt you, but the man who
would cherish you have nothing
lin common with that boy. 1 know
what fool he was. / know now
that IL could have you back as you
were then. with all your dreams in
your eyes, that ! would thank God
for such a perfect gift. And it isn't
because you have grown to be SO
lovely, such an exquisite realization
of all my dreams, Phyllis, that l say
this. For ten years l have thought
of the little girl who was all that
was sweet and true and pure. had
five years of madness after left
you, and because Of that / was afraid
to come back. How could meet the
question in your eyes? who had
dragged love in the dust by my fool
ish- infatuation for woman so I'M
worthy. But now-oh, believe you
must understand-Phyllis.
He had risen and was standing be-
side her, pleading with all the force
of his awakened manhood. you can
you must"
With gesture, she stopped his
protestation. Then she crossed the
room, a tall, graceful figure, the
folds of her satin gown ripping noise.
lessly behind her.
She opened her desk, and came
back with little package.
"Open it." she said briefly.
In it he found an old picture of
himself, letter or two, and bunch OF
faded violets.
They are all that is left of our
love affair."" Phyllis said, sadly.
Can we bring faded violets to life.
Grant,
mo. but can bring you other
,violets," he said, "fresher ones, and
sweeter ones. You must let me,
Phyllis"
For a moment she wavered. CT
had not thought of that" she said
1t seemed to me that those faded
violets were the end of the story
but II there Is something of the
fragrance of love still left for me.
perhaps-oh. perhaps - you might