Imperial Valley press., 1912-03-26
The Locket
By HENRY D. STANLEY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

with an inexpensive stone. When the
music ceased she took the mans arm,
and they strollcd away into a side
room. where there was no one except
themselves. Seating herself on sofa.
she said:
That's our last dance
@You don't care to waltz"
"While waiting my chances in the
matrimonial market would be passing
away. in ten years | shall be thirty
and my opportunities for marriage re-
duced Mt least - per cent, at thirty
Eve say 90 per cent. and at forty I
won't have one chance in a hundred
that have now
"You will always have me whatever
be your age"
81 wouldn't trust to your constancy.
We girls as we grow older become
either fat or skinny. And know you
too well to believe that you will ever
love either kind
81 swear
Don't swear. Go out, as you pro-
pose TO, to the mining districts and
when you return. if unmarried and l
am unmarried and you want me, you
will doubtless get me. But you won't
want me-
She took off the ring on her finger,
unclasped the locket from about her
neck and handed them to him.
keep them" he said. not as typi-
cal of an engagement. but as trinkets."
'-Since you wish it l will"
"Goodby. l leave by an early train.
must go. ! have things to do Yet
before going to bed"
"Goodby and good luck be with you
Twenty years passed. The man dur
ing all that time had all he could do
TO keep his head above water: then he
struck bonanza. Returning to his
former home for the purpose of or
ganiZing a mining company. he reach
ed it in the winter season. when the
gayety was at its height. On his way
from dining with a friend be passed
the building where two decades before
ne had parted with his love. Seeing
the place lighted up and hearing the
strains Of music. he entered. Couples
were dancing and there was the lady
from whom be had parted whirling,
while on her bosom was the never rest
ing locket.
How she had managed to preserve
her youthful looks and her beauty he
WAS at loss to know. She must be
unmarried, Tor no woman who had the
care of family could look so young.
As she danced by him, the ocket firt-
ing as of yore. their eyes met, but he
saw at once that he was not remem-
bered.
Who is that LADY," he asked of one
who stood near.
Miss ClarksOn."
II thought So he said then TO him
self: Il must have changed much more
than She
He concluded not to make himself
known then and there. but announce
his return By note the next day and
ask permission to call This lie did
and received a very gracious note In
reply. stating that Miss Clarkson would
be happy TO receive him. The same
evening he went to her residence. She
was living in the same bouSe. and on
being ushered into the dra wing room
there sat d woman so fat that her first
effort to rise was a failure. and in
stead of making Il second she held out
her hand to him.
Pardon me-" she said. Its very
hard for me to rise. told you when
you went away that we women must
expect to grow fat or skinny, and you
see that belong to the first class"
He controlled himself sufficiently to
conceal the shock. but as to acting
Hike returning lover he found it i'm
possible. AS soon as be became COM
posed he said:
The first thing wish to know upon
ny return is have you stil the ring
snd the locket gave you."
THE ring is now locked in my bu-
reau drawer upstairs The locket !
Bent 10 my niece. Julia Clarkson. TO
wear at a ball which she was TO at
tend last evening"
He was satisfied with the explana-
sion and knew why he had been led
into an error.
The lady made it very easy for him.
She had not expected that they would
begin where they had left off twenty
years before, Indeed, it was evident
from the expression on her former
lovers face that he had no mind TO
Keep his pledge that. though she were
tat and forty. he was still hers. She
asked him what he had been doing all
those long years. and be told her that
he had been struggling with 9dyersity.
He failed to acquaiut her with the
fact that he had come home 10 form
company that would give bm aU euor.
NOUS income Instead, he left her 10
suppose that be was SIN struggling
Before leaving he tried 10 etammpr
something like his words when they
Were half their present age. but failed.
Don't" she said. interrupting linn
what ] told you has come to pass.
60 marry some woman between twcn-
ty and thirty years Of age and be haf
py."
He said Never" very family. but
the next day hunted among his old
friends till he found one who would
sntroduce him to the younger Miss
eNfnplcop Aooin Tho Iorl-ot g,r.,oJ