Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-08-29
DE
SHADOW
KISS

cottage just outside the city limits.
She was a beautiful girl, tall and
slender, with dark gray eyes shaded
by long, curling lashes, light brown
hair that curled about her temples
and complexion that was the envy
of all her girl friends.
She possessed unusual musical
ability, played well and sang in a
clear, rich contralto, that was the
delight of the choirmaster and con-
gregation of st. Marks church,
where she had been attending serv-
ices since she was five years old, 20
years ago.
Theodore Craig, the organist and
choirmaster, loved Jessica. 1t seemed
as if he had always loved her, al
though he had known her but six
months, having come to st. Marks
from distant city. He did not tell
her Of his love, for he knew he could
not provide home for her as good
as the one she had been accustomed
to, even if he was successful in his
suit.
Jessica and Theo we're absolutely
congeniaI. They played and sang
together. took long rambles in the
country ON Sunday afternoons, Wis
tied picture galleries and concerts,
and thoroughly enjoyed the opera
even if their seats were in an upper
balcony, for like most musicians,
Theo was not very practical BUSH
ness man, and money with him was
scarce.
Many happy evenings were spent
in the parlor of the little cottage,
with either Theo or Jessica at the
piano. Mile Jayne, one of Jessica's
many friends, laughingly gave it the
name of "The Music Box" for hap
piness and melody seemed to radiate
about the place, and every one of the
young people who knew Jessiea was
sure of hearty welcome and mer-
ry time whenever they entered its
hospitable doors.
The gentle little mother and state
ly father were friendly with all the
young people, but they especially adj
mired Theo and treated him almost
as if he was their own son. This
made it harder for him to keep 81
lent, and he had made up his mind
to tell Jessica of his love and ask her
to wait for him until he received an
expected promotion, when distant
relative died, leaving him comfort
able fortune.
The news reached him in the
morning, and all day long his
thoughts were with the girl he loved.
He would go to her that very eve
ming and ask her to be his wife.
AS he walked up the path that led
to the cottage door, he paused to
listen to the music which came from
within. Jessica was singing "Love's
Sorrows" in low sweet tone, and
as the last note died away he looked
up at the parlor window; the white
linen blinds were down, and as he
stood there with the words of the
song still ringing in his ears, he saw
Jessica's shadow, distinctly silhouet-
ted on the white surface of the
blind, rise from the piano, and at
the same time mans figure arose
from chair that stood beside it.
Theo wondered who the caller was,
and a smile curved his lips as he
thought that hereafter he would have
the privilege of calling every night
until he took his bride to their own
home.
Suddenly the shadow man held
out his arms and the shadow woman
calmly walked toward him and held
up her lips to receive his kiss, as he
closed his arms about her in close
embrace.
Stunned at the sight, Theo, white
and haggard, turned and retraced his
steps to the road. Too latel He
had come too late. Some more for
tunate man had won the girl he
loved.
Late that night he left for the
south to attend the funeral Of his