The Glenwood post., 1912-06-29
TIME TO
THINK
Copyright. 1912, by Associated Literary
Press.)
BY Jeanne o. Loizeaux


with very little but super-elegant
baggage. and alone. She had been
excited at first. but as the hours
passed her gaze became quieter
more thoughtful She leaned her
cloud of gold-brown hair back against
the seat and idly watched the porter
light up as the dusk fell upon them.
Down the aisle a few seats and
facing her sat youth with his hat
tipped back on his head. He was
playing cards with Kansas farmer
travelling man from Chicago. and
an old German woman. A little old
lady, perfect in feature and every de-
tail of dress, still beautiful. was
amusedly watching them all. The
youth caught the travelling mans
glance as for the thousandth time 1t
rested on the girl.
Easy to look at, isn't she?" quoth
the youth. But she wouldn't stand
for any freshness-from you. say!'
he observed.
The man laughed with uneasy i'm
pudence. "If Kansas and lick you
and the lady in this round, I'll show
you! I'll go over and make good
with that glrl-my trick!" And then
the little old lady slowly rose and
made her way to the girl, whose eyes
were feverishly bright. She smiled,
as anything alive to fineness must
smile. when the old lady took the seat
beside her-not like protector. but
ls one seeking company.
You are alone, my dear?"
"Quite-quite alone!"
Then they talked. impersonally.
but with friendliness, as strange wom-
en- Of the same world approach each
other, the older woman wistful at the
freshness Of youth, the girl wishing
,or the tranquility of age. The land
scape was quite dark when she spoke
again.
81 was-going to California" she
said. And then. brusquely. did you
ever do anything you were-sorry
ior? / mean, any really big thing?
Did you ever make decision because
you were blind with ignorance, and
be sorry and-scared after you had
time to think?" She hurled the
questions at the old lady, who ac-
cepted them calmly She had watched
FOR this chance, feeling something
was wrong.
Yes, my dear child. You are
stranger, SO l don't mind telling you.
Once. because felt uneasy, got OF
at station after | had been started
by my father to girls school.
reached my father Just In time to
save him from suicide from melan-
choly over my mothers death, and
thinking my education was taking
me also from him. I never left him
again-not even when I married.
Forgive me-but did you marry
he right man?" The little old lady
laughed inside, and turned the worn
wedding ring on her finger. She
had known the troubled look was
because of a mani 1t nearly always
Is! She reached for the girls hand,
which frightened about hers. and
continued:
T went up the altar steps twice
once to realize at the last moment
that 1t was to meet the wrong man.
1t was the terrible moment of my
Iife but held on to my courage. |
whispered to him that | could not
tainted. A year after. l married the
right man. He lived only two years
but had the two years; all the rest,
before and after was only for that
and ! have my SON"
Then you would always-follow
your"
always follow your heart II you
let yourself be quiet, there will In
any great event be still voice that
will show you the right path to
choose" The old lady waited.
The girl grew very pale.
But If you had promised your
father-when he was dying-to-
marry somebody and you liked him
and respected him! And when II
was almost time for you to marry
him and you were all ready, and the
whole world knew about 1t, suppos
ing some one else came, and you
knew in one moment that he was the
right one? And you felt instantly
that he knew 1t, too? And then
when you were taking the train west
to the first mans mothers, where al
your wedding things were sent on
what II the real one forgot himself
at the station and-showed you his
hearth" She was breathless and white
but her voice was very low.
The old lady was silent.
What would you do?" insisted the
Young voice. Can't you help me
wish there would be wreck"
THAT is very foolish. Better bt
quiet and tell me. about 1t. You know
1t is not right to marry where yol
do not love. Nothing can make
right to do wrong"
my promise"
"The dead cannot live for the dea
ones they leave behind. Your fathe
would not hold you to 1t. nor require
such a sacrifice"