El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-04
HIRTY-sECOND YEAR OF PUBLICATION
The Choice Of the Hour
A short story.


into aviation as others jumped
l. out of a window on the fifth
floor. He wanted to die. but he did
not want to take the initiative and.
besides he had other conscientious
scruples, chief among which was the
respect of the honorable family to
which he belonged
He was honorable, but not honored,
nor very high up on the ladder of So
ciety and this was the true cause Of
all his unha2piness. Ills father was
a foreman in a factory at Plessans
and, watching him at work, Francois
had learned to love machines and ma
chinery From the public school he
had gone to a technical college and
passed mis- final examination with
When he returned home to his ma
tive town, a young engineer, he had
only one ambition, that Of marrying
Madeline Meyreu1l, the daughter OF a
magistrate. He had loved her for
years. But her proud parents refused
to consider him as = sOninlaW. and a
married to baron Charles de Quieras. a
poor nObleman. Then Francois YER
der. thinking his happiness ruined.
I shall not actually commit sui
eide" he thought, but I will become
an airman and sooner or later I shall
break my neck"
He took the most foolhardy risks
and became known to everyone who
saw him fly as the madcap flier.8
But no matter how quick he arose
or how speedily he plunged downward
he always maintained the balance
which kept him safe How many times
hadn't he been tempted to help fate a
little, but every time some mysterious
instinct made him do the right thing.
He simply could not help it.
His courage soon made him famous.
he had been seen struggling upwards
in the teeth of a gale, on all the long
distance flights he had mounted high
er and finished far ahead Of anyone.
His vOlplanes were Incompatible feats
of daring and when a crowd saw u
monOplane break through the clouds
and rush towards earth with the
speed of meteor they always ex-
claimed.
That is Francois Verdier'
An idea gradually took possession Of
his mind. I will not die. 1 will live
and become the most famous filler in
the world, that she may dream about
me and sigh at the thought that, but
for herself, she might have shared my
He must live. He felt it more and
more every day, everything told him
so \ the immensely Of the space open
to his daring: the pride he felt when
he was. planning. down towards the
earth: the intOXicatiOn OF speed. and
the exhaust of rs powerful motor.
One day he said to himself
1T is not enough that they read
will surprise those narrow minded peO-
pie of my native town by flying over
their heads 1 VIII hake them all feel
ashamed OF themselves when they see
me soaring among the clouds HkeNan
eagle. and she will feel sorry that she
married an empty tOtle-
He carried out his intention and one
day all PlaSsans turned out to greet
the daring aviator Baron de Queiras
was there with his young wife, whose
face flushed when she saw Francois
Verdier disappear, a mere speck on the
sky He suddenly sWOOped down again
in the most daring volplane he had
wild with enthusiasm, as some of his
old SchOOlmateS carried him shoulder
high through the madly cheering
The same evening Madeline wrote
him a letter reminding him Of their
old love She found life with her noble
husband hopelessly monotonOus and
offered TO elope with him
Just fix the date" she wrote and
when everybody is asleep, we viii fly
away on the wings of your glorious
bird. never to return here again
The bic motor was purring in the
stiffness of the night The clock struck
out one by one From their dizzy
height they saw the town far below
like a dark spot, while they seemed to
steer direct for the stars
Are You afraid, Madeline he asked
tenderly.
Il could never be afraid when with
> VI 4GolA- I an 81 EAttQ YOU nave L0E-
given me that can think of nothing
else.
I have forgiven YOU. Madeline, but
you DO not know what it has cost me
/ thought I should go mad when I
lost you 1 had loved you as long as
can remember. and it was the
thought Of you that spurred me on al
college,
DO not let US speak Of the past.
Francois You are famous now. I viii
get a divorce and we still have a long
life Of happiness before US
She gave a cry OF terror.
teni'
He stopped speaking She held her
breath. The motor had stopped.
Francois" she screamed, you are
not going to do anything rash. Start
it again.
alive to their danger He did not
want to die now. He must plane down.
since the motor would not start again
he must land them safely somewhere .
and he felt cool, knowing his ability
to do So
stop crying he said rudeIv.
But in her dread she clung to him
and screamed: You murderer Won
only brought me up here to kill me"
She hampered his movements and
nothing could save them
DO not touch me-" he cried, but il
was too late.
Down below the little town silent
peacefully. ignorant of the drama
which was to shock everybody the
next day.