The herald., 1913-01-23
TWO SCENES
IN TWO LIVES
By MARGARET BARR

place. 1t was not spacious, and the
house was not palatial. They iudi-
Gated an owner Of moderate means.
but there was something about the
premises that denoted ne was refined
There was whirring of wheels up the
road and an automobile appeared. BE
side the chauffeur there was only one
person aboard, a middle aged lady
we'll wrapped in fur robes. The ve
hicle had reached a point perhaps
hundred yards from the place deScrib-
ed when there was an explosion like
pistol shot. The auto sweryed and
in doing so went over.
The chauffeur was Unhurt. Not so
the lady. The gentleman who saw
the catastrophe went to her assistance
She was lying with closed eyes, but
she soon opened them and looked at
the man bending over her
Tell me. madam" he said, how
badly hurt you are that | may decide
what TO do"
Il don't know" she said in a faint
voice. but l doubt If my injuries are
serious"
The chauffeur joined them, and the
two carried the lady TO the house.
Two young ladies, the daughters OF
the host, took her in charge. while the
gentleman telephoned for a surgeon.
When the medical man arrived he pro
nOunced the lady unhurt, with the eX
ception Of n sprained ankle. which
prevented her walking. He said she
might be driven to her home at any
time. Left alone with her host. the
lady said:
This is a singular meeting, Mr. Can
ming"
The gentleman started. I'VE have
met before?" he asked
Yes. You were once we'll known to
me. But that was twenty years ago.
and my age is just double what it was
then. 1t is not remarkable that you
should not recognize me-"
But you have recognized me-"
There is a reason for that"
will you give it,
"Yes, but not directly. I will tell
you a little story. The scene is the
veranda Of q house on an eminence
overlooking a river. The season is
spring. The hour was that when the
twilight fades into night. new moon
is standing over the western horizon.
1.-TWO young persons were sitting on
the veranda, man and a woman.
The man took her hand in one of his;
the other he stole around her waist.
I love you,' he said. and i wish you
to be my wife The words were sim
pie but more winning from their sim
plicity. 1t was the happiest moment
of her life.
But not relishing being won too cas-
fly she asked for time, promising an
answer within a few days. He assent.
ed. but reluctantly. When few days
had passed she looked for him to come
to her for her answer. He did not
come. A month passed and she recelv.
ed a letter from him from a distant
city. telling her that he had suddenly
been called away; that new field had
opened to him, but that it would be a
long while before he could expect any
great success. Had she loved him
deeply she would not have asked fol-
time This was probably fortunate
since he could not be near her. a long
while must pass before they could be
married, and he would only stand in
her way of being settled for life. II
she agreed with him in this an answer
to the question he had asked was not
necessary. that answer was to have
| been Yes nd she preferred to stand
by it she might write him, and he
would do his best to make good his
offer.
This chilled her first and only love
She wrote him that doubtless he was
right about the matter. and since his
view was hers. she considered his Offer
annulled."
The lady had reached this poin
which was the end Of her story, wher
one of the young ladies in the house
brought in a dainty luncheon on a sal
yer. She would have fingered, but hel
father told her that the stranger wa:
not equal to seeing more than one
person at a time. The girl withdrew
Then he spoke.
There is a period In a mans lif'
between, say, eighteen and twenty-five
when what he is to be is forming. Ill
is clay ready to thrust into the fur
mace. This person you speak Of wa!
then in that condition. He was at al
important point Of his life when thu
two elements, caution and daring, ar
struggling for the mastery. In hi
case caution prevailed. And yet for ;
time the chances between the two wer,
equal.
This person who at critical mo
ment looked behind him never agail
came to a point where he could con
fidently. fearlessly look before him
He has lived a negative life. He ha
been a failure"
There was a deep sadness in his las
words. The lady took his hand in her
and pressed it alphabetically.
THE carriage that was ordered ha
arrived" said one Of the young girls
throwing open the door.
The injured woman was helped to tn
carriage and when seated thanke
those she left for their kindness. the
she was driven away.
81 wonder" said one of the sister