Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-04-03

do-say, 1 seem to see myself sitting
on our porch back home thirty yeare
ago. I've got on simple little muslin
dress, and I'm slender as Elsie Janis,
and the color in my cheeks is well,
Its the sort that Norton likes. And
my hair but I'm thinking Of him,
of Norton. He's told me he wants to
make me happy for life, and I've
about decided I'll let him try. 1 see
him coming up our front walk, COM
ed I've got a figure, a real sweet
figure? That's about what romance
means to me-"
Youth, dear?" asks Miss Norton
gently.
That's it, dearie," answered the
old woman dreamily. Youth"
For a time those about the table
sat in silence, picturing, no doubt,
the slender figure on the steps Of that
porch long ago. Not without q hu-
morous sort of pity did they glance
occasionally toward the woman whom
Norton had begged to make happy.
The professor of comparative litera-
ture was the first to break the silence.
1.-The dictionary" he remarked aca-
demically, would define romance as
a species Of fictitious writing origi-
nally composed in the romance dia-
lects and afterward in prose. But the
dictionary is prosaic-it has no soul.
Shall tell you what romance means
to me? / will. l see man toiling
ia a dim laboratory, where there are
strange fires and strange odors. Night
and day he experiments, the love OF
his kind in his eyes, desire to help
in his heart. And then-the golden
moment-the great moment in that
quiet, dreary cell-the moment Of the
discovery. A serum, formula
what not. He gives it to the world
and a few of the sick are we'll again
and a few of the sorrowful are glad.
Romance means neither youth nor
power to me- 1t means-service."
He bent his dim old eyes on his
food, and Mr.. Magee gazed at him
with a new wonder. Odd sentiments
these from an old man who robbed
freplaces, held up hermits and engag-
ed in midnight conferences by the an
mex door. More than ever Magee was
baff1ed, enthralled, amused. Now Mr..
Max leered about the table and con-
tributed his unsavory bit.
Funny, amt it," he remarked. "the
different things the same word means
to bunch of folks. Say romance to
me and 1 don't see no dim laboratory.
don't see nothing dim. l see the
brightest lights in the world and the
best food and somebody. maybe,
dancing the latest freak dance in be-
tween the tables. And an orchestra
playing in the distance-classy DANES
all about-a taxi clicking at the door.
And me sending word to the chauf-
feur, Let her click till the milk carts
rumble-I can pay Say, that sure Is
romance to me-"
"Mr. Hayden" remarked Magee,
"are we to hear from you?"
Hayden hesitated and looked for a
moment into the black eyes of Myra
Thornhill.
my idea has often been contra
dicted," he said, keeping his gaze on
the girl; 1T may be again. But to me
the greatest romance in the world is
the romance of money y-making-dol-
lar piling on dollar in the vaults of
the man who started with a shoe
string and hope and nerve. I see him
fighting for the first thousand-and
then 1 see his pile growing, slowly at
-faster-faster-un a
motorcar brings him to his office, and
men speak his name with awe in the
|streets.'
Money" commented Miss Thorn
hill contemptuously. What an idea
of romance for a mani"
II did not expect" replied Hayden,
that my definition would pass un-
challenged. My past experiences
he looked meaningly at the girl
had led me to be prepared for that.
But it is my defnition-I spoke the
truth. You must give me credit for
that"
II amt one to blame you" sneered
Cargan, for wanting it noticed when
you do sidestep lie. Yes, certain
ly"--
See here, Cargan," blazed Hayden.
Yes, you did speak the TRUTH" put
in Miss Thornhill hastily. You men
toned one word in your definition. 1t
was a desecration to drag it in-hope.
For me romance means Only-hOpe.
And I'm afraid there are a pitiful
number in the world to whom it
means the same"
1--WE amt heard from the young
woman who started all this fuss over
little word" Mr.. Cargan reminded
them.
That's right, dearie," said Mrs.
Norton. You got to contribute"
YES" agreed the girl with the
locks crisped like golden wire." II
will, but it's hard. Ones ideas change
so rapidly. A moment ago if you had
said romance to me I might have
babbled of shady corners, Of whisper
ings on the stairs OF walks down the
mountain in the moonlight or even on
the hotel balcony" She smiled gayly
at Magee perhaps tomorrow, too.
the word might mean such rapturous
things to me. But tonight-life is too
real and earnest tonight. Service
Professor Bolton was right-service is
often romance. 1t may mean the dis
covery of serum-it may mean so
cruel a thing as the blighting of an
others life romance" She gazed
steadily at the stolid Cargan. 1T may
mean putting an end forever to those
picturesque parades past the window
of the little room on Main street.-the
room where the boys can always find
the mayor of Reuton."
Still she gaZed steadily into Car
gan's eyes. And with an amused
smile the mayor gazed back.