The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-08-16


DALLAS DAHL
you write such exquisite verse IL al
most an embarrassment OF riches"
TT is my life" sha said, simplI
u love II"
You should be loving othI
things"
what, for instance?"
"A husband"
/ She shrugged her shoulders. THAI
Won then, learned sentiment in II
ally ?"
Il have always known sentimer|
DO you remember the day gave yd
the v!olets?"
1t was a daring speech. For q ma
ment she seemed to stiffcn. then I'll
smiled at him serenely. Yes, bj
that had nothing TO do with sent
ment"
II told you loved you"
THAT was conventional protest.
.ion. II belonged to the summer dial
and the proximity of pretty gir1
You think I did not mean ite"
There Was moments silence. tn
candles on the tea> table in front
Phyllis made shadows IS hitch cut thcl
of from the view ~ the others,
When Phyllis spoke her voice Id
in 1t note which Whitney had mel
err heard from any woman
i know YOU did not mean it--aiI
you know Il"
Then suddenly he said the rigt
thing, No, did not mean il. Bl
was a prig, an insuTerabie cal
Phyllis You We're a dear child, al
didn't know enough To realize ID
wonder Of yeu then. / deserve ad
punishment But do not punish nd
Let me have chance 70 prove thI
I've grown away from the calf sta 4
Let me prove that whatever my fau1
can NJ least give you somethtd
worth while in the way Of frienishII
Let me prove 70 you that am
leas: a man
She was very pale. but her voil
was steady, Il shall be very glad
she said, IL you can prove yourse|
man
The words stung. but he bowcs Il
head u deserve e." he agreed agasI
Is she poured tea for him the mel
day they had II out together
Il love you" he told her y knol
have no claim upon your considerj
ton, but l only ask this, that I ms
come---and that Won will not sh
your heart against me-
ut is useless for YOU to come. ~
said quietly.
Then he hlnndered There was
time" he said when you loved mel
There was time she said vel
quietly. when let you kiss me
because ! thought YOU cared for N
because l thought our love was
holy thing ] don't suppose any md
ever realizes how such kiss hurd
forever the lips OF woman. Wild
found out that love had meant I'd
you only passing mood | was hearI
broken l might forgive you a tho
sand times. but | could never forgel
Even II / should marry you now, yd
| can never be the lover of my dream
AS you were that day when yd
gave me the violets"
Hf realized suddenly the hopeleeI
ness Of 1t all He had DESTROYED Id
girlish ideal. And he could never n
build 1t.
There Is only one way" ne sal
earnestly. Fifteen years have pas
ed since then. / am not the boy WI
hurt you, but the man who wou1
cherish you, I have nothing in con|
mon with that boy. I know what
fool he was. I know now that IL
then. with all your dreams in YOU
eyes. that | would thank God for sud
q perfect gift. 1t isn't because VII
have grown to be so lovely such 3
exquisite realization Of all my irea n,
Phyllis that I say this. For teI
years have thought of the little xii
! who was all that was sweet and tr,I
and pure | had i've years or ma 4
ness after ! left you. and because \
that I was afraid 10 come back Ho|
could ] meet the question in yo,I
eyes? I, who had dragged love in IA
dust by my foolish infatustion for
woman so unworthy. But now--o1
/ believe you must understand-Phy|
lis
He had risen and was standing ID
side her pleading with all the ford
Of his awakened manhood. You cd
you must
With gesture, she stopped hi
protestation. Then she crossed M
room. a tell. graceful figure, th|
folds of her satin gown ripping nois@
lessly behind her
She opened her desk and CAM
back with q, little package,
"Open IT," she said briefly.
In 1t he found an old picture \
himself. a letter or two. and a buncI
of faded violets.
They are all that is left of our lo,l
NO, but can bring you othd
violets,' he said. "fresher ones. an|
sweeter ones. You must let me. phv|
lis"
4 For moment she wavered. ell
had not thought of that" she said
at seemed to me that those fadd
! violets were the end Of the storyI
but If there is something OF the frd
GRANGE of love still left for me; pe1
haps--oh. perhaps-you might briyj
me other violets. Grant"
| AS indicating the educational worI
of the Young Women'5 Christian al
| ISOLATION. there are $4,000 girls ard
women enrolled in III cities In az