The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-07-29
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NILANTSetV VIRGINIA
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ILLUSTRATED 81 LAUREN STOUT

citations is! Don yo' TEX no mo-
trouble on yo' back den yo' kin keek
off'n yo' heels! She ain gwfneter run
dis place, er OF Devil-John tuhn ovah
in he gravel"
Sunset found Valiant sitting in the
music-room before the old square pi.
ano. In the shadowy chamber the
keys Of mother-of-pearl cleaned with
dull colors under his fingers. He
struck at first only broken chords, that
became finally the haunting barcarole
Of "Tales Of Hoffman," 1t was the
air that had drifted across the garden
when he had stood with Shirley by
the sun-dial in the moment Of their
first kiss. Over and over he played
it, imrrovising dreamy variations, till
the tender melody seemed the dear
ghost Of that embrace. At length he
went into the library and in the Grim
soning light sat down at the desk,
and began to write:
Dear Bluebird of Mine:
II can't wait any longer to talk to
YOU Less than a day has passed
since we were together, but it might
have been cons, if one measured time
by heart.beats. What have you been
doing and thinking, l wonder? l have
spent those cons in the garden, Just
wandering about, dreaming over those
wonderful, wonderful moments by the
sun-dial. All, dear little wild heart
born Of the flowers, with the soul of
bird (yel You are woman, tooD that
old disk is marking happy hours now
for me!
How have / deserved this thing
that has come to me?-sad bungler
that have been! Sometimes it seems
too glad and sweet, and am suddenly
desperately afraid shall wake to find
myself facing another dull morning
in that old, useless. empty life of mine.
! am very humble, dear, before your
love.
Shall tell you when 1t began with
me? Not last night-nor the day we
planted the ramblers. (Do you know,
when your little muddy boot went
trampling down the earth about their
roots, wanted to stoop down and
kiss it? SO dear everything about
you wasD Not that evening at Rose
wood, with the arbor fragrance about
us. q think shall always picture you
with roses all about you. Red roses
the color Of your lipsD No, 1t was not
then that 1t began-nor that dreadful
hour when you fought with me to save
my life--nor the morning you sat your
horse in the boX.rows in that yew.
green habit that made your hair look
like molten copper. No, it began the
first afternoon, when I sat in my mo-
tor with your rose in my hand! 1t
has never left me since, by day or by
night. And yet there are people in
this age Of airships and honking high
ways and typewrters who think love-
little grandmothers' hoops rusting in
the garret. All, sweetheart, |, for one,
know better!
Suppose I had not come to Vir-
ginia-and known you! My heart
jumps when | think Of it, 1t makes
one believe in fate Here at the Court
| found an old leaf-calendar---it sits
at my elbow now, just as came on It,
The date 1t shows is May 18th, and
Its motto Is: Every man carries his
fate upon riband about his neck.
| like that.
That first Sunday at st. Andrews,
| thought of a day-may 1T be soon!--
when you and I might stand before
that altar, with your people (my
people, too, now around us, and
shall hear you say: 4, Shirley, take
thee, john And to think it is really
to come true! Do you remember the
text the minister preached from? 1t was
But all men perceive that they have
riches, and that their faces shine as
the faces Of angels think I shall
go about henceforth with my face
shining, SO that all men will see that
i have richcs-your love for me, dear
Il am so happy can hardly see the
words-or perhaps it Is that the sun
has set. | am sending this over by
Uncle Jefferson. Send me back Just
word by him, sweetheart to say
may come to you tonight. And add
the three short words | am so thirsty
to hear over and Overcome verb be.
tween two pronouns--so that can
kiss them all at once!"
lie raised his head, little flushed
and with eyes brilliant lighted a
candle, sealed the letter with the ring
he wore and dispatched it.
Thereafter he sat looking into the
growing dusk, watching the pale
lamps Of the consultations deepen to
green gilt against the lapis,lazul OF
the sky, and listening to tho insect
noises dulling into the woven chorus