The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-10
THE SPRING SONG
BY ALLISON GRANT

had left for her husband Sba
cred as she recalled that 81,
married steady Justin Moo,s
was twenty years her selior h
it seemed the only solution Of
difficulties which piled than,
before her when her mothers
was pronounced incu.able ls
Moore had long begged Tor ,bs
lege of being Elinor's husba,.
brother and father all ii one ;.
though she told him fra xiv n,
did not love him as she iet sbs
she allowed him to claim h., s
now that she was his wjdo, 8
was grateful that nothing h
conduct toward him could h,
him know that each day Of The,
ried life was a day of bondage
On a springlike day in la,.
ruary, she went out to a theate,
she could see a good old,fss
play with a happy-ever-a 'erws-
ing.
Between the third and four.
the orchestra began a soft "a.
of Memberships "Spring SONG
nor's thoughts flashed back
springtime day, five years
when she and Barry Elliott hs .
together on the pier at Old Po.r
fort watching the ships pass
out of the harbor. Shn lived
through the evening of that da-
she had stood on the moonlit
a South-bound steamer and had
good-by to Barry, thus bringing
end their Acquaintance Of a
while visiting at the Virginia
ton of Barrys cousin Alice
school friend, who had marrie
ly afterward and gone to Ind
her engineer husband.
All the long, hard years tt
interviewed seemed but a /,
dream to ElinOr. AS the final
rose to show the hero and
united after having bridged the
which kept them apart during
ly part of the play, she felt
personal sense Of having bri1g
empty chasm in her own II
heart.
She remembered having
shortly after her marriage Of
engagement to a beautiful s.
girl, but that did not spoil h.,
DRY Of that one perfect eveni-l ,
him. He was then a pennies
bryo lawyer, just out of colla!-
he felt that he must attain sOr
of professional standing befG
ing himself to Elinor. but eac
understood that underneatA.
formal good-by was a heart G.
even the long hand clasp co.
fully express or suppress, Shf
he had been happy, was happy
AS she went from the Thea
stopped to look at a window
Of blossoming plants, and
sciously as she looked she h
the opening bars of the
Song" Her deep contralto t
tracted a passing man, who VI
ing a hasty glance at the wind
glance at her brought him to !
den stop. A second glance ~
him to her side. That broag
eyes upward casually to res
close a neighbor, and as her ey
the clear brown eyes Of Barry
she brought her hands togetts
an impulsive movement that
violets she held fall to the 81.
Somehow, words were small z
their greeting, of replacing
let's in her hands, and Of thu
ing OF together down Broad1
"And your husband
Barry. He is with you her
MY husband died six mon
my mother-seven. | came =
try to forget some of the care;
last five years." said Elinor
But tell me of your own lii'
Is the lovely Southern girl
you?"
why, didn't Alice write y.
my fiasco?"
"She never mentioned 81
telling OF your engagement
IT'S easily told began
bluntly. THE lovely Soutt'
wanted everything lovely tha
could buy, and when she g
,, portunity to choose between
me and a man with a rea
fortune, she chose him. leavi-.
; come to my senses and sel
to digging, which | have
stantly and profitably ever 81.
How strange Alice toli
of that" unused Elinor H3
, she thought i had eno'EA
! knowing that you, too, "eF-
py
: Then my happiness iid L
/ you, Elinor?' asked Barry
/ More than I could ever z
understand. Barry; but uiy o.
, me from even understa"ai!.-
self" In few words En5i
, quite simply what her iie
/ since they parted. 1T
! only way then. but now 3
, the awfulness of it all.
And I've shuddered ttl-
! years as l thought of u
2 for Alice told me enough 70
! miserable. But, come
! get unhappy days An So
] dinner together in a bric %
; cafe where spring blosS u
: the tables and around IL s.
; miniature lake in the
, | room AS thpy rose T.