The Press., 1915-12-29

on the cap and fancled her bending
over 1t, her fair hands plying her nee
die In its decoration.
I am aware that many q man has
become sentimental over q gift a girl
has given him, and in this degenerate
age such feelings furnish material for
the writers of the comic papers. New
ertheless to me those thoughts of my
dear Marion-though a period follow
ed when the picture grew dim from
absence-are still sacred. Her glossy
chestnut hair Is now white as snow.
Her fair skin is now shriveled. but this
does not one whit detract from the
sacredness Of this memory of her when
she was a girl.
That period Of which have spoken.
when her picture grew dim from alb
sence, began-if 1t really had begin
ning-a few years after parted with
her and lasted for decade. During
this time heard that her father had
died and the family had been obliged
to give up the residence In which had
passed pleasant hours with her and
move into smaller one, which un-
derstood was In another city. After
this l lost track of her entirely, and
my feeling for her may be said to have
lain dormant.
One winter-it was thirteen years
after had parted with Marion-I
found myself In u city not far from
my old home. II was Christmas time
and the anniversary revived memories
of the past, l determined to visit the
spot where | had passed my childhood
A few hours travel bron,''t ne there
The house whore had II - as well as
Marion's home Ind passed into other
hands, Mine was vacant: hers was
occupied, Going to the latter. II lady
came to the door, OF whom asked to
be allowed to look over the lower
rooms. explaining that had once
been intimate with family that then
lived there. She kindly admitted me.
The furniture was the same as OF
yore. I stepped up to the library and
eye caught a blue and gold copy of
Tennyson. A vague idea came to me
Of something very sweet connected
with it. Taking it from the shelf, J.
opened it at the frontispiece and saw
the familiar picture Of young poet /
There on the fiyleaf l saw the words,
ITO Marion, from Philip, Dec 25 49,
Beneath this was the number Of
page. Turning to the page indicated,
'Tears, idle tears" -. -
That poem always seemed to me to
have in it what it alone can express i
SO will not try to express it. The
realization Of what Marion had for me, 4
the fact that for thirteen years l had
lived without it, that it had been pass
ing into oblivion, came to me suddenly
with great force.
But the poem was not all. On the
fyleaf, on which the reference was
written, were four pinholes and dis
coloration in the shape of the stem Of
flower and above the stem the marks
Of where the flower had been. 1t was
plain to me that Marion had pinned
a flower-the rose l had given her at
parting-to the fyleaf.
Madam" said to the lady who had
part with this bookY'
"Certainly,S she replied, you are
welcome to it. We bought everything
in the house from the former owner,
including the books, for which we paid
a song"
Can you give me the address of the
former owner of this?''
HT CON D,1t Won In q WOW tn it',
On the day before Christmas wrote
on my card ITO Marion, from Philip
adding the later date. Then put the
book of poems in a box, laid the card
on 1t and sent 1t to Marion. The same
evening l directed my steps to her
new home. l found it an unpreten-
tious one. l was glad Of it. 1 had
become prosperous, and If Marion was
still for me l wished that could give
her much more than my unworthy self.
Being admitted by maid, I gave her
my card.
When Marion came down the smile
that lit up her face-a smile that was
mingled with blush, for she knew
that I had seen the words she had
WrlIteu dI our pdTIuB-MoIe lHaH
made up in the change in her from
youth to incipient middle age. 1 shall
not profane this narrative by detailing
what passed between us ON that happy
meeting. Such scenes have been CIV
en- by novelists in the shape Of formal
proposals fitted only for the theater.
What Marion and felt could not be
given in words. Indeed, it was all
feeling. Words were unnecessary.
I will only add that we spent to-
getAer the happiest Christmas Of our,
lives. -.