The Lamar register., 1915-07-07
ON Her WEDDING EVE

BY GRACE HARcoURT.

NSopyAAShht AsASs W W u
am to be married tomorrow. The
man who loves me ID middle-aged.
rich, and unromantic. He has ap
praised me and thinks that shall suit
his household. lend dignity to his din
ners. win him that social success he
Graves to complete his business sue
cess. His name Ii William Smith. and
he looks 1t.
The man | love Is young, handsome,
daring He is not success and new,
er will be successful. His name is
Roger Renfrew. He has been every.
thing in his time. and do not know
what he is today.
/ remember SO well the time when
I first met Roger. We were staying
at a fashionable hotel in the moua
tains. | was being escorted by my
aunt and accompanied by a girl and
two young men from the hotel. for q
walk through the forest. There was
an encampment OF gypsies near by.
and We stopped to look at them. One
was a young man with a bold. hand
some face. After we had satisfied
coins. The younger man caught my
coin and quickly pressed his lips to It
Our eyes met.
That evening. feigning headache, ]
retired to my room Immediately after
dinner. The window opened upon a
veranda. slipped out, hurried down
a side entrance, and made my way to
the gypsy camp. My heart was beat
ing wildly. and | did not even know
the camp. He was waiting for me in
the shadows Of the pines. He drew
me to his heart and kissed me.
Il knew you were coming to me"
he said.
And he was not a gypsy after all
He was an artist. travelling In this
way with the band because It meant
freedom. How my heart leaped at the
world Freedom, which l had SO long
desired
l do not know how long I stayed
there, but when slipped away It was
understood that was to return. And
l did so the following night, and the
next. Soon | began to learn some
thing of Rogers life. We were en-
gagged, and were to be married as
soon as Roger came for me, and we
would travel all over the world to-
gether
He could not marry me then be-
cause he had a wife. He had been
tricked into marriage with her while
he was a boy. But he was going to
get a divorce. | gave him my city
address on the last evening before
we left.
l heard nothing from Roger. We
had agreed that II did not hear from
him in year and a day l was to
consider myself free. That time
passed-and William Smith came into
my life. He was an excellent match.
my aunt agreed They said that 1
should marry him.
Smith has never kissed me. He Ia
a typical soulless business man OF
forty-fiVe. When | think OF Roger l
am mad with anger. He has failed
me, and life means nothing to me
nothing at all.
Much has happened within the past
hour. II retain what have written
1t is to mock at the instability OF hui
man thoughts. The noise at my win
dow was Roger. He had returned
He told me he could not get the
divorce; he hadn't money enough. If
l would come with him, we could get
money from my uncle, and use it to
legalize our union.
1t was not the proposal disconcert-
ed me SO much as something disillu-
sionizing in Rogers words and face.
Somehow he made me think more
highly OF William Smith
Come with me now. dear" Roger
pleaded.
AS he spoke l heard steps on the
grayeled path Instantly l motioned
Roger to conceal himself. l could not
Imagine my uncle walking in the gar
den SO late at night-but Judge my
amazement to find Mr.. Smith con-
fronting me.
saw your light" he said. II
couldn't help coming to you. l want
you to tell me truly, dear: do you