Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-09

| and rnearar beside their reHet Hi's0h''
ebe pressed them 70 her iips, rush Of
s.srs binding her. Then she bowed hef
Rad upon her hands-not sobbing-oniy
remembering.
The noises OF the street grew faint ana
FAR; instead. the grass wss green peneatn
her feet, the sky was blue overhead ana
under a canopy Of little white roses she
| stood, her head upon her lovers pteasE
listening 10 the first whispers OF love
The numbering of some heavy vehlcie
rotised her. with a sudden impetuous
movement she unciasped the diamond
| necklace from about her throat ano M
| beaped Il in n Riittering pile upon the
| desk. and tossed tho photograph upon tne
| glowing coais. Then she rose white aIu
trembling; the voices OF the eho,ls.sts o....s,,
| stiii hymning In the gray old churen,
| came TO her. She stood listening, Win
| the roses crushed 70 her breast.
After a while she went into the room
| beyond and knceling down drew from 2
| drawer an oblong package She shook
out the folds Of a white muslin gown anu
smoothed II caressingly.
you. child" she whispered TO herself,
"you childr' But she went on smoothing
out the crumblcd folds.
Laughing softly, che slipped out Of the
heavy, sIIken gown and donned the SIM
pie white one She let down her heavy
hair and braided it In one long plait,
washed the rouge from her cheeks, ana
pinned the white rose In the laoes at
her throat.
Then she went back to the sitting room
and stood before the mirror, regardihg
with grave eyes the face that looked
back at her; no longer that OF Worlu-
worn woman. but OF a radiant girl
ersN- .yIa qho entered
with q card, but Margaret was too en-
crossed to note her surprise.
'T will see him." she said, and there
was hard note in her voice.
She was standing with her back TO tne
door and Mt first he did not recognize
her. but as she turned and addressed MIN
he went forward, dramatically
"Ah, It is you. Mademolselle7 1t is
new role, then? It is something that l
have not seen before, Is 1t not BoT IL
is not Elsa, nor Marguerite, nor any OF
those roles, and yet-Ah, Mademoiselle'
you are always beautiful, but tonight you
are more beautiful, you are"
She held up her hand. mo" she said,
'1t is not ELSA nor Marguerite nor any
Of those roles that you have seen me
play SO many times. 1t is an old roie
which discarded years ago. put wnicn
have resumed tonight, and which
hope to continue In throughout my lte'
1t is a role which 1 have played many
times. the only requisites OF which are
simplicity and truth, and the applause
the only applause worth while, the ap-
probation OF true and honest hearts
She broke off abruptly. and lifted the
glittering necklace from the desk.
when 1 came to the city" she went
on, ''thIs great throbbing city, with It's
beautiful, sad, wicked life, was young
girl, untutored in the hard lessons OF tho
world had lived among people whose
women we're good and men honest, anu
thought all men and women good ana
honest. When think OF the simple un-
tried girl / was and the dangers that
menaced me. 1 shudder even now.
but the world was good to me. Ny
voice and the beauty men say 1 possess
stood me in good stead. The world Of
fered me It's poor best, and / was daz-
zled with its glitter and gleam. was
like a fly, caught In golden web' fas-
cinated and yet afraid.
To-day, Monsieur. you asked me-you
did me the honor to ask me to become
your wife; you offered me wealth ana
position"
''And my love. Mademoiselle."
"And your love. Tonight give them
back to you with these" She held out
the great string OF diamonds.
''You did me a great honor, and thank
you for II. but tonight an influence that
has exerted itself throughout my life has
spoken TO my heart In q voice which
cannot be silenced. And so / am going
away. am going back to the old role
again, the role OF the simple. happy,
quiet life. shall marry man who Is
not great, perhaps, as the world counts
greatness. but who"
"But Mademoiselie. what OF met Do
I deserve no consideration Am to be
thrust aside so7 Surely"
"You cannot say anything OF me-you
cannot accuse me more rnercilessly than
I accuse myself But because have
wronged you, would you have me mako
my wrong still deeper7 My heart Is far
away in the Southland tonight where
these little white blossoms came FROM"
She touched with gentle fingers the roses
on her breast
The Frenchman stood with bowed head.
For the ffst time It came to her that It
was given, even to this wording, to love
sincerely. A great pity born of the new
beauty and light In her own life, stirred
within her heart
She laid her hand for a moment on his.
"Forgive me-" she said.
He raised her hand and kissed II, rev.
erently.
"Mademolselle." he said. earnestly do
YOU know what you are relinquishing7
Are you prepared to forego all the lux
ury, the pleasure. the splendor OF your
present ilfe-to give up that which has
become almost a part Of your being-to
give up all this for life narrow and
petty-a life dull, and, perhaps, even
sordid?"
She raised her head proudly. and he
thought he had never seen her more beau
tiful than when she answered him.
NO. she said, ut Is not sordid, and
It will not be dull. Monsieur. It will be
glorIhed by love"
For a moment he stood in silence, Then
he raised his head and looked into the
clear eyes!
"Ah. Mademoiselle. II Is worth an eter-
nifty OF misery-one hour OF love such az
that"
He touched her hand again with his
lips. and then went quickly from the
room, without q backward glance.
She sank down beside the window. rest
ing her bowed head on her arms. and on
the night air came 70 her the voices OF
the choristers. triumphant. joyous.
Copyright 1915 by the Meclurs Newspaper
Syndicate.