The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-11-02
The Spring SONG
BY ALLISON GRANT.

been free from friction, but respec
had been the strongest feeling sh'
had left for her husband. She shiv
cred as she recalled that she hat
married steady Justin Moore, wht
was twenty years her senior. because
it seemed the only solution of all the
difficulties which piled themselve:
before her when her mothers illness
was pronounced incurable. Justin
Moore had long begged for the priv
lege of being Elinors husband and
brother and father all in one, and al
though she told him frankly that she
did not love him as she felt she ought
she allowed him to claim her, and
now that she was his widow she
was grateful that nothing in her
conduct toward him could have let
him know that each day of their mar,
ried life was day of bondage to her
On a springlike day in late Feb.
ruary, she went out to a theater where
she could see a good old-fashioned
play with a happy-ever-a 'terward end
ing.
Between the third and fourth acts
the orchestra began soft rendition
of Mendelssohn's Spring Song" Eli
nor's thoughts flashed back to the
springtime day, five years before,
when she and Barry Elliott had stood
together on the pier at Old Point Com
fort watching the ships pass in and
out of the harbor. She lived again
through the evening of that day when
she had stood on the moonlit deck of
South-bound steamer and had hidden
good-by to Barry, thus bringing to an
end their acquaintance of a month
while visiting at the Virginia planta-
tion Of Barry's cousin Alice, Elinor's
school friend, who had married short
ly afterward and gone to India with
her engineer husband.
All the long, hard years that had
interviewed seemed but a troubled
dream to Elinor. AS the final curtain
rose to show the hero and heroine
united after having bridged the chasm
which kept them apart during the ear
ly part of the play, she felt a curious
personal sense of having bridged the
empty chasm in her own life and
heart.
She remembered having heard,
shortly after her marriage, of Barry's
engagement to a beautiful Southern
girl, but that did not spoil her mem
Dry of that one perfect evening with
him. He was then a penniless, EN-.
bryo lawyer, Just out OF college. and
he felt that he must attain some sort
Of professional standing before offer |
ng himself to Elinor, but each had
that underneath their |
'ormal good-by was a heart cry that
sven the long hand clasp could not |
ully express or suppress She hoped
he had been happy, was happy now. )
AS she went from the theater she ,
stopped to look at window display
" poisoning plants, and uncon-
'ciously as she looked she hummed
he opening bars of the Spring
song" Her deep contralto tone at
racted passing man, who was TAX.
ng hasty glance at the window. A
lance at her brought him to a sud-
zen stop. A second glance brought
i'm to her side. That brought her
yes upward casually to regard so
lose neighbor, and as her eyes met
ne clear brown eyes of Barry Elliott
he brought her hands together with
n impulsive movement that let the
folets she held fall to the sidewalk.
omehow. words were small part Of
heir greeting. OF replacing the vio-
ITS In her hands. and Of their walk.
,g on together down Broadway.
And your husband?" ventured
AIRY. He is with you here?"
My husband died six months ago;
~ mother-seven. came away to
y to forget some Of the cares of the
st five years." said Elinor quietly
But tell me Of your own life. Barry.
the lovely Southern girl good to
ou?"
Why. didn't Alice write you about l
" fiasco?"
she never mentioned you after
Hing OF your engagement"
It's easily told" began Barry
unity. The lovely Southern girl
anted everything lovely that money
'uld buy, and when she got an op-
'rtunity to choose between penniless
and man with ready-made
rtune, she chose him. leaving me to H
me TO my senses and settle down |
digging, which ! have done con.
antly and profitably ever SINCE"
How strange Alice told me none
that" unused Elinor But perhaps
e thought i had enough without H
owing that you, too, were unhap.
Then my happiness did matter to III
u, Elinor asked Barry. III
More than I could ever make YOU III
derstand, Barry; but my duty kent III
from even understanding it my. III
I. In few words Elinor told him III
lie simply what her life had been III
ce they parted. 1t seemed the III
" way then. but now | shudder at Nj
awfulness of it ALL" III
And I've shuddered through all the
IRIS as | thought of you tied there. HI
Alice told me enough to make me III
SCRABBLE. But. come: we must for iii
unhappy days. And so they had Hi
ner together in a bright and pretty Hi
where spring blossoms were on I'LL
tables and around the edge of the HI
nature lake IN the center of the Hi
m. AS they rose to leave and ",
'ry was placing Elinor's wrap about I'LL