Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-12-17
THE SPRING SONG
BY ALLISON GRANT.


Her four years of married life had
been free from friction, but respect
had been the strongest feeling she
had left for her husband. She shiv-
cred as she recalled that she had
married steady Justin Moore. who
was twenty years her senior, because
it seemed the only solution of all the
difficulties which piled themselves
before her when her mothers illness
was pronounced incurable. Justin
Moore had long begged for the privi-
Iege of being Elinor's 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 a day of bondage to her.
On a springlike day in late Feb
ruary. she went out to theater where
she could see a good old-fashioned
play with happy-ever-afterward emo
ing.
Between the third and fourth acts
the orchestra began q 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 tn ana
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 month
while visiting at the Virginia planta-
ton of Barry's cousin Alice. Elinors
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 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 spoR her men,
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
ing himself to Elinor. but each had
understood that underneath their
formal good-by was q heart. cry that
even the long hand clasp could not
fully 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
of blossoming plants. and uncon-
sciously as she looked she hummed
the opening bars of the Spring
Song" Her deep contralto tone at
tracted q passing man. who was TAX.
ing q hasty glance at the window. A
glance at her brought him to sud
den stop. A second glance brought
him to her side. That brought her
eyes upward casually to regard %
close a neighbor. and as her eyes met
the clear brown eyes Of Barry Elliott
she brought her hands together with
an impulsive movement that let the
violets she held fall to the sidewalk.
Somehow. words were q small part OF
their greeting. Of replacing the vio-
let's in her hands. and of their walk
ing on together down Broadway.
And your husband?" ventured
Barry. He IL with you here?"
MY husband died six months ago:
my mother-seven. I came away to
try to forget some of the cares Of the
last five years." said Elinor quietly.
But tell me Of your own life. Barry.
10 the lovely Southern girl good to
your"
why. didn't Alice write you about
my fiasco!"
she never mentioned you after
telling Of your engagement"
It's easily told" began Barry
bluntly. The lovely Southern girl
wanted everything lovely that money
could buy. and when she got an op-
portunity to choose between penniless
me and q man with q ready-made
fortune. she chose him. leaving me to
come to my senses and settle down
to digging. which I have done con-
stantly and profitably ever since
How strange Alice told me none
of that" unused Elinor. But perhaps
she thought I had enough without
moving that you. too. were unhap-
py."
Then my happiness did matter to
you. Elinor?" asked Barry.
More than I could ever make you
understand. Barry: but my duty kept
me from even understanding It my
self" In q few words Elinor told him
quite simply what her life had been
since they parted. 1t seemed the
only way then. but now I shudder at
the awfulness Of 1t all"
And I've shuddered through all the
years as I thought of you tied there.
for Alice told me enough to make me
miserable. But. come: we must for.
get unhappy days" And so they had
dinner together in q bright and pretty
cafe where spring blossoms were on