Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-16
THE MOTH AND
THE STAR
The Story of an Automobile
Accident That Was Not
Wholly Disastrous.
By MARVIN DANA
wright by Frank A. Munsey Co.

Copyright by Frank A. Munsey Co.
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zone never sees you Alone" com
planned. always" l persisted. "yor
are In haste, occupied with thousand
things, with everything except me. Tt
me you are unattainable as star
Though l am near you often, really you
are always remote. can no more
reach you than can moth the star to
ward which 1t futters."
"Yes," she said musingly. II am q
star. And, to tell you the truth, like
it. There Is something about the cen
ter of the stage
But interrupted rudely.
"You must understand that require
an opportunity"
"An opportunityY
I'm all this time / have had no op.
portunity. Your life Is one wild whirl.
Elsa sat up straight and stared al
me with all the ravishing beauty OF
the loveliest eyes In the world.
mo opportunity2" she repeated In
credulously. Nov. what can you
mean? Here you are alone with me In
my drawing room while we are wait.
ing for aunty to get her hat on. Here
we are alone, say. And you declare
you have no opportunity! Opportunity
for what?"
"Why. to declare my love-" an.
swered Indignantly. "Aunty. indeed
That's it-we're always waiting fol
her. She's pervasively present.
know she has planned deliberately to
make me propose in her presence"
what shall l do. thenT she ques
toned meekly as l paused.
"Just waive 1t all and be engaged,
suggested tri'Inrbantly. "Will your
"Yes, think 1 WILL" Elsa said softly
At that l had her In my arms and my
lips met hers. My heart leaped with O
Joy new. dominant, complete. Beneath
the mask of light words had offered
her my very soul.
Aunty entered the room. l went to
her, gathered her up In my arms and
kissed her with might.
We had been engaged three months
when the inevitable serpent obtruded
himself into our Eden,
was In the orchestra the first night
Elsa appeared in the role Of Juliet
was carried away by the simplicity
and passion of her Interpretation, Its
girlish purity, its womanly abandon
ment to loves dominion. Then, quite
without warning, pang Of anguish
pierced my heart.
The Romeo was an actor new to me
handsome, young. an ideal lover to the
sight and as Elsa looked alteration
into his eyes the evil Of jealousy enter
ed my heart and remained.
That night after the play, at the gay
supper party where I was with her,
remained sad and distraught. 1 forced
myself to utter congratulations on the
success she had achieved, but there
was little heartiness in my words. She
rallied me on my dull spirits, laughing
" at first, then with kindly serious
ness. But I could not shake OF the
gloom of my mood, which l explained
by alleging an indisposition. Neither
then nor after could / bring myself tc
confess my trouble.
A new play was put on. but II
brought me no relief. On the contrary
my torture was increased. In the ell
max Of the play the hero, he who hao
played Romeo, saved the heroine, Elsa
from great peril. She in an ecstasy OF
gratitude threw herself on his breast
| in complete abandonment OF love. Al
she lay yielding in his arms. her heae
thrown back, her eyes burned into his
with such fires Of love l groaned aloud
The sight maddened me. l left my
seat and the theater and did not see
Elsa again that night.
could not decide on my course, but
In the morning was calmer, and Bel
out with q fair amount Of compOsure tt
fulfill an engagement with my flancee
had promised Elsa to take her In
the auto out to Bronx park. / found
her ready when l reached her house
and very soon we were rolling swiftly
Up Fifth avenue.
It was a perfect morning. The all
was crisp with the chill Of dawninl
winter, but not too cold. 1t set thu
blood coursing with new vigors ant
drove out sorrow from the heart
There, In the glory Of the morning, ir
the pleasure of our smooth movement
with Elsa nestled close to my side,
forgot despair and reveled for the mo
ment In the delight Of 1t all.
T love automobiling," Elsa said II
relevantly. 1T is the lightest. dain
TEST movement. so-oh, subtle and. yes
aerial. I feel like bird"
AS we came to the open beauty oi
the Plaza l turned from the avenue
into the park, and we went rolling
along the gently undulating and wind
ing driveway, charmed by the land
scape on either hand.
As ran the machine out OF the part
into Seventh avenue q carriage wal
passing. and / attempted to check oul
speed. To my dismay found tina
there was no response to my effort. i
was only by skillful guiding Of the au
tomobile that escaped n collision.
Once free of that danger. l set myself
to regain control Of the apparatus. Blu
nv work was vain. Somehow th'
mechanism had gone wrong. / could
only guide the automobile and pray TO
a safe issue. Unfortunately In the las
stretch Of the park had increased th'
speed, and we were running fast.
"You are reckless this morning.
Elsa said, with a laugh Of pleasure, al
We shot swiftly between two carriages
perilously close.
made no answer. only prayed for
clear course. We were at One Hun
dred and Thirty-Hfth street now. In
few moments we should reach tn
bridge.
And then the worst happened.
AS we rolled toward the bridge Els
clapped her hands gayly, like child
"Oh, seer she cried. 1--WE shall hav
to stop. The bridge Is going to open!
Horror closed In on me. cast on