The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1918-01-04

/ Win cnE"f eyes lfUVcrScu the ducu'
ment she had taken from the envelope,
A single sigh escaped the man for
whom she had never shown the slight
est affection. Then he set his lips
sternly and left the house.
What was there left TO live for he
asked himself, and could not answer.
He took with him few thousand dol
lars, all that was left Of the fortune
he had once possessed. In measure
n certain relief was realized as he left
the vicinity Of his former home, and Il
few hours later the city.
Whittier should he 60? He had no
relatives, few friends. BY what freak
of fancy or vague influence of purpose
Arthur Wayne felt himself drawn back
to his native village, he did not seek
TO comprehend. All that was left TO
him was old time memories. lie reach
ed his boyhood's home. Like some
restless wrath he wandered about the
little town to find II strange and
changed. No one recognized him, and
his spirits were too low to have him
seek 10 remind those who had forgot.
ten him of acqualntanceship in the
past years.
All the time, however, somehow the
central figure in his mind was a girl
he had known thirty years ago. She
had waved him good-by in tears from
the railroad platform the auspicious
day when he had left to seek his for
tune in the great city. How clearly
that fair face returned to his memory
How lovely 1t still seemed, after the
lapse Of the years! He took a chair
next to that occupied by the proprietor
of the hotel where he had registered,
the morning after his arrival. lie ask
ed him some questions. The replies
made Wayne sadder than before.
He learned that Edna Burrows had
never married. She had died five years
agone, the good angel of the village.
She had adopted n sweet little orphan
child who had been the solace Of
her lonely years, and Gladys Martin
now lived in the old home with a maid
en- lady who was boarder.
"A good girl, a worthy girl, this
Gladys" the garrulous hotel keeper
told Wayne. "And engaged to a model
of a young man, one Bert Whiting,
who is working diligently to accumu-
late sufficient to support a wife,"
1t seemed like treadlng on sacred
ground to Wayne, as he entered the
gateway of the home where he had
first known Edna Burrows. There was
the same vine embowered porch. In
the garden, grown to n titan now, the
great beech tree with the rustic bench
beneath which he and Edna had often
sat. A strange peace spread over his
spirit. The front door was open. He
Knocked. once, twice. No one respond
ed. Wayne advanced and tapped on
an inside door. No one answered the
summons. He looked into the room
beyond and stood transfixed.
Upon the wall was a steel plate
framed portrait of himself. He recog-
nized it as one that had been published
in magazine at the time he had been
elected president of a city trade ex-
change. Nearby was a faded photo
graph of Edna Burrows, as she had
been when she was a girl. A footstep
sounded, n young girl humming a
cheerful tone, came tripping down the
hall. She halted in surprise, but said:
81 was in the garden and did not
hear you knock. VIII you be seated?"
and then she started and mutely gazed
from the visitor to the portrait on the
wall.
Arthur Wayne had no need to tell |
Gladys Martin who he was. For over
IN hour he sat as in dream, listening
o the soul condolences of the sweet |
'oiced hostess, revealing to him that
I'll Through the years he had been to
lead Edna Burrows a fond, cherished
ink of the past. Gladys told Wayne
low her foster mother had kept trace
if his advancing career in the city,
DrOud of him, silently worshiping at
he shrine of the love she had never
onfessed.
1t was within the week that Arthur
wayne grew into a strange period of
Oma and restfulness. He visited this
eaceful shrine daily. One day he
pened up his plans, his hopes, to the
Gladys. He was homeless
nd lonely. He told her he wished to
urn over to her the little remnant Of
is fortune, and when she married,
AIRY with herself and her husband for
he rest of his days.
One morning Gladys came into the
pom where Wayne loved 20 pass his
me. She noted that he was facing
le picture of her foster mother, and
nat there was a strange, peaceful
nile upon his white face. He was
cad. The weary soul was at rest at
st. She moved to the windows and
ood there her emotion overpOWering
er, her eyes blinded with tears. Amid
lie holy calm of the moment she seem
/ to be conscious of futtering spirit
ling the room and then vanishing to
me ethereal realm.
A lark came to the windows to feast
BON the crumbs scattered there. Sud- ]
,nly 1t spread it's wings and scared '
oft. Her gaze followed it. Straight I
to the face of the golden sun it wing {
its fight. To her mental view the
ul of the dead man was thus soaring c
a new life. The bird became mere {
eek, was lost in the dense azure, and t
lark seemed singing at the
tie of heaven.