The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-06-28
The Empty
House
~
@Copyrtght. 1913. by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicato.)
By Fannie Barnett Linsiky

-
The little brown car had swung witt
q soft humming sound down tn,
smooth road, and its sole occupan,
was sitting with her hands in her Ian
looking dreamily out at the landscape
n the rows Of houses that the,
passed. Many a one passing by on the
sidewalk might have envied the Lowell,
young woman who sat there, so slen.
der and ~aristocratic, in the little brown
car, but she herself was not even con.
scious Of the looks, whether envious OF
1dmiring, that were cast in her direc.
ton.
If, as the poets say, "the eyes are
mirrors of the SOUL" then it was VERY
apparent that Elaine Hargruve was
not happy, for the sad, PARKWAY ex.
preston on her face told it's W story
AS the machine turned the corner of
the street, however, she began to take
more interest in her surroundings. and
she watched carefully the houses she
passed.
Suddenly she leaned forward and
spoke to the chauffeur.
stop, Jacques" she commanded.
sharply, "at the house To Let"
The brakes ground sharply, and
Elaine stepped out at once. She
looked again and drew in her breath
quickly. A wave Of crimson flooded
her face. The chauffeur wondered at
the sudden order. for they were al
ready late for dinner, and he did not
think that his mistress could possibly
want to look at this empty house.
The glory of a perfect spring day
was over all the out-of-doors. It seemed
a day to tempt anyone to remain in
the open, and drink in to the full the
beauties Of bountiful nature, but evil
IDENTITY this did not attract the girl,
Tor she mounted the steps of the house
at once.
She looked around at Jacques after
she had rung the bell. "Wait till I
come out" she said.
A slovenly-looking woman suddenly
appeared in response to her ring. She
was as dusty looking. somehow, as the
house was, and quite as detected look
ing; but Elaine scarcely saw her as
she spoke:
Il want to see the house." said the
girl. II suppose I can go in?"
swell. it's gettin' pretty late, mum,
and I don't think as you'd be SEEM
much" replied the old oma
"You can give me your CANDLE" said
Elaine. quickly. as she slipped a coin
into h not over clean hand. and with
little gasp, the woman yielded.
The front door was opened and
Elaine went through the passage and
upstairs like a ghost, the wOman
promptly returning to the lower re-
gions, whence she had come. Light.
ing the dirty candle from a gas jet
burning in the passageway, Elaine went
from one roc to another with quick,
nervous haste. Her face was quite
colorless, but her eyes burned with a
light that made her seem very
different from the brilliant lady of
fashion that most people knew as
Hargrave. Here she was but a
girl; and face to face with memory. a
memory that was still alive after three
years Of bitter struggle-the struggle
of trying to forget.
For today was the third anniversary
OF what was to have been Elaine Har-
wedding day, but that wedding
never took place; and on the third
anniversary Of "what might have
as Elaine expressed it herself,
and just home from travels that had
taken her into the PARKWAY corners of
The world. the girl had become pos
sessed with the desire to see the place
that once she had expected to call
'home."
She stopped for a moment in her
hitting from oom to room and looked
about her. Here, but three short years |
before, she had planned to come as a
happy bride, and here she had left the
nan she loved after their bitter quar-
called him "Puritan" and "Prude."
he would not ~cOuntenance the
ways Of her "set." How empty and
'alse were the ways of that very same
she had come bitterly to realize,
lust as In her heart of hearts she had
'ome to respect all the more the man
Who would not bow down to them.
md how empty was her heart as well!
She could see him plainly, If she but
hut her eyes for a moment, as he
TODD before her that day SO long ago,
% tall and proud and good to look ut.
'he had always taken such pride in his
'ood looks, all the more so because he
lad not belonged to her 'set." but had
ome to the city unknown, and had
up to an enviable position. She
almost hear again his earnest
'oice as he demonstrated with her on
hat last Hateful day In this house.
II know that I do not belong to this
set that you seem to think so much
DEAR" he said. :.and perhaps that
) why l find It so hard to accustom
nyself to the things that they do, but