The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-12-02
CONFESSIONS
BY AGNES q. HRooAN.

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Judith, In her pretty frock, sat at
the piano and played enchantingly.
Douglas, back among the shadows,
sighed as the tender words came to
him. Something about: e W
"When breeze Of springtime blows the
lilac blooms apart,
The image Of ones first love is shaken
on ones heart"
"That's true," he murmured invol-
UNFAIRLY.
Judith swung around on the stool.
Speaking from experienced" she teas
ed, but the serious face Of her fancee
checked further raillery. I
Dearest" he said, "come here. That
pathetic little song has awakened men, /
cries; perhaps owe you confess
sion. I was very insistent, you re-
member, probing into your girlish
! friendships, to make sure there had
been no other love before me. Your
| more generous nature did not require
that assurance.
"What is 1t your song says, Judith?
The image Of ones first love Is shaken
/ on ones heart Well, the pitiful MEM
ory that stirs in my heart, but makes
! me love you more. Yet, 1t Is there,
every springtime, with the coming Of
the flowers. It was spring time when
I met her. the girl who claimed my
first youthful fancy. When I have
told you Of her, the ghost may be for
ever laid, and flowers lose their power
to shake this image on my heart"
The man laughed shortly. "An I'M
easy conscience would be the more
truthful explanation Of my memories"
he said. II had just graduated from
college, when father sent me over to
France to learn that branch Of our
business. My duties brought me In
touch with the peasant class, and
there was among our workers a little
maid, golden haired, with the ap-
pealing dark eyes Of a child. She was
very shy, Marie.
"She lived farther up In the village.
she told me, and aimlessly one eve-
ming I made my way to the cottage
home. Hardly more than one room 1t
was, and spring flowers blooming all
.. around. There was white rufiled
curtain IN the window, and Maries
ported flowers nodding there, too. She
, wore white muslin cap on her head,
. and her eyes would dance beneath Its
|, saucy fold, as I talked my stammering
French"
The man paused again he sighed. II
thought 1t was love-" he said. "Msrie's
invalid mother would call to us cheer
[ lily from her couch as we sat side BY
! side on the porch stone at twilight.
And one night, when the scent Of flow
ers, and the silverin6 moonlight SEEM
! ed to fill the world with magic, I asked
Marie to be my wife.
r "Quick and fearful was her accept
: ance.
amy SOM called the mother from
{ her couch, and It was done. After
that, I know not how. the romance
J fed. Evenings upon the porch stone,
. grew to be wearisome realities, Marie
with her pretty tricks Of expression
but the amusing peasant girl Of the
I workroom."
Douglas paused; Judith, with q
{ catch In her voice spoke.
, "And thenw
II came away" he answered slowly,
8 "back to this country"
t "The French girl loved your Ju-
3 dith persisted.
0 Across the mans eyes flashed a
memory Of Marie's oft-repeated assur-
ance. Impatiently he nodded his head.
His flancee arose YEARLY. "You left
o her to break her heart" she accused,
q "while you found happiness with me.
Q Do you think can keep you now, Doug
a las, with that always between us7 Oh |"
d she turned on him fiereely, "did you
i send her no consoling messenger Did
o you not try to learn what became Of
that poor little unhappy thing, with
0 her sick motherf"
q 81 wrote her." the man answered
{ doggedly. Saying that It had all been
J, mistake. Her response came, but
i, much was unintelligible to me-"
= Judith's lip curled scornfully. "If
|. you still have that letter, may see
|. III" she asked.
81 will bring 1t to you" Douglas
a promised. But his fiancee shook her
o head.
a "You may mail It," she said. II
1 do not wish to see you again until l
4 have thought things out"
you mean-7 he demanded, but
the girl eluded his outstretched arms.
The scent of spring flowers seemed
nauseating, as he gloomily passed out
!. through the garden, then In desperate
: resignation Douglas searched out the
: old French letter and mailed 1t.
After a misery Of waiting Judith
summoned him by telephone.
"Marie's letter." she began evenly,
appears also to be confession. The
!, little peasant girl was marrying you
, to benefit her invalid mother. The
: true love of her heart, a poor but
honest Frenchman being desolated'
. thereby. Your departure afforded her
: grateful relief, and so as she writes