Omaha daily bee., 1919-08-23
By NELLIE M. S. CAPRON.

IRIC STATION was a brillian,
young musician who used his
" art for the JOY he had in it
1t was also his profession in life.
The pride of all "Caliiilmland," he
was at once the life of the cafes,
and a favorite with both men and
women. Eric adored night life, and
also, he adored Kathleen Clifford, a
wnsome little sprite who had scin-
tillated along various rialtos and
was known as an international stage
and screen star.
In the night life it was not so
much, in those earlier days, the
wine that flowed, as it was the
gayety and laughter, the light and
airy persiflage" that filmdom in
dulged in. that Eric loved. 1t was
as though each man and woman
were keyed UP, and he liked the
mental spur it gave him. AS for
Kathleen, he loved her because she
was, wilful, independent, charming
and proud, and in the end, he lost
his head
When a girl looses her head, it
being such All old story, society
gosslps soon tire of it, but when a
strong man goes virtually all to
pieces over a slip OF a girl, society
sits up agog.
Roses with giant stems rained up
on the little Clifford daily at her
hotel and nesting always within a
petal, could be found the card bear
ing Erics name.
They drove, they collaborated,
they became daily and necessary
inspiration, each unto the other.
They we're always together and So
ciety looked on indulgently, even
approvingly.
"One Day a Letter Came"
The letter, addressed in a woman's
hand, found its way one morning
among others beside the breakfast
coffee urn, in Miss Clifford's room.
There was smile lowering on her
lips when she opened this letter,
which before she finished the per-
usal, had vanished utterly.
Whenever a girl turns a man
down, she is credited with one of
several motives; either she has
ceased to love; or, never having
loved, declines to play the part
longer; or, mayhap, she has learned
tc love another. Which of these
reasons actuated the piquant stage
and screen star, when she refused to
see Eric Station again, deponent
sayeth not. Only, suddenly, it all
terminated.
Eric stormed He pleaded with
his lady-love. He wrote letters. He
planned and schemed and even laid
ir wait for her. His letters alone
might easily have melted the heart
of a sphynx. Miss Clifford, who
was merely woman, declined ever
to see her former lover again.
Came dark days. When his let
ters failed, Eric took to following
Miss Clifford's car. When she
emerged finally in Broadway, Los
Angeles, Eric, too, emerged from his
roadster and suddenly appeared be-
fore her. In his eyes, had she look
ed in them ever, she might have
read both appeal, condemnation,
and stormy resistance. Only, as it
happened, the irresistible little Cliff
ford parsonage never thought to
look that way. Not by any sign or
faintest signal did the girl relent.
Eric despised himself and on these
occasions, his heart pounded madly. |
He turned aside deathly white,
when, without a word, his whole
world was swallowed up, as her lit
tie figure drew away much as a
stranger might have done.
Gradually society missed Eric. |
They missed his music, his i'm
promptu improvisations. They |
missed Eric the man, and his i'm
personal friendly smile. All the old |