Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-08-08

Jack Perry and Miriam Shelby had
grown up together in the little South
ern town as playmates. On the day
when Jack had been sent North to at
tend school, and later college, 1t had
been q sad and aforementioned
parting. For carving their initials on
a tree in the old garden where they
had spent SO many happy hours, Jack
made a solemn promise to, some day
In the near future, return and marry
Miriam. Neither even forgot that
promise.
In New York, several years later,
Jack Perry graduated from college
with honors, and therein began his ca
reer, from which social affairs were
not barred. While a guest at a week
end party he met the Only Girl. She
was a young and beautiful actress Of
Southern birth, who had recently come
North seeking fame and fortune. She
Immediately acquired both. AS soon as
Jack saw her he fell In love 18th her.
But not once did he forget his prom
Use to Miriam, whom he had not seen
since his sad parting with her, and OF
whom he remembered nothing except
that she had always been a pretty.
agreeable child. Then ame one day
when he asked vivaclous little Marion
Stevens, the actress, to become his
wife, and she accepted. A little later,
in . Apply burst of confidence he told
her of his mad promise to his child
hood sweetheart. But he FASTENED to
explain that said promise could not In
any way bind him to Miriam, and that
he could easily fix 1t up with her and
she would understand 1t all perfectly.
He gave a self-assured laugh as he
said this last. But Miss Stevens pref
ty face darkened with displeasure as
she listened to Jack. Then she pro-
seeded to give him her candid opinion
of his actions, which opinion was In
deed unfiattering.
She finished her scoldins by telling
him to go back Immediately to the
girl to whom he had given first choice
of his heart. Jack demonstrated, but
she refused to listen and at last he
grumbllngly obeyed.
Thus It was that a week later found
Jack en- route for the South, Miss
Stevens having left for parts unknown
o few days before. Manlike he tried
to comfort himself 5y the thought that
Miriam, his first choice, might still be
very attractive, and might not regret
that choice. But somehow he could
not rid himself of the picture Of Mar
Ion Stevens with her wealth of golden
hair and her large blue eyes. That be-
wftching picture continued to lingef
In his young heart. 1t was with a sigh
that he descended at length to the
platform Of the dusty little station in
his home town and looked about for
Miriam and some sort of conveyance.
He expected to see q graceful, flower
like creature glide out into the sun
shine to greet him. He gave a start
of surprise when he saw instead the
stately old two-horse carriage, driven
by an old darkey. On the back seat
Of the conveyance he saw a small,
prim. old-fashioned girl.11 She wore q
plain gray dress and her shoes were
broad Of toe and low of heel. On the
top of her yellow hair, which was
parted in the middle and drawn tight
" back from her forhead In one long,
yellow braid was perched a small, lu-
dicrous hat. Her features. especially
her eyes, were disigured by large dark
glasses. Instinctively Jack knew this
was Miriam, and his heart sank.
One day, thinking to draw her out
Of her shell Of cold reserve, Jack d
fered to take Miriam for a ride In the
one automobile that the town pos
sessed. They were speeding along out
side of the town when Jack, for the
first time heard his companion In
dulge in q long, silvery laugh. Startled,
ne looked at her, meanwhile forgetting
to steer In his s1rprise. He drove the
car straight into the foot of a tree, the
impact knocking them both from the
car, ba y shaken but unhurt. Jack re-
gained is feet first and crossed to his
compa on to help her but she was
safe and sound In fact, she was sit
ting on the ground, her body shaking
with uncomfortable laughter. Jack
simply stared at the change that had
taken place In her, for her disfguring
glasses had fallen off, showing her
frank blue Eyes to an advantage, and
her lcosened hair had fallen about her
shoulders in a cascade of golden rip
pies. Jack recognized In Miriam the
girl who was known In New York as
Marion Stevens, and cried out her
name. But the girl on the ground
shook her pretty head, saying: "N0;
here I'm just plain Miriam Shelby, al
though l was known by that other
nam up North. You see." she said,
rising and coming toward him, when
4 was Of age, I attended a school Of
dramatic art, and later, with a recon-
mendation of past successes in back
of me, / started out seeking more
fame, and I met you. / recognized you
Immediately, though you didn't remem-
Der me. I guess. When I heard your
version of your promise to poor delud-
ed me, and how confidently you ex-
pected everything to turn out for POUR
own benefit, and thought all could be
easily fixed up with Miriam and that
you would enjoy yourself here and
then return to your Marion I deter
mined to use my art In teaching you a
lesson, by upsetting your Af-confident
state of mind for the time being. SO,