Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1919-08-08
Two Lovers
80
BY RALPH HAMILTON

paper UnfoB.)
The belle Of the village. GLADYS
Marcy, had two aspirants for her
favor upon whom she bestowed espe-
ciaI attention.
Thay were Alan Druse and Morton
Bayne-opposites ia every sense of
the word They had each attracted
Gladys and it was difficult for her to
decide which appealed to her liking
most: Alan, with his fiashing, fun
loving ways. or Morton, with a soul
enwrapt in music and seeming always
in poetic dream.
Alan loved her, or fancied he did,
and his vivacious ways babe fair In
the eyes of the gossips to outvie Nor
ton SO far as counting went. 1t had
begun to dawn upon Gladys, however,
that Alan was somewhat frivolous.
1t was all Morton with Gladys when,
in the church choir at entertainments,
or Posing an evening in the Marcy
home he wrought from his violin be-
wildering witchery of herl1ony and ex-
preston that caused her heartstrings
to culver with rare delight. He had
never, however, limited at anything
more than friendship. His income was
modest and seemed steady one, for
number of his compositions had. be-
come generally popular and likely TO
remain so, and out of royalties he had
received he had already accumulated
several thousand dollars.
Gladys fiutteIed visibly one evening
when Morton appeared at her home
while Alan was already in evidence.
Somehow the manner of the latter had
indicated to her that he was on the
verge of proposal. and she had won
dered how she could seek to evade a
direct decision, feeling instinctively
that she scarcely knew her own mind
as yet. A certain sullenness over
spread the face Of Alan as he dis
cerned that he was not to have Gladys
exclusively for that evening at least
He looked bored as the parents insist
ed on some music and Morton, ever
accommodating, brought out his violin.
1t was in the midst of a lovely so
nata that entranced all his auditors
save Alan that the unexpected hap
pened. Gladys was seated by the
lamp on the table when there was a
quick hiss and then a sudden outburst
of flame. She uttered a vivid scream,
her hands went up to her face with
frantic suddenness. Alan shrank back,
quite unnerved and affrighted. Nor
ton cast aside his violin with a fling
and sprang toward her, noting that
one sleeve of the light, dainty dress
she wore was all ablaze. There was
second explosion. and he had extin-
guished the flaming dress when his
eyes closed with a spasm of pain.
Then-darkness so utter for himself
that he CROPPED blindly about him.
"Is Gladys safer fell from his lips
in an eager, anxious gasp. Il cannot
see l fear"
There he paused, appalled,. In vain
he stroye to strain his darkened vision.
1t was only from the EXPLANATIONS of
the others that he could trace what
was happeningl Gladys, insensible
and sustaining frightful face burns
from the second explosion, himself
helpless TO assist her, the injured girl
carried 60 her room, collapse on his
own part, a fading away of all con-
sciousness, its feeble, bewildering re-
turn, and a realization that old Doctor
Moore was at his side examining his
eyes.
"He probably saved Gladys by extin-
gushing her flaming dress" Morton
caught the physicians tones, "but at
a terrible cost--he is utterly blind!"
1t was many days before the lives
of these disturbed by the startling
event of the explosion settled down
into the old peaceful grooves. Only
once did Alan Druse call at the Marcy
home. He was genuinely solicitous.
A glance into the next room, sight of
Gladys so shocked him that soon he
left the house, never to return. And
Gladys, understanding, turned her
head on her pillow and wept bitterly.
Then, when her nurse had left her
alone, she stole TO a mirror with her
eyes almost affrighted as she stag
gered back to the couch. Her beauty
was gone! She realized now why
Alan Druse had fled as from a pesti-
lence
1t was a week later that Morton
Bayne knew the worst. He was told
that his case was hopeless. For a
time that gentle. sensitive soul was
dumb. Then in sorrow. in self-coun-
sci and prayer he emerged. cEastened.
patient, with a rare smile upon his
face and his mind at perfect peace.
There is muster he whispered
raptly to himself, and then, half
doubtingly, but with a longing culver
in his tone: There is Gladys to dream
of, to love. even though she never
thinks of me save as friend"