The Lamar register., 1920-06-09
TWO MANS
BY MILDRED WHITE.
Copyright. 1890. Western Newspaper .unlor

/ sat In the attic beside the long
closed trunk which held Aunt Mans
girllsh finery. l could not remember
Aunt Nan. She had gone away when
was a child. and later she died. But
It seemed that the memory of this de-
parted aunt, with her name bestowed.
was to be my continued warning
against frivolity and light t-mindedness.
! had been brought up by Aunt MI
nerva in loneliness and severity. Ii
was mothers cross. and hers, that l
should resemble Aunt Nan to
marked degree; bringing back con-
stantly recollection of sorrow and hu-
initiation. II seemed that Aunt Nan
had brought this suffering into Aunt
Minerva's life and to many others by
her charm of attraction, thoughtless-
ness and-so her sister said-by utter
heartlessness. But ever in my dis
ciplined childish mind was sneaking
admiration for this same witch Of AN
aunt. who with her small brown face
had triumphed in love. And as she
could not keep all the love bestowed.
reasoned what could she do but cast
1t back again? I used to study the
painting of my mother and her two
sisters and ponder over It,
"You see," Mans twinl<ly eyes
seemed to say. I'm more sinned
against than SHINING. II is my elder
sisters who enjoy the advantages; If
happened to win love here and there,
can l help that?"
The pathetic curve of Mans lips
begged the question. Startled. / turned
TO the glass to see another small face
with the same twinkly eyes. the same
lips dropping In the mirror grieVed
with life as 1t was. The resemblance
was remarkable:" as l had heard
mother and Aunt Minerva so often re-
mark; and because of that resem-
blance, lived until the age Of twen-
ty-five the secluded life of cloister.
Aunt Mans unforgivable sin was the
winning of IA heart-which had been
duly given and signed to Minerva.
Aunt Minerva's fiance had not hap
pened to meet the elusive Nan until
after he was publicly betrothed to
Aunt Minerva. But as soon as he did
know the queer little creature It was
all OF with Minerva and he told her
else thereafter. he said. but the little
girl who had bewitched him; and
though Aunt Nan would have nothing
to do with the man after that, he
fingered only long enough to learn of
her AFFAIR with David. then he went
away forever. David Burnie was the
only son of the old Scotch doctor
whom everybody loved; and David
was studying medicine In the city that
he might soon fill his fathers place.
David had played with Nan when she
was n schoolgirl. He'd loved her
throughout high school days: and
though Nan laughed and tceated him
In her charming impersOnal manner.
still Davld's hope was to win her for
his wife when he should he through
with his college, and take her to his
fathers home to dispense happiness
there as Its mistress. Nan allowed
him to think that perhaps this hope
might come. Then as David was about
TO graduate Nan wrote him from Call
fOrnia. where she had gone to visit,
that II he'd throw over the doctor
business altogether and 20 out there
where there was wonderful opening
for him IN her uncle's business con
cern. she might marry him there.
David threw over his career without
n regretful thought and went TO her:
and the old doctor. who was getting
too old TO carry on his practice longer.
closed his office door In silence and
closed his heart to David. And when
David reached California. Nan was
married. She "had not meant TO he
she told David tearfully. but this man
who loved her had felt so terribly
when he learned Of David's coming.
And this was the Nan who had been
held up to me in warning. David
never came back. No one knew what
became of him. There were stacks of
David Burnie's letters In the trunk
which Nan left so long ago here in her
home. loved to read them on long
Idle afternoons and | pictured David
To myself a man of noble sympathies.
the hero of every book l read There
was picture Of David. too, and
liked she fine seriousness Of his face.
And ON this particular afternoon
drew from the trunk muslin dress
covered with lavender roses and fanci-
fully | tied its violet ribbons about