The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-04-24


I I w. .5..saiy sentimental little
pocm, &c. tnafe was something 90
Intimately friendly ubou. the udes
mat jim Keynuloo. Ic1 no grei. sur
.priso When lie glanced down az tha
writer's name anu found IL TO be Mary
McGhee. Mary McGGte.
What troop OF groytly little memo.
ries those worcs cOnjured Up Ior the
man, az he TAI b. d wiaal& M ~,
SFca. book-iinci room! CiaEciEs out,
de was conscious for too iifai tiluv
that spins. win agt.ol2 magic, had
touched The cactjI ag1:n and tins. Dur.
geontng b0uSah, ana hUttutcErj fam
ing scallopsI yellow retticoats, gave
evidence Of the reviNtJins power OF
the fragrant wand.
Liiacs, that his mother had planted
In her own youthful days, tossed pur.
pie and whito pluEes in the light
breeze. Whitc.throats were busily
building in the oiossoming pear tree
By the driveway. a pot Of tulips on the
wfn1c% Sill ciusht and held the sur.
light aaJ silEcG So,9caly,t
Strange that those lines Of a girI
he had known hack there in the uu[or.
, getahle days Of immaturlty should
make him conscious Of bird aud leaf
and blossom that had oeen there. un.
noticed, before. But that had been
Mays way. Sha was not content to
enjoy beauty alone. She had always
pointed II out for less discriminating,
Jess appreciative eyes
Jim looked at the silver framed mic
ture Of his wife that stood on the huge
fattopped mahokany desk before him.
The little ruffled dress she had worn
when the picture was taken was no
less light and airy than the pretty.
smiling girl herself
II was indicative OF her attitude to
life. For the ten years OF their mar.
ried life she had laughed and danced
and played, and when at times. IN
moments Of real need. he had turned to
her she had been able 10 offer him
Z only the star dust on her brightly hued
butterfly wings.
He read once more the lines of the
roem expressing the romantic ideas
the thought of youths first love for.
ever fingers In the heart All at nncr
there registered on the rctina of his
memory the look in Mary McGhee's
lace when he had told her that Claire
lnman had promised to marry him.
He recalled dimly how awkwardlv
tender he had felt toward the little
girl to whom he had often made love
lightly before the great and binding
passion for Claire had caused him tn
teel himself suddenly a grown man.
with the desire to possess and cherish
her filling his whole life.
- II fIaire'a
to do with his choice. he had tried des
nerately to nut the though behind him
But sitting there by the window. years
after, he WINGED little AT the mem.
DRY, of Mary McGhee's face, with her
heroicallv suppressed hearts secret
blazing like scarlet banner across
her cheeks
Tor ono terrifying second Jim had
Il known and Mary MoGheo knew he'll
understood, Then she had rallied and
warmly congratulated him hoping
with all her heart. she had said. he
would be as happy as he deserved. She
had gone away before tho wedding.
and Jim remembered how strangely he
had thought Of her that June morning
Of how she would have loved the ma
donna lilies and great banks of daisies
that filled the house.
He had missed her. and then the jov
of possessing the pretty. spoiled girl
he had asked to be his wife had blot.
ted everything else from his mind until
! the day came when he realized that
slaire had never loved him, that she
could not, perhaps love anybody. but
herself.
Once in awhile he had seen stories
written by Mary In the current maya.
tifies, had wondered for a few min.
tites where she was and what life had
offered her, felt briefly conscious OF
the pain that his careless youth had
given her. and then considered grimly
that the healing touch OF years had
doubtleEsly erased him even from her
memory.
Yet tho thought OF her strangely rer.
sisted. He reflected that he had been
a very sick man lately and that he
might attribute to his present weak.
ness of body the reading OF poetry. in
which he never by any chance induls.
ed, and his sentimental thoughts OF
youth, Of unattained ideals and nj
shattered dreams. Life did that to
everybody.
u took you. young and vigorous
and idealistic as Galahad, and broke
you on turn oil the wheel. Here he
was with nothing TO satisfy him OK.
.cept the knowledge OF his business.
success; and he was not yet forty.
The junior member of his firm came
in noisily bringing bottle of ancient
vintage and basket Of strawberries
from his own hothQuses. Everything
s Is going fine down at the office. We
agreed today that you need a nice
vacation aud we want you to 60 right
away. What do you think about it,
old man."
Jim glanced once moro ont Of tho
window. Something, soft as a hirn
rail- seemed to challenge him; some.
Thing, sweet as the Tilt of half.for.
gotten love song that Hbrates the
chords Of the heart, seemed TO deny
that life was done for him.