The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-06-24
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HE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Sttlff o. Dreams.
BY CRAWFORD LuTTRsLL
Copyright. 1926. by the Mcclure
Rs Newspaper Syndicate.l

Il
holes, and read again. after a
lapse Of eighteen years. the words
that had accompanied 4 fraternity
emblem sent her in tie far-away days
Of yorth. "As this star and crescent
binds thousands Of hearts together In
the United States, SO may 1t bind our
eternal lr!endsllip.-M. M. He had
undersigned the words hearts and
"our."
She had gone back homo on a visit
and following tho proverbial rule Of
.umasinS the attic on a rainy day In
search OF entertainment had found by
chance q packet OF old letters that she
Thought had been burned before she
married and went away. The little
fraternity pin that had graced he.
schoolgirl biouses had been fastened
through that scrap OF paper.
At the thought, memory turned tho
tide Of time backward and she saw
herself. long-legged. big eyed girl
standing timidly at window in the
postoffice. asking for a package. She
recalled how the long, lean face Of
The ugly clerk had warmed into a
smile as he handed the little square
boz to her.
Clare looked through the little dor
Iner window at the gentle, soaking
summer rain. Mechanically she OPEN
en- one Of the old letters, still brave
" Haunting the crimson and black
OF his college colors He had written
with the ardent assistance Of twenty.
one that he could never love anybody
else and that her influence would
mold his life She could make Of him
what she willed Age had It's COM
pensation, she reflected. She could
never blindly trust again, never be
hurt with the shaso blade Of disillus-
comment. whose keen edge only time
could wholly dull. She looked at life
through the fading eyes Of thirty-five.
They were too worldly wise 10 glimpse
visions Of such stuff as dreams are
made Of.
II was when she was passing
through the hall below on her wa,
to her room to freshen up bit be.
fore dinner that she heard a deep
musical voice inquiring for her at the
front door. Thinking that it was an
,cM-time neighbor, she went quickly
downstairs.
: She recognized him Immediately, al.
though the slimness Of youth had CIV
EN- place to the rotundity Of middle
age. His black hair was thinning.
Only his eyes and his voice was the
same.
slow very much like a fairy story
! this Isl she laughed when they were
Z seated In the candle lighted old par
1or. Il have been in the attic all the
afternoon. found some Of your old
letters there and little yellow slip
Of paper which still bears the pin
! holes Of the fraternity emblem you
sent me long ago."
Y still have that pin," he said and
looked at her without smiling. 1T Isl
locked In little black box in my
desk
She laughed although her lips were
not quite steady in her mirth. 1T has
K been so long since those far days
when we flirted and pretended toll
know all about love. Oh well. rode
for a hard fall and the tumble was
sufficiently painful to guard against
another one"
aYou aren't bitter?" He leaned for
ward, his disconcerting brown ewes
never wayering from her face. "Yoa
wouldn't be. you, II you were"
you don't believe. surely, that this
aging shell covers the girl you used
70 know, Milton? She died. ever so
long ago."
aShe couldn't die" he corrected her
and his eyes smiled as they had
smiled. warming and waking her
heart years before. "Tell me about
yourself, everything" he urged.
She twisted the narrow gold band
on her finger. There is really moth
ing to tell. I've had quite an average
LIE"
.You mafried-let me see-how
long ago. he questioned.
Fifteen years"
She was wholly unprepared for
what followed. Glare, ] am sure that
{ you and your husband too. will un-
derstand what am about to say to
You. It would be foolish not to refer
TO my love for you--it has played too
important part upon my life. Your
abiding faith made me what am,
aud today ! stopped off here, in your
little home town, to try 10 get your
present address in order to write to
YOU and gratefully acknowledge all
that ] have been privileged to tell
you.
aYour wife"
II told her. before she died, just
what j am telling you"
u hadn't heard, Milton. I'm sorry
-eyou must know"
- She wondered what to say to him,
and, finding no words. sat silent,
Gasped tense hands in her lap. He
rose to 90. Surely YOUR husband will
not mind my pilgrimage here to tell
you this, 10, thank you for the beau.
tituI part You have played in the
great scheme OF things for me. The
human equation-no man escapes ic
.or wants to escape it." he amended.
II believe my train goes in q short
time. will have to say good-by now,
although say It reluctantly"
"He would have been glad she
whispered, sudden tears courslnb
down her flushing cheeks, III he
could know"
Thea he
II have been a widow, Milton. for
many, many years"
would you mind he asked gently
taxing her hands in his, "if / stayed
over and waited for another train"
She looked up at him and some
thing deep in his brown eyes that the
years had failed to change, made her
know that even at thirty-five one can
believe IN the gossamer fabric Of such
stuff as dreams are made Of.
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2 Sam y~-~1