The state herald., 1920-05-07

high-bQrn virgipian ancestry-a back
ground Of jewels, { Brocs des, faus, Haii
satin slippert, of bput and 6nuiGs
Of wlde-reaching plantations aid
slaves. The Major; has hem i9ne Of
those who has heroacaily lfbyEht In
the Revolution, and to whom the
Southern beauty out. Of patriotic
gratitude has given her hand, brave
ly following him into the kenturky
wilderness Unfortunately, although
neither Of the pair confess 1t, the mar
riage has been an uncongenial one.
Both, however. are too noble minded
to do otherwise than be true to the
union that holds them together. iiYSt
there is scar OF disappointrnent be-
meath the surface. and In the woman's
heart . weariness and longing that
nothing satisfies. During John Gray's
visits to her niece Mrs. Falconer has
become deeply Interested in the young
scho0lmaster, who Ia about her own
age and whose tastes she shares. Be
tween them companIonship has
sprung up which each honestly mis-
takes for friendship. iH 'loq
Amy's attraction for the nnn has
been an untutored impulse Of the
senses; but Jessica Falconer's power
over him is one Of deep spiritual in.
spiration. 1 i4le
When he awnkens to the discovery
that In reality 1t is Mrs. Falconer
whom he loves his reverence for her,
her purity, and her loyalty to her hus-
band all bind him to silence. She also
loves him but is In honor bound to
give him no sign, and hence with their
love unspoken he goes East ostensibly
to recover the legacy he expects to
Inherit but determined never to return.
The lawsuit for his property goes
ngninst him and he IN cast into jail for
debt. from which ignominy the e.
forts Of friends relense him. He 10,
proud man and wishing to pay this
debt Of gratitude he proposes to marry
the daughter Of the family that has
befriended him. Before the marfiaRe,
however. he tells his future bride, quite
frankly that he loves sOme0ne else Who
Ia not free. and It Is with this kAnyl-
edge that she accepts him. While the
wedding IL In preparation iet4er
comes to him from Mrs Falcouer In
nouncing the death Of her husband.
and In the silent hope that his naucee
will give him his liberty he acquaiHts
her with the change In his prospetis.
We gather from the text that the Gri
is unwilling to give him up, and us he
Is too honorable tosdemand his free
dom he carries out his pledge.
All ignornnt Of this turn OF events
Mrs. Falconer In the meantime Is 70
sure Of his love that she erects In
distant Kentucky a stntely mansion
modelled after the home Of her early
youth. She is still In the thirtIes and
beautiful. and deluded into the belief
that at last her dreams are to be full
filled she muLes ready for her mar.
rfage. A paper telling Of Johns union
with someone else rrdely destroys her
paradise. Twice she has missed ths
prize Of happiness. The intense Joys
Of womanhood she In never to know.
II shall 20 softly all my dayA" Hha
murmurx. ''''''.~
Time sweeps on but her beauty does
not fade. She becomes the great lady
Of the Southern settlement and at her
home Aaron Burr and many another
famous American IL entertained. More
than one man lays his fortune at her
feet and goes away disappointed.
There are women who never expert.
ence the heights and the deptha Of
life. Gazing deep into their eyes we
are reminded Of the light Of dim
churches-They are the women who
have missed happiness and who know
It: but having failed Of affection give
themselves to duty. II wns Into T."
company Of these quieter pilgrims Ut
she had passed" M
One day long afterward when xhe
is alone In her garden she sees coulng
toward her magnificent young felibw
at the brink Of manhood lE
He lifts his hat with cour'ly gesturc.
old friend and my father sends me
to you to stny II you will let me. And
he desires me to deliver this letters
"John Grny," she cried. "You John
Grayl You' Take on your hat"
For moment she looked 1T his
forehead and his hair: her eyes be
came blinded with tears. She threw
her arms around his neck with n sob
and covered his face with Kisses.
Alone IN the solitude of her bedroom
she reads the letter, f4
John tells her that he loves hef; Tint
he has always loved her; md that II
Is the nrc of this love thnt through
the ycnrs has kept his Ideals aglow
"Niany n time this candle has gonc
out but NJ quickly as ! could snatch
any torch-wlth your uetcd nnipe on
my llps-lt has been rclB'hted."
III" he adds, ~ have kepi unhrohcn
faith with nny OF mine, thank ypu.
And thank Godf"
Thus ends the novel. N
Copyright 1919. by the Post rubli-hinsco.
tTha Boston rosu, Condensed from