Middletown transcript., 1920-03-27
CUPlD's MISTAKE
BY JACK LAWToN.

The girl came, seated upon the back
of snOw-white horse, down through
an avenue Of stately trees. Her gold
en- hair cleaned beneath the close fit.
ting cap she wore, and her velvet hah,
1t seemed part of the olden-time pic.
ture she made. AS Mariana reached
the stone wall which inclOsed her f;i.
ther's estate she looked over its top
to where the sea sparkled in the sun
shine. And as the clatter Of hoofs
came to stop. young man sprang
nimbly to the top of the wall. and sat
there, gazing at Mariana. all eager
eyed and smiling.
The young man wore khaki coat
and carried beneath his arm man.
dolfn. Unsmiling and serious. the girl
regarded him; but as the breeze lifted
the heavy hair from the young mans
forehead and the engaging wistfulness
of his cOuntenance still besOught her,
Mariana came nearer and allowed
him to assist her from the horses back
to a seat beside himself on the wall.
"Oh, princess" the young man said,
earnestness underlying his whimsical
tone, Il have waited long for thee.
Even q poor minstrel may weary in
patience"
Don't, Tommy!" the girl cried
sharply. do not remind me Of the
pretty game we have been playing.
1t must stop. Everything must stop.
| may not come here to meet you any
more. It was reckless joy for us to
indulge in. But l was SO lonely in
my fathers great empty house; Tom
my, you cannot know what it has
meant to be imprisoned there all my
life-no companions of my own age,
only studies for diversion. Why. the
day l rode down to the end Of this
path and found you here on the wall.
singing-yOu remember, TOmmy-and
picking soft, thrifty notes on your
mandolin, why-it was just like riding
straight into fairy story, Tommy. to
Z.
and addressed me as "Princess," and
when l asked who you might be. you
replied: "But poor minstrel, your
highness; at your service" And when
l came again and again to those hap
py, merry meetings. you confessed,
sadly, that was "IIighness" to you,
beca, E of my fathers wealth. And
you Emitted that you were, in truth,
sOrt of poor minstrel, with long
journey to success before you, and
not one earned penny to your name.
We should have taken warning, boy,
dear, that our delightful game Of
friendship could not last. This is, af-
ter all, world Of values and neces-
sites, and even if l would give up
my heritage and go away with you,
Tommy, where and how could you
take me? l am talking fast, dear, be-
cause ! wish toysay what l have to say
quickly. and -gOOdby. For It
must be goodby forever. I'll remenl-
Der always those spring mornings, with
the scent of apple blossoms in the
air and you bending down over the
wall to talk to me. How I shall hate
apple blossoms, Tommy, and the men,
ory. Of your songs will stay with me,
to make me long for you. You mustn't
hold my hands, dear-I need them to
cover my face while l tell you the
truth: I am to be married, Tommy,
and that is why it is gOodby. I am
to marry an old man, selected for me
face; kind man of prominence, Of
whom l am all unworthy. Though I
have never learned your name, dear,
nor in the secret joy Of my romance
have I sought to learn it, still you
know the place my father holds in the
world Of men and the proud place he
would have me fill. Oh my dear" the
girls sweet voice broke utterly, "if
:ou were not, indeed, just a strolling
minstrel you have prOfessed to be, at
the last I would have defied them.
Willingly I would have gone with you
to the humblest home. But see; you
have exacted no promise from me,
Tommy: you have not asked. me to
wait. We had better say goodby now.
| shall be married, dear, before these
flowers have faded"
The young man loosed the girls
hands, only to clasp her closely in
his arms.
Listen" he said fiercely, 'before
foI Io 4
to meme, your strOlling minstrel.
Why, sooner than see You married to
that old man. good as he is, I'd carry
you in my arms straight over the gar
den wall. We have met, dear heart,
and loved, because it was to be- Cupid
aimed his arrows well. And if the
first one went astray, well, that was
his mistake. We will go to your fa-
ther now, Mariana, and tell him ALL"
The girl drew back trembling.
"You do not know my father" she
whispered, "or his anger when frus-
trated."
The young man laughed exultantly
as he lifted her down from the wall.
"The old fellow whom your father
wished you to marry is my uncle.
DEAR" he said. ''lt was to please him
that l became continual student, so
that I might fulfill the wish Of his
heart by succeeding him in politics.
Last night we talked of you-he and
land l told him of our love. l have
a letter in my pocket from my uncle
to your father. He is eager to give
me my start. Later, all that he pos
sesses shall be mine, because I have