South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-06-21

II was 81 Ntlt nam = uAllllGL
dance at the country club, that Phil
Brockford first saw Marie Lester, a
pale slip Of a girl in white who re-
minded him of the picture Of a
saint. her golden hair making a halo
above her pretty face. She sat,
facing him, at a small table in the
same alcove.
Are you looking at the girl with
Wilton Dillingham;" asked Margaret
Miller, who was Pills dinner part
ner.
Yes, she reminds me of a wild
flower in early spring. delicate and
fragile. Do you know herr"
Eyes. she is Maize Lester, Wilton's
fiancee. The Dillinghams are giving
this affair to show her off, / fancy"
She was not in the receiving
line"
mo. she is a bit difficult for her
mother n-law to be, I hear. She
does not care for society"
Where did Wilton meet herr"
Il have not heard officially"
laughed Margaret, but in a round
about way, I have understood that
she is a home product, right out of
the country"
Phil Brockford looked interested.
1T would like very much TO meet
her, II you can manage IT,"
"All right" agreed Margaret, but
/ am sorry for Wilton il she comes
under the magic of the much adored
Phil"
1T isn't fair. Margaret, to flatter
a man who is getting pretty close TO
forty"
Don't you know that nothing will
appeal 20 that girl as much as the
81 CAnhfGffnn tod nf
the world like you? 1 was young
too, once upon a time" said Mar
garet, and I know"
you are still young"
DON'T cried Margaret sharply.
IT am thirty today"
When they were ready 10 begin
dancing, Margaret took Phil 70 the
table where Wilton Dillingham; and
Marie Lester still sat. talking earn
estly.
May / present the famous bach
elor, Mr.. Brockford. Miss Lester?
He has been admiring you all
through dinner"
When II came his time to claim
her for a dance, Phil whirled her
around the big ballroom once and
then led the way out on an upper
porch. screened in and hung with
arbutus.
7 wonder where the Dillinghams
bought the arbutusi 1t makes me
homesick for my little stone lodge
In the mountains
At brought it." answered the girl,
and il makes me homesick too"
IF YOU love the mountains. we
have one strong bond OF sympathy
between US" he told her.
Il was born in the mountains"
About eighteen years ago."
"a woman who tells her age will
tell anything" laughed Marie. Il
am older perhaps than / look.
Wilton Dillingham; appeared IN
the open doorway. II was sent 20
take this girl away. Brockford, he
said. "A half dozen fellows are
ready TO engage you IN duels be-
cause YOU have kept her overtime"
Phil stood watching the girls slen-
der figure move across the ballroom
by her young hest. He turned then,
broke a little sprig OF arbutus and
sat down on the bench they had
tust vacated thinking OF his own
lost youth. Marie Lester was the
embodiment OF the springtime and
ioy of life. She was TO marry VII
ton Dillingham;, a good example OF
a club and society man. Women
choose strange mates, unused Phil,
looking down at the dawn-pink ar
butus flowers Something, long dor
nant. stirred in his heart.
He seemed TO see an old house on
a high hill and a girl with wind
blown hair playing in the meadow
with a crowd OF little children. She
had been TO him the Madonna OF
his boyish dreams. The scene faded
and he saw her being laid TO rest
in the fragrant meadow where, in
life she had loved 20 play. lie
heard the sound OF little children
crying, and his own eyes grew misty
at the thought OF his own loneli-
ness for almost 20 years. Few OF
the men ne knew kept vision in
their hearts. And because OF the
green mound and the simple shaft
~ white marble back in the meadow
near his boyho1d home, sheltered
BY the mountains they had both
loved. Phil had come 10 be called
the impossible bachelor. How long
he sat there. lost in reverie, ne
never knew Suddenly he was con-
scious that the little visitor OF the
Duunghams had come back and was
talking 20 him.
ssT ,,-,r5.rad - v-n,,fd ~ 81