Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-02-01

jain Harden accepted their omen
rrtures Of friendship for whnt they
me worth; he had rubbed shoulders
nm all sorts and conditions OF people.
d he knew his world too well to lie
one moment deceived as tc' the uu-
riying anxiety e.mccd by his new
lehbors to establish themselves in his
gard.
He sat at their :l,,,ner tables when he
ID excused himself SO often that for
IN sl,aihe he felt he could do so no
me-; be listened with concealed
bredom to the ilattery that was offered
hin, on all sides; twice, at the gentle
omptlags Of Mrs. Ashford. the Wears
lie, he had reused himself sufficiently
YiH, I dinner party in return for
bsnitality received. but the whole pro-
eding had bored him unrtterably. and
\ hull registered vow that. never
hin would he recognize convention.
)ties.
The four months since he came TO live
xllsnor Dyke had been the longest he
i'd remember, and his wealth seemed
a great wearincss this bright
ing morning, as he sat and stared at
sunshine while his coffee grew cold.
There was q cluster Of yellow daf'o.
d ,ut in the garden: they stood with
elr feet in the cool. fresh grass, sway
& gently TO and fro in the morning
Reeze. and suiI,nly John Harden
ought OF the woman who, for the
Et two years, he had done his best to
rrt.
She had so loved flowers. and the
nshine; so often. In an aching imagi-
pton Of which he was ashamed, he
hd pictured her here in his house,
|pying about the splendid silent rooms,
fIking with him in the garden.
y was such an idle dream. and one
pich not all his wealth could ever
|cture. and bring down to earth.
Sometimes, looking at his stern face
the glass, he no longer wondered
~ she could not love him; did not
me her any more because younger.
Pndsomer man had taken her from !
p, but her vivid memory never grew
and this morning 1t was as keen
q alive as It had been that last
ne he saw her, when she sent him
~.
ne reused himself with a sigh pushed
~ the cup of cooling coffee, and went
g TO the window.
he looked a big. unwieldy man. rs he
sod there staring into the garden;
large patterned tweed suit he wore
his size. his height and the
lath ll9!ath OF his shoulder.
Everything in the world he can pos.
" want so the envious Little
uptonites said Of lin. and John Har.
let them say it and think 1t. He
anot man to wear his heart on his
yci he was bitterly ashamed at this
ment, as hr stood there staring at
Eelow daifodils, thar their beauty
Drought back TO him the intolerable
rtache he had done his unsuccessful
10 stiile, Everything in the world
n nan can possibly want, except happi. .
~ mat would have been the truth,
aV one had had the perception %
~, and the pluck TO say it in con-
a'c'lon OF the chorus OF enyious $
~ VINO discussed him in the wears
w,ng'room and every other draw.
room in every house in Little Help. :
.verything in the world except han.
-, ~ anu therefore nothing that really :
=" IN the scheme of life. .
y turned away from the window q
little Shrug OF his shoulders. q
'sIed 'sIed up his letters and went out {
zoe room. 'u' !,
aere was sunshine in the wide hall t
sunshine In the booklined library l.
"ussh !, n ne went; sunshine, and the '
sn. y. birds. and the soft voice of
re-. '"s breeze greeted him every. t
. ,sim. put the letters down on his desk. '
went ,,n out into the garden. /
10, WY such beautiful gardcn--o a
ttsdd'hand tsd tSa had designed it and
Nv 81. tne lowers; a MASTER brain had
srs s oat the winding pathways, and I
''s OF Towering shrubs, and the
.tv nIoplng bank which led to The .