The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1922-04-27
AFTERMATH
sy ORA REDMOND


thai meant much or little ~ he chus,
to Interpret II.
and ~. u you ARE still the sainp
odd hob. with an eye 10 what the Other
hnlf OF the world u doing come aud
ssv what my share of Il u up to-
sm >till the true daughter of travel. hui
II sou will but say the wish my wings
shall be- folded for a little time. and
!. ,oky fire and chairs for twu shall
he in the order ~ things for the sake
NJ Aud Lang Syne
Just like Peg" he declared. rs he
studied the letter. dear little. Jolly
reg g.
Dor With the perspective given by
the years that had passed, Peg and
their Aud Lang Syne seemed very
Jolly aud very dear indeed This re-
minder Of her brought back incidents
long forgotten. of his college days.
when b. had been an incorrigibis
dreamer. aud Peg his confdante theirs
Q merry camarsderi- with a certain
breath.takinE tacit understanding 10
fuller depths TO be sounded In som.
fsraway day Memories made sudden
u dear by their unexpectedne~s
stirred. shaking on the mental dust
OF years he was carried back h-
yond tn. considerable success that
he had gained through the Sitting ~
his earlier ambitions
lie was whlstllng merrily rs he
made an unusually careful toilet
The room into which Bob was
uSh-r-d was much ~ bob had expert.
-d H. High up In on. Of III. city's ho.
tells. II held the usual imp-rs"nal sub
stantisl air Of comfort common to
such establishments. aud with II q
little transitory touch of nominees
which l. the knsck Of the born tray.
eier.
The Peg that greeted him was his
Peg only tribe older and wiser ant
very much st -ss-. Chatt-rins orp
fortsbly ~ thlngs and people thsy
both knew. she rnscons-d him In the
largest chair. lighted the gas lns and
turned OF all bat one rose shaded
lamp that gave the room over 0" .
him. she turned the subject To Tia. years
that had passed since they had
met. Where had he been; Was
his work cong-nisli
Under her frank regard Bob felt nm
comfortable. How could he explain
TO this conndenr little visionary. 20
whom he had once poured out desires
for adventure aud travel. that manu-
featuring cloth.s-llne had come To
mean more 20 him than III. lure 10
Tunis and Bsgdsdr For the first time
he realized how different was his life
from his early expectations. The
knowledge brought an accusation
from the boy submerged In the NAN
be had become. Impatiently enough
be disposed OF HI, story and asked
for hers
Leaning forward In her chair. chin
In hand. she studied the nre thought.
fully
II think that from the first. Bob. our
old dreams have Influenced my cours.
Of action"
Bob felt n guilty twinze Here were
memories frsshsr than his Her mat.
t-r-offact tone was r-assuring. how.
ever. Evidently sh. wasn't going 10
sentlmentaiixe over II.
Life used " be more real NOR.
vivid 90 you than 20 me I thought II
WIS through some failure OF mine 10
live up 10 your dreams that W. drif,ei
apart. and lose each others aims ~
completely. Hut opportunity came
and ! used II All these years I have
been seeking ronancr In out of the
way lands, II hasn't been all play.
but Their. have been many many com.
pensatlons My latest book il tying
there on the table u VIII be On the !
market soon"
Bob opened the book which she in. |
dicated-a collection ~ essays IN I
somewhat philosophical trend
Il am Youth" sprang Out AZ him |
from the printed page Embodied In .
me are all the colorful dreams in |
which ! am heir yenturing AMI as
sured.
. .Before tue lie the trails 10 Tar
away lands. where | mdy spend my
energy the mystic lure OF Bagdld and |
Calcutta; the frozen wastes of 81
beris the romance ~ Venice ana the |
charm % Nice Fairgrounds for my
unsatiated fancy The whole world |
Is mine 10 | viii claim u not onl,
this little slip OF ground where Chanp
has placed me. How. then. could ' I
ever consider the stolij cnmfprt ~
middle age In ekchangr fur my herr
tagef"
lust like Peg again; and II be bg'
knew II. like the hoy who sent her
out on the quest hut ,hls tine in
unaccountable anger lssails.i hiri
Slolld confnri indeed
lie was vastly impatient 10 gst aUay
from the fancled criticism which her
falthfulness Ia his outgrown Ideals
held lie drew breath II relief when
he passed through the lobby, out into
the street.
Left alone. Peg stared quizzIcally
into the fire Her lrOnic smile broke
into a grin. relieved. almost merry
Peg. Old deaf" she addressed the
reflection In the mirror over the man
teIplece. "a fool there was Think
A...a f,sl..fn0 loan