The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-19

I" HE following days were cycles
Of torture to Alice. She grow
Il eled in the shadow OF a great
dread. 1t seemed 10 her
that Beverley could not love
her, could not help looking upon her
as a poor. wild, foolish girl unworthy
Of consideration. She magnifed her
faults and crudities. she paraded be
fore her inner vision her recent i'm
prOprteties, as they had been disclosed
TO her, until she saw herself a sort
Of mOnstrOsity at which all mankind
was gazing wits disgust. Life seemed
dry and shriveled. a mere jaUndiced
shadow, while her love for Beverley
took on a new growth. luxuriaut, all
embracing, uncOntrollable The fer
ment Of spirit going on in her breast
was the inevitable process of self
recognition which follows the terrible
unfolding of the passion-flower. in a
nature almost absolutely simple and
unsophisticated.
Vincennes held its breath while
waiting for news from Helms expe-
dition. Every day had its nimbie, vet
wholly imaginary account of what
had happened. skipping from mouth
to mouth. and from cabin TO cabin
The French folk ran hither and
thither in the persistent rain. indus
triously improving the dramatic in
terest Of each groUndless report.
Alices disturbed imagination reveled
IN the Kaleidoscope terrors Conjured
up by these swift changes of the form
and color of the stories from the
front" all of them more or less
tragic. Today the party is reported
as having been surprised and mas
sacred to d man-tOmorrow there has
been a great fight, many Killed. the
result in doubt-next day the British
are defeated, and so on. Tbs volatile
spirit Of the CreOles fairly surpassed
itself in ringing the changes on STIR
ring rumors.
Alice scarcely left the house during
the whole period Of excitement and
suspense. Like a wounded bird, she
withdrew herself from the light and
noisy chatter Of her friends, seeking
only solitude and crepuscular hooks
in which to suffer silently. Jean
brought her every picturesque bit Of
CHASTITY gossip, thus heaping Goals
on the fire Of her torture. But she
did not grow pale and thiu. Not a
dknpIe fed from cheek or chin. not
a ray Of saucy sweetness vanished
from her eyes Her RANT health was
unaIterabI Indeed. the only change
in her was a sudden ripeninE and
mellowing Of her beauty. by which
It's colors. its lines. its subtle under
currents of expression Were spiritual
lied, as if by some powerful clarity
ing process
Tremendous Is the effect of soul
surprised by passion and brought
hard up against an Opposing force
which dashes Il back upon itself with
a flare and explosion of self-reveal-
ment. Nor shall we ever be able TO
foreteu lust how small a circumstance.
lust how slight an exiEenCy. will SUI
flee to bring on the great change
The shifting Of q smile to the gloom
of a frown. the snap Of string on
the lutte Of our Imagination. Just at
the point when a rich melody is cul-
minating: the waving of q hand, a
vanishing face-any eclipse OF tender,
Joyous OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES q nameless
sense of despair into the soul And
a young girls souI-who shall I'M
cover its sacred depths of sensitive
ness, or analyze its capacity for suf
fering under such a stroke2