Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-10-19
Gold-Thread
Magic
BY MARTHA WILLIAMS
% by MCCLURE Newspaper eyndieate.l

We're made a picture against the
silver trunk Of huge beech, sole sur
vivor of a primeval forest. The turf
at her feet was tussocky to ragged
ness, but she loved 1t better for that
the tussocks gave shelter to so many
vagrant wild flowers, and garden
strays-harebells, scentless violets,
white, blue, and yellow; larkspur,
sweet williams, even starveling
mignonette and candytuft. --.asa-iLslss.-..~A
There were runaway June roses, too,
in a thick clump on beyond, with a
backing Of stout blackberry briers.
Gold-thread, whose countryside name
Is love vine, laced the thorny tangle
richly. We're had pulled a handful Of
the fine yellow fIlaments, and stood
shipping them in pieces, saying under
Rer breath:
Love livel Love del
Black nanny had taught her the
charm when she was fifteen. She
had practicsd 1t, as she thought. In
the strlctest privacy, only to he dis
covered by Royal Dent, the object of
her incantations fiis shouted laugh
had been cruel enough, but less 90
than the sharned sullenness Of hiA eyes
when her flaming confusion ehlight
ened him.
He was two years older. They bad
been comrades half yeat-pals. Bvi-
IDENTIFY by his thought she had never
sensed articulately what he had meant
to her.
Sudden knowledge had been scath-
ing as a lightning stroke, BE had
turned from her awkwardly, saying,
DULY: "Oh, I better be going. Aunt
Margaret sent me toto ask If she
can get you people to help out with
the party-cups and spoons and plates
and things, you know. I'll tell her
yes, and that you'll come help With the
flowers"
She had slept Ill that night, think
Ing Of what she must endure facing
him again. But Fate kindly spared
her that-Aunt Margaret made her
gay good-bys from Royal-he had
been suddenly called home-but was
coming back at Christmas-she was
not to forget him, and be sure to save
him dances. And she had smiled
beautifully.
In the night she had suddenly grown
up. This mature self knew Royal
would not come back-at least not for
years In truth he did not cOme-his
fathers slight illness had turned sud.
denly so serious that he had had to
20 far away, taking Royal with him.
Then nebulously she heard Of him,
prop and stay of failing fortune
later Of the fathers death, the sons
engagement to an helress of the golden
"oast-after that sllence-flve full
wears Of It,
They had been eventful years for
We're. She had found her voice, q
magnificent one. Then, just as 1t was
coming to full strength and charm,
tricksy Fate had flung into her lap
tidy fortune. II had ended her DO
'cntlal career-she had never craved
distinction, but sang as birds sing, be-
cause inner music must come out.
Now, standing In the old spot, idly
repeating the old charm, she wondered
whether she had been wise to choose
the high distinction Of private station
rather than the world acclaim. She
had had lOvers-shOals of them-one
or two so fine she had considered them
for perhaps fortnight and ended by
giving them the kIndest Of nays.
Not that she was rOmantically faith |
full to that girllsh fancy. but that the |
scar Of 1t seemed to bar her heart |
from again swelling at another voice,
another touch.
II Royal had ever kissed her II |
would not have been so strange. She |
had nothing TO remember but the |
shouted laugh, the sullen, shamed eyes
-meager food, indeed, for heart |
throughout stretch Of years.
He was coming in very little while
hence her present employment. |
Fancifully she had told herself she
could better show him thus her com
plete Indifference to anything In the
past. As married man, he might be
ever so much more susceptible than
the lad she remembered. If he came.
bent on making amends for that old |
cruelty, there might arise situation
unless she took great pains to avoid
IT,
Had the ten years changed him
realty? To her they had been wholly
kind, robbing her Of nothing, only
changing her 1.-the, angularlty into a
singular grace Of pose and motion. Yet
would they. know each other IL they
met elsewhere? A faint amused smile
lowered about her lips at the thought
1T frOze as voice behind her said
"Am ! speaking to Miss Hawthorn
or Ver0?"
THAT depends"
Upon whom? Or whatf"
Upon whom you seek !" airily, not
lifting eyes from the gold-thread now
almost exhausted
"As to that--honestly, can't say. /
came to see Vere-but her supplanter
will not let me find her"
mot yet" rather thickly-then, as
she flung away the last yellow shred
II want that, please. Don't believe
should have known you II you hadn't
been playing the same game as when
saw you last"
what a memoryp
We're apostrophlzed space, then,
quickly: Come to the house. want
your judgment Of several and sundry
things there have such a passion
for changing, and then so little con
Hdence in the results"
"Of course you have daffodils all