The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-06-07

Aticle on the hundred and one condt
tons against which he had struggled
m common with his fellow mortals
But tonight he waved Edmonds
aside
''Have you seen box of those ex-
ira strong Hayanas among my trapsY'
he called out, as his secretary ODE
diently withdrew.
Edmonds went to one of the numer-
Gus grips that were ranged against the
dressing room wall and found the de.
sired box of cigars.
'And, Edmonds," the colonel con-
linued, selecting one of the fat bla TX
Havanas he seldom smoked, and
lighting it absently. do you recollect
:; package of letters, old letters tied to
gether and sealed, that l destroyed
when we were in lodgings at Queens
Cater
Il recollect your burning some let
tiers, sir.''
"Then l destroyed them?' the col
onel asked, as though hopeful of con-
tradiction.
"you destroyed number of letters
and papers, Colonel Massie." Edmonds
stated concisely.
'For fifteen years called myself a
fool for toting round that bundle of
letters" the colonel unused, sitting
down in an armchair by the window
and staring out into the moonlight.
"And now I'm calling myself a fool for
destroying them"
He puffed hard at the strong Hi
vana.
In another room uown the hallway,
dargaret was sitting before her dress
ing table while her maid brushed out
her hair.
She was examining her reflection IN
the mirror as though thinking about
iomething else.
do you remember. Minna,' she
asked, where you packed package
Of letters among my things-the pack.
age always carry with me?"
The maid went into the dressing
room, lifted q tray from one of Miss
Armitages trunks and brought back
the package placing 1t on the dressing
table before her mistress.
81 sha'n't need you any longer To-
night Minna," Miss Armitage said.
I-somehow / feel restless. Please
get my negligee and mules. shall sit
up while"
She took up the package of letters.
The envelopes had turned yellow,
were worn at the corners; the hand
writing on the top one showed faded
lines: the ribbon which held them to
gether, once an exquisite pink, had be-
come dingy brown.
Margaret put the package back on
the dressing table unopened.
After the maid had withdrawn she
went to the window and. kneeling
down, rested her elbows on the sill,
her chin in her palms and gazed out
into the moonlight.
The tears gathered in her eyes.
GLOW different it might have Been"
she said, her voice brokenly wistful-
"how different"
II.
Maynaru's warm weather hobby
was small yacht he cruised up and
down the river during those cdd spells
when the shackles of Wall Street
ioosened. Arrayed in the shahbiest Of
yachting clothes, he played captain, en-
PERTAINING himself and everyone else
on board Indispensable.
A June day on the riveri
Isn't this one phrase enough to re-
call the whole picture-the serenity OF
blue and white, the slipping and Groom
ing of waters, the silent procession OF
barges laden with bricks from the
kilns of Haverstraw, the big steamers
passing by, green slopes and gray
lodges in quivering stretches?
Lunch served on deck in the shad-
cw of cliff, or hauled up at one of
the small piers.
The climbing of Hi9E Tor, the
pauses to catch ones breath, the cries
of delight over each wider view of
she landscape, the holding of hands up
a steep pitch.
On the river again. The dipping OF
d bird into the sleepy waves. a dipping
of thoughts into the dreamy past.
The content of the moment, quick
throb of the pulse over some psychic
flash into the future.
1t was after such day that the
colonel, overtaking Margaret as they
walked from the landing up the slope
of the lawn to the house, reminded her
cf the letters.
Bring them to the pagoda over
there under the pines, will you, Mar
garrett" he asked, the sunshine that
had flooded the river still seeming to
dance in his eyes.
"Well have our little romance over
again, sitting down quietly by our
selves. I'll wait there for you.'
Elias he forgotten" she wondered,
'how he waited for me once before in
the old summer house at the foot of
mothers garden?P