San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-10-11

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mitted walking, reluctant, yet driven
to that building in Montgomery street.
He knows where l am if he wants to
see me-"
A BLUE CORNFLOWER.
But her steps went on. This time
she stood across the street. She didn't
wish to be haunted so wildly by the
touch of his coat. And waited. pre-
tending to be absorbed in battered
typewriter for sale in the window.
Dane came out of the building
came out grinning. and the girl-the
same one, at his side.
They appeared to be on chummy
and highly satisfactory terms. Ihey
swung out careless and gleeful. Their
pace slackened. The girl said some
thing with downcast eyes. Then she
glanced up swiftly, taunt on her
lips.
Dane colored and hesitated, laughed
and with an impetuous gesture,
snatched a little blue corn-flowed
from his buttonhole and gave it to
the girl.
Anything but a blue cornflower! !
He used to say her eyes were like
that-her eyes were bluer than any
thing.
THEIR FLOWER
Nora Lee shut her teeth so quickly
that her tongue caught. Frantic tears
splashed abruptly on her cheeks. The
blue cornflower-their particular and
cherished flower.
She had a mad impulse TO rush
down the block herself, between them
grab the blossom from that bold,
flirting girl-sneer at Dane Herrick.
Ask him scathingls what he knew of
love-
She was aware suddenly that she
was crying-staring in a window in
Montgomery street and crying.
For she had all along burningly be-
lieved he couldn't turn from her. He'd
have 10 come back. He was an ideal
list cleaving to a dream. She sym
bolized all that was high and holy
and sweet in his boyhood. He want
ed her and her love Nothing
else. She believed this with a pas
sionate completeness.
Neither Of them could ever think of
another. Now she perceived that she
alone mourned; she alone ached with
the furnishing hunger for reconcilia-
ton.
She went charging down the block,
her head lowered.
That night Richard Carlisle came
for his answer.
Nora Lee took the flowers Richard
brought-faint lavender orchids-and
raised them to her face.
He leaned over her shoulder, whis-
pering with unexpected anxiety: as
it Yes Nora darling?"
Her lids fluttered, but she asked
easily: why should it be 'Yes'?"
Because / love you. You're really
quite fond of me. Think of the gay
good times we've had-all that we can
have. 1 can make you happy. 1
know / can"
'Do you, Richard? / wonder what
is happiness and why we all demand
it So" She was formal. with a smil-
ing. hysterical calm. How can you
make me glad, Richard?'
Il can bring you everything yon
want"
HER ANSWER.
She went on. eaten with a dry, in
ternal fire: what do / want? Do
you know? Why, yes, Richard You
can give me as much as anyone can
You're a dear fellow"
He laughed. He opened his arms.
closed them eagerly about her: kiss
me, then. Nora Lee. You never have
Of your own sweet will. You've made
4 thief of me-"
Raising her face to his, she weak
ened. Tears ran backward and scalded
her throat. He said, huskily, You'll
not marry me. Nora LeeT
why. ] believe ] shall, Richard
Two hours later she was tiptoeing
about her room. Suddenly she noticed
Danes picture and next TO it the pic
ture Of her mother. Che snatched them
up hastily. both If them, and hid then
under the blotter.
Even hidden. Margaret's deep, beau
tiful eyes moved before her. Thej
seemed sad and full Of reproach.
Why should her mother reproach
Lee had profaned a sacrament, as
though she had cast Margaret and her
teaching forever aside.
LIVES AS IDEAL.
Unconsciously IL the years since her
death Margaret had become TO Nora
Lee a tall. quiet saint standing against
the shabbiness, the shallownesg, the
strange shifting standards Of this new,
turbulent generation.
Margaret, judged wicked by the
world, had yet held high the torch Of
ideals for Nora Lee. For she had not
taken love lightly, as the girls of Con
MES set did. She took it at the price
Of uncounted pain I'D sacrifice. She
had become an exile for it.
Therefore love must be a sublime,
heartshaking experience thing 10
prize beyond the stars. Msrgaret's ar
titude had bred into Nora Lees
thought a profound reverence for the
worth and solemnity of human emo
ton. II had kept her from the i'm
pulsiye and flippant freedom Of Con.
MES set. They regarded love as q
mere. passing thrill-oh, nothing 20
wonder and get excited about, but a
thing to seize with deboniar impu-
dence as one would snip flush rose
from a tree: nothing dynamic or soul
awakening.
Margaret kept Nora Lee from ac-
cepting this new philosophy. She
watched Connie, Virginia, Bess Ora
ham with secret pity. They were
missing the divine. eternal sweetness
Ma rgn ret had fund in lie They