San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-30

why had she done thls tn!nE
What was her imagined terror? 81
young in her pale loveliness-ah, what
need had she to die?
The mother, biting her poor, tor
tured lips, crept upon Nora Lee again
and again with this dumb, frantic
query: why? Why did she do it
my little jimmy! Did they quarrel!
All, tell me. But then there was that
sweet Extraordinarily did she do it,
Could her mind have gone? Did we
let her do too much? Was it ner'
vousncss? Or WHAT"
Poor mother! No one would an,
swer now. No one would ever tell
the cause. Golden and white they
laid her in her coffin in the wedding
dress of pearl.
And there was that faint radiance
dwelling about her childish lips. Nc
one guessed the terror hidden behind
those closed lids.
Nora Lee went in that night when
others were gone. Something hac
stilled within her thought. She look
cd in Virginia's sweet, Madonna-likC
face and felt as though it were a self
of hers that here lay quiet-that other
self Of hers Virginia's hand had slain.
She wcpt-sho was awed ano
stricken as though Virginia had been
done to death that she might live
and laugh and 90 a happy, truer way.
FOREVER SILENCED.
She went back to the moment when
they last spoke togethcr-why had
she gone downstairs; left her alone
in her dark pit Of despair? Oh, how
terrible-how terrible, that in a mo-
mcnt one is spcaking-one's eyes are
filled with tears-and the next one is
forever done-forever silenced.
She fancied Virginia sitting at the
desk writing that pathetic and pierre
ing farewell. She must keep her love
beautiful and fair--a blessed thing
oh, it was just that to her.
Nora Lee gave the letter to Cleve-
land Wayne. His hollow, suffering
eyes were bitter things to see. He
asked forlornly: You were with her
just a little while before. Then do
you know if she got a letter from me
late this afternoon
Yes"
How did she seem about it,"
"She pretended to be glad"
WAYNEs REMORSE.
""Ah-you say pretend Why? Do
you think the letter made her do this
thing?" He had kept his face avert
cd, but now he touched Nora Lees
hand.
She closed her eyes: Perhaps not
the letter. Oh, | thought the letter
had helped"
What did she say to you-what:'
"She showed me the line where you
said that you would marry her any
way. You would 90 through with the
ceremony"
He smote a fist against his palm
and going up, dropped on his knees
at Virginias coffin. hiding his face
in her clasped, marble hands. Hours
later he followed Nora Lee to the hall
He said brokenly: You see it was
who killed her. | would do God
could go, too"
THIS WAS LIFE.
She pitied him greatly. Not CIeve
land Wayne with his ardent eyes anC
the sideburns on his young cheeks
who had murdered Virginia. No,
Nora Lee though lying awake unit
the dawn silvercd the trees with mis-
it wasn't he-it was Life-thl:
cruel, cruel Life that no one seemed
to know how to mcet-how to spend
how to value
There wasn't anyone who seemed
ever to have gone before them anc
blazed the trail-therC wasn't anyonD
who carried Torch and said glowing
ly: "Comc-this path is the lumin
Gus way-it leads to the certain, hap
piest goal
No one who said with serene an
perfect faith: DO this - it is tn
richest thing to do can show yoI
WHY have tried all other path
and this one is the Light and til
Way -
No. rrrtuintv at all So ono ro'