San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-13

TT have no plans. Why should an,
one ever make plan. since we ar
such puppets with Life, and Deaf
pulling the strings as suits thei
capricious whims?-
Godfrey Bell twisted newspaper
and piled them in the crate. Tn
fire blazed. In its golden flare h
turned suddenly and saw Nora Lee
with her knuckles pressed agains
her chin, desperate black circle
under the feverish and now bitterl,
troubled eyes.
NEW COMPLICATION.
His heart swelled. He turned
quickly back to the fire, shifting thu
logs. Godfrey Bell was in love witt
Nora Lee. He had come here tonight
to tell her SO.
That sudden glimpse of hel
young. desperate eyes unnerved him
He had come out TO take advantage
of her grief, her loneliness, her sud
den and cruel isolation from thu
bright gayeties that are youths nat
ural right. he thought: Il can hell
her. In the end I can make her hap
pier than any other can. for l know
her fine abilities. I will help her tt
develop"
But. even dressing and thinkin:
this. he had been aware that Nor
Lee would listen TO him now becausf
she was beaten-half cowed by life
A few months ago she would havt
lightly ignored him as she did the day
he gave her the magazine with hel
article printed. She would run away
in haste. not even guessing his cnor'
nous disappointment. For he woulI
merely be the "Englis. teacher'-ar
impersonal article. highly respectable
and well read, but scarcely human
being.
& MAN INSPIRED.
For two and a half years Godfrey
Bell had watched Nora Lee. Fully hall
this time he had been infatuated with
her. Sitting at mis- desk, the reading
of Hamlet" was raised from a routine
duty to a passionate enthusiasm. Fol
he singled out her face. waiting fol
it to glow. for her eyes to warm AMI
flash. In the senior year he became
to an appreciation of poetry that he
had never perceived before. It was,
and he realized this, because he was
giving himself without reserve to the
work. He went through the more mag
nificent Of Byron's lines, the most
beautiful of Shelley. and it was t.
Nora Lee alone that he was reading.
He had never been in love before
and he now exaggerated to pitiful
degree. the beauty of Nora Lees face
the depth of her mind. He thought as
the most callow youth does: "She is
unique. She has both depth and beam,
I've taught ten years and watched
girls grow TO women. She has a quail
ity different from all others"
He was fourteen years older than
Nora Lee. He saw that she was at
tractive- to the young boys in the
school. He attended a dance ono"
merely to watch her. When she and
Dane danced seven times together he
thought: THAT will wear itself out
in a YEAR" And he figured by the
time Nora Lee finished college the
not be-sO marked. He did not intend
10 dllD" utE 10 pass tuliItly hum HIS
guidance.
But he had never allowed himself
to consider her consciously as one
that he might love. until the time OF
Margaret's death. Then she welcomed
him. Several times she even sought
him out and asked him to do favors.
She said once: You've been so aw-
fully kind, Mr.. Bell. It's so good in
you TO come every night. / wonder
why you do so much for me?'
This had aroused such a conflict OF
tenderness and fear that he had felt
ready to weep. He had been so over.
come that he almost said: Cant you
see | love you? That ! will do any
thing to please you? That ] am
trembling because you choose to no
tice meT"-
But now with a sharp thrush Of un.
selfish devotion he felt himself a
coward. She might be so lonely she
would listen TO anyone who offered
comfort. He said without facing her
Are you letting Life and Death make
a puppet Of you, Nora Lee?
How would you advise preventing
it? King Canute tried that once,
didn't he? Dogs barking for the waves
TO stop"