Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1904 — Turn Backward [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Turn Backward

By GREGORY HUMES

“Ten years have changed you—for the better,” said the woman. “It has left you untouched,” said the man smilingly. The woman smiled. At thirty time is not necessarily a woman’s enemy, and she felt that what the man said was true. Her beauty was a little more full blown, but It was In comparison to that of her youth as the perfect rose is to the opening bud. For the man time had worked just the change she wished to see. True, the buoyant spirit of youth had gone from his eyes, and she would never again see the star shine in them when he spoke of his hopes, his ambitions and his love for her. Now they were clear and steadfast, looking out on the world with the confidence of a soul that has proved its strength. His hair was touched with gray over the temples, but his face was ruddy with health. “It is strange that we should meet here in the very shadow of St. Michael’s,” said the woman. “Yes,” said the man, “it is strange. We' were to have been married in St. Michael’s. Do you remember that older time?” They were walking leisurely up the shaded avenue, and it was some mo-

ments before the woman replied. Then she said softly and without looking at him: "A woman never forgets the older time, but I had thought that it was different with men. You know that hackneyed quotation, ‘Love is of man's life a thing apart; ’tis woman's whole existence.’ ” It is not often that a man notices a woman’s dress, but love made this man's faculties keen, and he noted with a joyful start that the woman's costume was a sort of half mourning. He did not answer her last remark, but said: “You are wearing half mourning.’’ He was looking at ber with a keen hope in his eyes that the woman easily read when she glanced up at him. Lowering her eyes and veiling them with the long lashes so that he could not see the curious faint smile In them, she said, with a conventional sigh: “Yes, for my grandfather, who died recently. You had not heard of his death?” “No, I have heard nothing from any one in the city for several years. I kept up a correspondence with one or two of my friends for a few years and then it dropped away and died a natural death. When I noticed your half mourning I thought for a moment”— He did not finish the remark, except with a sort of half sigh that the woman heard and understood perfectly. The curious smile in her downcast eyes became more pronounced. The man went on, this time a little bitterly: “ ‘Man’s love is of man’s life a thing apart,’ you say, and yet it seems that I have better kept alive the memory of that older time of which you spoke. You married Carlton within a year of the breaking of our engagement, and never gave me a chance to explain the accusations that were brought against me. I, at least, have so well remembered that I have never married.” “I was unjust,” said the woman, “but remember that I was very young and knew very little of the world and of the men and women who go to make it. It can do no wrong to you nor to—to Mr. Carlton to say that I have learned since that I was all in the wrong. I would have called you back, John, but, my pride would not let me. I waited until hope died and then I married Carlton, who had been, as you know, devoted to me for a long time. I thought It for the best, but perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps it would have been better to have waited and waited.” The man looked down at her in surprise. His sense of honor was toq keen to permit him to make love to another man’s wife and it was a shock to his memories of this woman for her to talk in this way. She bad married Carlton, a man whom be despised, and it waa not for him to say anything to

which the most jealous husband might object He loved tbe woman, and be was not willing that anything should be said by either her or himself that would make the old worship die away. It was possible that the woman read some of this train of thought in bis face, for she looked up at him once more. In her eyes was a curious smile. They had reached her house, and she asked him to come in. “Thanks,” he said, “but I fancy that it will be impossible for me to do so. I shall endeavor to catch the 12:15 train for the west.” There was a cold dignity in bis manner. “You used to know Mr. Carlton, did you not?” asked the woman demurely. “Yes,” replied the man, a trifle grimly; “I knew him, but we were never friends. I may err in my suspicions, but I have always thought that it was he who told you the stories about me which made you break our engagement.” “Let us not speak of those old stories,” said she softly. The smile was gone out of her eyes now. “Nor can I listen to anything against Mr. Carlton. He loved me in his own way, I think, and, after all, he was my husband, and a woman can never forget that. I think that of the dead we should speak no evil.” “Of the dead?” said the man in quick astonishment. “You mean”— “Mr. Carlton died five years ago.” “But you told me that your half mourning was for your grandfather.” “So I did, and so it is. I did not think it necessary to wear mourning for my hus—for Mr. Carlton for five years. But there are the chimes on SL Michael’s saying that it is noon. You will have scant time in which to catch your train. So goodby. I wish you all happiness.” The woman extended her hand, and the man took it and said: “Don’t you know the air the chimes are ringing? They are saying, ‘Backward, turn backward, O Time, in thy flight.’ Can’t we make old Father Time go back for us some ten years?” “Time can never be turned back,” said the woman seriously. But there was a tender light in her eyes whieh the man loved to see. “If that is the ease,” he said, “we must begin all over again and bid defiance to time.” Side by side they stood and listened until the chimes had flung out their last note; then they entered the house together.

“LET rs NOT SPEAK OF THOSE OLD BTORIES,” SAID SHE.