Show i N OSE PATH I I I j By y Angela Angek Morgan II I stood In Inthe Inthe inthe the lobby of Ids Is hotel U receiving congratulations congratulations It was was an oc occasion occasion occasion casion of off triumph foe for the he veteran theatrical manager HI His venture had nad broken the record as ns a first fighter by scoring an un unprecedented unprecedented success Stephen Danforth during his lengthy managerial 1 career had known many successes but the taste o 0 this one iv Was waa as unusually sweet The drama was In some respects ts a departure from ea os o methods but it embodied d his pet th ot les as to what an ideal deal play be and he had bad brought all life bitt resources to bear upon I Its hs s production pro The reward seemed worthy of or his ef efforts f for forts or Another fact had given the undertaking undertakIng ing a decided flavor of daring The new piece Down Primrose Path I was as the work of a young playwright I as na yet unknown to fame Implicit faith in the play and in the Ability of Schofield its author had for I some time been the theme them for doubt doubtful doubtful ful comment among his theatrical friends until tonight Well Ven we mur i remember that time proves aU ai l things and that nothing succeeds ISice success Just now no p Danforth anforth was as thinking of the playwright la 1 h and waved b hl friends aside aside with g protest pretest Its the young fellow ofellow ate vho deserves your congratulations he insisted and Just then himself came anie f up p The young mans appreciation of ot the cordial reception that awaited him was somewhat by the reflection that those tho o samu sauna flattering flatt fawning In Individuals Individuals individuals had hud snubbed him frequently In times past and would doubtless have gone on snubbing him forever had it not been for this demonstration of or his lUlY Danforth now had believed u 1 him jest 1St as thoroughly from the very first as ho bo did tonight when tho the plaudits of the people proclaimed his play an undisputed hit I Why is ls it Jt that fie tte world must watt walt for fur alent to succeed before it wilt ac ae acknowledge knowledge that it is talent Thus Schofield mused muse the while he nodded I and nd shook hands with these theatrical nabobs who now regarded him as us one f them Well Weil theres there one instance at least where the playwright gets full credit creditor or his part in the performance re remarked remarked marked one of the fawning ones to I Roberts the stage manager Yen fiats a aJ replied I the oth r briefly Later as the roup scattered Scho Schofield field and Roberts d Dan Danforth forth at his urgent up to his Q QU own n room whore where over glasses and I cigars they reviewed the triumph of ot the evening Vm fm Lm proud of you my boy the old manager delightedly Youve i shown them what you can do Now watch them run after you He chuckled with pleasure and lighting a cigar elgar leaned back in his chair watching the curling smoke wreaths with supreme satisfaction And Im grateful to you you Scho field Schofield began but Danforth waved a de do deprecating deprecating hind Put Tut tut none of or that nonsense e I Ilik lik u Q your pi r all aH and Im glad I was te t j means of bringing it before the public The piece caught your fancy from the tho very first It Danforth queried Roberts sipping reflectively ts glass 5 es sir sr r from the very ery first as ass assented s the old man between puffs p I 1 could see how true he the thing was true to tile the core and what the people ople e I want Its the cleverest piece of ot New ew England life Ive seen help but retch hem Yes sir I knew it i t would I knew it woud wo d and Danforth Danfort h chuckled again I The nay BY were putting it on too Danforth a great hit observed observe d the stage manager Every Eer little 11 thing thin has a meaning down to the smallest small properties Say but that old furniture is the proper stuff orb or s was on to 10 his job b when he went up into that lit litt littie t tie A New amp mp shire village and actual actually actually ly y rot fot ot it from one of its old home homesteads homesteads Its It the real thing and n no o mistake what It is nodded Dan Danforth Danforth Danforth forth The Tho same style we used to t o have bave av at borne bom when I was a boy Tha Thata the we kind fa f a thing that brings back ba bad memories t 4 Roberts And Schofield exchanged d swift awl ft significant glances at tile the reminiscent reminIscent scent note in the old mans voles voler I Iwas It t was an unusual thing for Danforth to t refer ref r to his youth ou II He was as extremely reticent re ent except on subjects ts that con concerned on corned his profession One thing ha had bad always challenged the curiosity of h his s friends and that was as why he had ha d never married On this topic He lie had ha always maintained a stolid silence Whenever the subject came up h Tie he e seemed Immediately to surround und him himself himself I Isel self sel by an invisible wall of reserve which even hIs closest close t companions had hadnot hadnot ha hanot d not the temerity to attack 1 You ITin you r were vere a n New Eng I land Jand lad yours yourself lf you Dank Dan Danforth Dantorth forth questioned Roberts with as carelessness I Yes Yea yes I was a New England la lad d k myself The managers tone was tva s snore moro yielding and he be gazed musingly y at the smoke wreaths that floated be before before fore his eyes You spoke of memories have you your r any specific recollections en encouraged encouraged encouraged Roberts gently gentry Danforth winced perceptibly Then The n he cleared cle red his throat and seemed d to o 0 take a new mental mentel attitude Look here boys Ive le never toW told yo you ou u my mr own love story but Im Ini going to 10 t o do it Jt now It has a great deal cleal to do d o with the the and all aU that and d I believe its only fair that the writer write writers r should s know of It You guess Schofield that when you wrote that the t play you were hitting pretty close at a e the romance of or my own life Ule did you youen en eb Well about the size of It H f t And th ts why I 1 took up with your yc u r piece all aU in a hurry It touched me I It t told my own story only well mine min e end as the play ends He was wa silent smoking meditatively for or a awhile a while white Roberts and Schofield breathed cau fearing to break the spell At length Danforth DaI continued Yeti Yes I was a New Eng and youth and f j loved a New Ne England maid one of the th e 5 rare sweet blossoms You dont find fin d her like often in these days day Her name nam C was Louise I cant hgr boys bo I 1 can only say that she was like a a Ild rose newly blown She was th the dru daughter of typical d Now N v England parents They disliked dislike d m in and were re displeased with HIt my at attentions attentions tendons to their daughter Nor did dl d they hesitate to let me feel reel it In every ever Y way pc bl They could coul never have ha v e countenanced any young man who was wa s not cut from the most d Puri Purl Puritanical Puritanical I natters I 1 was not noto of tha th a I was far too liberal lIber l and ami u un n in religious matters majors to t o I i meet mee with Hh favor from the parents of Louise They told tok her Dawns an un on unbeliever believer and an warned her against me m e Still she he betrayed be a liking for ormy my so society sol soli clety This fact tact goaded her parents f on to take active measures against r re le e j I I They forbade me the house I must mu i never t ver again make male any rny attempt to nee ice e I their daughter I 1 managed to get a war t with Louise and told toM her th that this could not pot be ire I must and would wo wot d t see her son now She confessed conf set her h e r wish that our OUI acquaintance should con continue but was alarmed at the thought though t of pf me m meeting me without the knowledge e of her Tier parents In the th grounds of a deserted des rte l home lame homestead homestead I stead nearby i rby were Ideal lovers loven nooks looks si I le leafy f paths for twilight strolls strolls ex extensive extensive ten lve gardens now grown raven over with wild pd d grasses greases and riotous vines After Alter persuasion Louise consented to meet me here at least one during every e ery week Our trysting place was an old g p arbor JIm with shade and sweet sheet with natures subtle and varied perfumes From the arbor a n winding path led through shrubberies and be beneath neath n th tb tow low ow hanging boughs In the daya of Its prime It hud hail Indeed d been a 8 pathway a fue t f ue levers evers lane In ire lt unkempt rustle rustic state it was still sun stillmore i more m ore lovely to our The owners of the place h had l lIed called i It t Primrose I path for tor In n springtime Us its borders were w re always ys brightened by a myriad prim primroses prImrose primroses roses rose Louise Coulee and god I still spoke of ot it t I fondly by that name name How Eow precious were w ere the talks we had In Ir old grape ebor how happy the strolls we the took together down Primrose path At home Louise was not suspected of meeting me She was far tar too docile and obedient for her hot parents ever to consider c lder her hot capable of at anything except absolute conformity to their wishes At twilight she would go for far a stroll in her own garden Then all unnoticed she would slip sUp away through the trees and Into nto i the grounds of the deserted home homestead homestead homestead stead where I 1 awaited her How often I would stand with my heart In my mouth watching for the gleam of her light dress among the trees as she came fluttering toward me As yet there had been no spoken s words of or love between us There was a tacit ant er that subtle comprehension of or young lovers lacers lo rs as yet too shy for frank frnnk admission a bu I had not dared to ex express express express press by bj word or action the e fe lIngs I cherished for tor her Until one night I Ishall shall remember It t to the last Louise was as late In meeting me It was quite dusk when she came She could stay only a few moments she told me They would wouW expect her at nt the house at lt ata ata a n certain h ur Then suddenly sudden yI I dont don t know why I 1 did It she he looked lo k d so be bewitching witching in her pink frock and I guess the stars and the fragrance and the t e sight of or her went to my head hend My lily arms anns a went round her and I kissed her Never ever while I have breath and being will I forget that kiss Id live give all my years of or prosperity to live over again that one fresh delicious moment of my myoung young oung y manhood when for the first time the lips of or a girl girt met mine Many lions a man and woman of this day would barter their lives for a n taste of such unsullied rapture Ah boys those Innocent InnO ent days of our youth theres heres t nothing like them after all allBut But the kiss was dearly bought After that night a n new w timidity seemed to take of M Louise She seemed fearful lest her parents should discover our attachment and confessed herself afraid to brave breve the storm of their plen Ure She would not promise to meet me as was her wont I cant doit do doIt doIt I It Stephen I cant she cried Im so frightened and Its Its all nil wrong anyway I you come II any more Stephen we must say good goodye bye b ye and forget each other But you i love me Louise dont you I ques her She was silent her head bent low We must say goodbye she insisted I and with a quick handclasp she sped swiftly from me trie on through the garden sarden and into the house There were ware no stars nor moon for forme forme fo fome r me that night Only blackness and abject misery How I ever eer got through that eternity of wretchedness I dont know I lay la with wide eyes staring Into nothingness Of all the wild un reasoning plans and purposes that swept through my brain during those thos e interminable I hours two to resolves stood out clearly defined when whon morning dawned I 1 would go away Before I went I would write her a letter It I t as a a strong masterful letter for fora a n youth yo th of 23 2 to write but desperation lent eloquence to my pen I told her he r that I was going west weft to try my for tunes and that I wanter wan tel her promise prowl before I 1 went want She must decide for fo r herself She was old enough now and had a right to do so She must follow i the of oCher her own heart Instead d of allowing herself to be led blindly b bothers by y others who did lot flat and could not un the situation as she did Did Di n she tote love me If It so It t was rues ew wrong g for fo r i her to stifle that love loe In n abject obe to the will 1111 of others It was privilege and duty to decide for fo r I am going to make a suc success success success cess I wrote I shall win money mone and an si friends and position Give me the right t to do all this for you Teh me that when S return I may take you ou back bar backwith backwith with me as ns my wife Ire I wont ask you yo r to meet me again at the dear old place I 1 know your fears and I wont be sel eel fish But I do ask you nay beg or 01 you to send me a reply to th lisle appeal I must know before I go It II seems cruel that I cannot see you agate Just once In the old place to say good bye But Id rather lose that than go g o away without the th dear answer that Im I Preying praying J for lot Then I signed myself f Yours for Eternity Stephen Stephan Well Wen I waited but no word came cam e I even remained In the village a n few to w days longer than I intended hoping for tor some message but in fn vain aln I watched for a sight of oC her face whet over ever I went event but I did not see ace her I concluded to remain reman ove Sunday Sunda thinking to eaten glimpse a a of her as a the people filed out of church site after r service So I stayed How I hoped and argued with myself Perhaps af ter all Fate often played strange tricks I might have a word with her she might explain When Sunday came I watched for her and was re rewarded warded First came her parents I sat 8 them hem distinctly though sowed served by them Then she passed And by her side aide walked a stranger a fine looking young fellow he was too He was bending his head devotedly to catch her every evel word Whether Lou ise se saw me m or not she gave no sign alga I gazed as in a n dream Her eyes were fixed straight ahead I thought her face looked singularly placed and com posed pOS d It was Vas all clear to me now I packed my iry things and left the next morning I 1 never went back to the next morning I never went back to the village V lInge again I left all the old life llIe with Its memories behind me and started out with new hopes and new resolves My ambition still remained I worked hard and determined to make a name for tor myself I became Inter ested sated In theatrical matters and you know what my life has haa been The room was very still for a few moments Danforth mused In his chair His cigar had gone out unnoticed And Louise questioned qu Schofield gently reminding him married the other fellow cane e reply I r heard of it three years ean lifter after I 1 left the village And then two years later laterI I heard I again There was a queer sound In his voice you heard again from Roberts Yes Coulees died Roberta Robert cleared his throat thron and mur murmured murmured muted something about the smoke af r his hR eyes So that Ib to 1 your yom love story Schofield I said sad sald In tz a hushed voice olce Yes les why I never married I Ive ve been true to that one womans memory Sounds eh Well Vel I perhaps Im really a n pretty old fashioned fellow when you get at nt me No Ive never to give any other woman the plan place she have Stephen Danforth sat suddenly erect Well Nei Schofield you see now why I suggested that name for your jour play piny There was method In my madness |