Show 1 v f zu A by TEMPLE BAILEY copyright copy lit by Ast literary press carlton coming into the hotel from the windswept wind swept night was dazzled by the brightness going on ho he asked the clerk theres to be a dance in the din ing room the clerk said bald it Is such beastly weather outside that the young folks thought up this way may of spending the evening better dress and come down he continued with a glance at Carl carlton tons s corduroys carlton shook his head bead I 1 dont care much for that sort of thing he stat ed re ie had bad so BO much of it all my life lie he tramped away to the ing room where he read the abe papers with the ot of the danco music beating in his ears on his way upstairs lie he stopped on a landing which led to a balcony which overlooked the dining room heavy red velvet curtains were v ere draped back on each side of the entrance and there were three or tour four deep velvet chairs drawn back from the railing in one of these chairs crumpled up and crying was a girl carl ton could rit see her face but there was a brightness about her hair bair and a grace in her relaxed figure which piqued his curiosity so he be stood ery still waiting presently the girl stopped crying and sat up and saw him ohl oh she said involuntarily Is there anything I 1 can do miss MIS s wharton carstons Carl tons quiet manner took amr away from his offer any hint of imperil nence you seem to be in trouble the girl stood U up p oh no sh she e said bald with some decision I 1 it was silly of me to cry then as his eyes still questioned she flashed out her grievance does a man ever know what it means to a woman to be a wall flower carlton looked at her incredulously surely sou had such on an experience peri per lence ence yes I 1 have she fald ald 1 I sat out three dances and then I 1 came up here it was too humiliating to be seen alone but why he demanded 1 I know you dance well mell I 1 saw you the other night and as for beauty well any thing I 1 could say on that subject would be superfluous miss wharton but im not young any more her hands were clasped tightly don t you see those boys down there like y W V her head was up and tier her eyes were flashing the youth of the younger lounger girls and im not used to being set aside ive ahna b been first but you re young he said bously why are ou calling yourself old 9 Be because ause I 1 feel old I 1 cant joke and chatter as I 1 did a few years ago yet it isn t easy to give up my place to the lounger girls lie ile sat down in one of the big chairs beside her ire he had talked with her before at the table and now and then on the porches when the storms of the early spring abated a little and made possible she had always seemed reserved and this outpouring came as a surprise she seemed to feel that she had said too much and she apologized if ou t caught roe me crying I 1 should not have sal sali said I a word mord it must seem very silly to you no it he be said perhaps Per hapa men dont feel as aa much the loss of youthful prerogatives but when I 1 go to our alumni meetings at college and the younger fellows show plainly that they look upon me as a back number I 1 have a little of the feeling which now oppresses you its dreadful to grow old she said eaid i he shook his bis head bead and smiled no I 1 love life better than I 1 did when I 1 was younger tonight ive been out in the wind walking up the beach and felt strong enough to conquer the world kven even in my most sanguine boyhood days I 1 never knew the same sense of absolute belief in my ability to make things come my way dut but youre a man she said bald A woman when she loses her first youth and beauty must be content to be a wall hower flower come out he said cald impulsively I 1 and walk with me up the beach it ij la Is glorious out the wind is blowing and feel ai ag if the world was miles away and that the people in it were of little account in the sum of human happiness the moon shone between the rag ged clouds as m wrapped rapped in a red cloak she went with him on their wild walk its glorious she confessed and I 1 dont care tonight it I 1 am poor and a wallflower but in the morning there will be the awakening I 1 am poor too he said but for me there will be no 0 awakening be cause all my life ive had riches and all my life ive been bored the yeek eek before I 1 came down here I 1 learned that I 1 had lost everything everybody thought that the blow would be crush ing but I 1 have been surprised to find tint I 1 do not care cut but you will care she said eald when you have lived tor for a little while and have learned of how bow little account you are to people what do I 1 care tor for people was his question you will care just as I 1 did tonight she said when you find that you are of little account it will hurt you 11 lie ile turned to her do you think I 1 could ever be of little account he be asked 1 I dont say this with c conceit but I 1 know that I 1 have found myself and that henceforth I 1 shall make the I 1 world listen ohl oh she breathed it if one could feel like that one must feel like that he be said to live and conquer shall we test it tomorrow night put on your pret biest gown and go into the dance expecting to be a belle not a wall flower and see the result that make a bit or of dir dif ference she protested it mill ill make a difference he be said try it the next night caw her in the midst of a group of men her head bead was up and her eyes were shining you sep see it worked he said as he came up to claim a dance it was mas the funniest thing she con fessel before I 1 came downstairs I 1 smiled at myself in the glass eald and whispered over and over again that I 1 was young and happy and gradually I 1 came to feel that I 1 was mas happy and I 1 came down to the dance tonight with out fear it seemed as it if I 1 credited a different atmosphere do sou believe in such things of course you do advised it last ast or you have night I 1 I knew 3 sou ou were underestimating your own charms he told her you ran away amay upstairs to the balcony be tore fore people had halt half a chance to see you after all she said quickly what is it worth what do I 1 really care what they think of me mea ile he looked down at her with a new light in his eyes what do we care for anyone except ourselves 1 what I 1 think of you and what iou ou think of roe me that Is the important question it after a while he took fook her up to the balcony where they could bo be alone if I 1 had bad my money be said id ask you to marry me if you hal bour money she said 1 11 I mould nt lot let you ask me im not fitted to be the wife of a alrh man below them the dancers whirled to the rhythm of the music outside the wind bang a wild song but they had bad no ears for the music within or that without they were here listening to the song of their own oan hearts which told of the love that laughs at obstacles acles |