ANTICIPATION AND REALISATION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1681, 18 May 1904, Page 9

ANTICIPATION AND REALISATION

He hadn’t said lie was coming, but for a week she had been expecting him m that Tuesday night. . fv Dressed in a pretty black lace gown, with red rose at her tUr oat, she stood looking into the glass. The colour in her cheeks and the brightness of her eyes assured her that as far as look® were concerned she would do. But, tossing her head, she declared to herself that she trad not dressed for him.

She went downstairs and into the double doorway leading into the parlour. The room was empty, and it looked as if she would have to receive him alone. I 1 or l a second she didn’t know whether she was glad or sorry. On the whole, she rather wished Alice had remained at home instead of strolling away with Mabel. Alice would have stayed in a minute if she nad known that John Peimer was to call oh at evening..

But the absurdity of it all. It had been ages since ho had even hinted that he was going to call, much less on that particular evening. She walked up bo the window and looked scrutinisingly up and down the moonlit walk. Only tall, bare elms and a snpwy glistening smoothness met her gaze. Turning her back to- the window and glancing around the room critically, she noticed that the out glass vase on the mantel stood a little too near the wall. , She walked across the room and placed" it in a better position. Then, after surveying the room again, she changed the position of several chairs, placing the large leather chair just where she would like to have him sit. Then the utter senselessness of her manoeures struck her with consternation. Sitting down by the table: she took up a volume of Browning, determined to concentrate her thoughts on it. Sue had not read three lines, however, before she began to wonder what she would like him to find her doing. Through the lace curtained window in the well-lighted window 1 he would certainly see her before she saw him. Wondering if she would make discords before she heard hie footsteps, she i half arose from her chair. Then, cteclar- I in® that she wasn't going to play just to be .showing off to him,' she leaned oack in her chair and read three more lines of Browning.

Next, she decided she would have played: anyway, if it hadn't occurred to her that he was going to call. So she walked

to the piano and began turning the leaves of her music.

But what would she like him to find her playing ? Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” seemed in keeping with his personality. But was she actually going crazy ? To prove that she was not she nafc down to the piano and struck up a two. step. In some way the two-step jarred upon her ears, and without finishing it she reverted to the sonata.

For several minutes she actually lost herself in its melodies. 'Then, she stopped suddenly and listened. Her heart beat violently, for footsteps were sounding on the walk. She turned the leaves of ter music nervously, but apon she- heard Alice's voice. So it wasn't he, after aIL Continuing playing shei heard Alice and Mabel enter the room. For twenty minutes more she pounded away at the piano. All the while tbo chatter of the two girls came as an uu.* pleasant distraction.. She wished after all that she might receive him alone. Finally she walked across the room to the window again, but again only- tall bare trees and level whiteness met her gaze. Fully convinced at last of her delusion she determined to take complete possession of her senses for the rest of the evening at least. She walked carefullv about the room and put everything she came *a contact with out of order —the chairs in awkward positions, the music in a neap on the piano and the cut glass vase absurdly behind a bust of Mozart. As a last effort she tipped over a pile of bopxs on the table. “Good-night,” she said to the girls, and went flying up to her room. Once there she snatched the rose from her throat and threw it into the waste paper basket. She next pulled off her pretty laoe evening dress and donned a blue tea gown. Thus arrayed and with Browning in her hand she began to read in earnest. Five minutes later she heard the door bell ring. Two minutes after that the maid entered and placed & card in her hand 1 . It bore the name of John Pelmor,