The story
“May Cameron had intended to devote her life to becoming a great violinist until she met Jack. When she played the violin she thought more of the shining ring on the fourth finger of her left hand than of the notes her fingers were making. Her happiness seemed too good to be true. It was so golden that she dreaded anything that might cloud it. [He bought] a golden canary, incarnated, and with the help of Martha smuggled it into her apartment. Then he wrote a note, saying that the bird’s name was Joy. May had been spending the afternoon walking in the woods and was waiting for him at their accustomed meeting place. She started up toward a hill to watch for him from above, but some workmen were busy there and they warned her that she had better keep away. Later, Jack arrived and refused to tell what kept him. May became suspicious and a quarrel ensued.
“Jack, provoked, declared that if May really, loved him she would trust him. May was hurt, so Jack went tramping up the hill. He did not notice the men getting the fuses ready for the blast. But when they came down the hill to warn May she called to Jack. He hurried towards her—towards the place where the deadly flame had just come to the end of the fuse. There was a terrific explosion. When the smoke cleared away May crawled painfully toward the still form. May, crippled for life by the accident, a few months later was back in her little room. She sat in a wheelchair, and all day long she stared across the court at the vacant window, where she used to see Jack. Then one day the apartment across the court became tenanted. It was bitter irony to May to watch Sue and Bob, so evidently a newly married pair, flaunt their ecstatic happiness before her eyes. But later it became her one approach to pleasure, to watch them as the months passed, and when one day Sue bent over some sewing and handled with reverent joy a half-crocheted bootee May got out her wedding dress.
“But troubles came to the little home across the court. Bob lost his position. Bob looked in vain for work. Then one day, when Bob was late and Sue had retired to her bedroom in tears, May saw him come in and sit down at the window to read a letter. She demanded the letter. He refused, for it was about his position. Then a little gust of wind snatched the letter from Bob’s hands and carried it across the court and deposited it in May’s lap. She called across the court. Sue, a little resentful, came over. May showed her the letter. Sue beckoned across the court for Bob to come over. May told them that they must allow her to lend them the money to tide them over their difficulties until the husband could get another position. She reached into her sewing basket and pulled out a beautiful christening robe, which she had been working on. They went away happily and May took up her violin with a great peace in her heart.”
Summary from Reel Life · 10 June 1916
