Craddock is amiably content with her. He cannot bring himself to regard her
as the beautiful young bride of his youth. So little remains of her former
charm, her former vivacity and girlishness, that it seems as if Craddock's
wife of other times had died.
A few days ago, I met at the Sheepshead Races a _passee_ actress who was
telling about the conquests of her early career.
"There was one young fellow awfully infatuated with me," she said, "who
used to write me the sweetest letters. I kept them long after he stopped
caring for me, until he was married; then I destroyed them. I found one
short one, though, in an old handbag some years after, and, just for a joke
I mailed it to his wife at his old address. I don't suppose it ever reached
her, though, or he would have acknowledged it, for the sake of old times. I
wonder whatever became of Jack Craddock. People used to say he had a bright
future--I say, tell that messenger-boy to come here! I'm going to put five
on Tenny for this next race. And you'll lend me the five, won't you?"
VI
THE NEW SIDE PARTNER
A chance in life is like worldly greatness--to which, indeed, it is
commonly a requisite preliminary.
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