Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-06-25
EATON, PREBLE coUN1Y, o. JUNE Is, 1857 !

love you, deeply, devotedly, faithfully.
Can you find it in your heart to make
me the happiest of men, by reciprocal
ing my affection ?"
The young girl did not seem surpris-
ed She turned her soft, brown eyes
upon the anxious lover, and in them
trembled meurnful tenderness and re-
gret. For few moments she gazed
upon him; then she spoke, and the tones
of her voice were hoarse and tremnlOus
with emotion..
"Allan Greene I have regarded you
for years with an attachment which has
grown to be one of the very sentiments
of my soul; but I can never become
your wife"
"Kate-dear KateP' cried the lover
as he half knelt at her feet, "retract
those last cruel words I entreat you.
"Never p replied the girl, in voice
of unnatural sternness; "Allan, you are
poorl'' .r....
Had a dagger been transfxed in the
psom of young Green, he could not ex-
perienced sharper pang of dismay and
astonishment. =.
ssKate Fletcher p he groaned, hoarse-
y. "My God! am 1 dreaming? I
know that l am poor, Kate, but I will
toll day and night for the comfort and
happiness of yourself and mother"
az do not doubt It, Allan," returned
K ate, as she dashed from her eye tear
of mingled regret and compassion; "but
1 am proud and in that consists the
whole secret of my refusal of the hand
so generously offered me"
:" Yes, you are proud-heartless-
mercenary," said the young man, in a
tone of bitter scorn, as he rose to his
feet, cor you would never, refuse the
hand and heart of one whom you ac-
knowledge that you love, because he is
poor did not think this of you,
Kate he added, reproachfully.
Allan," said Kate, in voice of
plaintive sorrow, ''you will forgive me
when have told you all. Had you of
fered me your hand in the days of my
prosperity, willingly would 1 have ac-
cepted it; but now that [ am poor, 1
should despise myself were to accept
the hand of one SO much my superior,
thus dragging down his energies and
talents into the poverty and obscurity
which penniless wife would surely en-
-taiI-upon him. No! you are talented,
handsome and agreeable; go, then, and
marry some lady who is worthy of you,
who has riches and position in socie
ty." - = --s -,.s.sv
scBut, Kate"
II have said," interrupted the girl, in
quick determined manner, land l am
in earnest. But" she continued, frank
" extending her hand, 'slet US be friends,
if nothing more. Indeed, I have too
few of them to be willing to lose the
best of all. ~ ~
'sNIay God forgive you, Kate y said
Allan, as he grasped her hand warmly.
sBut you do not love as do, or never
could you cast off the heart which is
truly and faithfully yours. However"
he added, with an effort at cheerfulness,
1--WE will be friends, at least, and per-
haps, time will yet overcome your false
scruples.'
And thus they separated, Allan to
brave the raging storm of the elements
without, and the fiercer one of conflict
ing emotions in his bosom, Kate to re-
tire to her slcepless couch.
When Kate arose the following NOR
ming, she found her mother preparing
their frugal breakfast with more cheer
full expression upon her countenance
than had illumined it before for a long
time. Kate, however, beheld it with a
painful foreboding; and when Mrs
Fletcher remarked significantly, "Well,
my child, brighter days begin to dawn,
do they mo-? p her heart sank within
her bosom.
Upon the bitter disappointment of
Mrs Fletcher, when Kate related the
particulars of the interview between her
self and Allan, we will not dwell; suf-
flee it, that it seemed as if the cup of
misery was full. She had loved the
young man too long and too we'll to
think of Kate refusal of him with calm
ness and resignation; but it was a con-
ISOLATION to know that he would still be
their friend, notwithstanding this pain
full crushing of all his fondest hopes.
"Pride is well enough, so far as it is
Just and reasonable she remarked to
the firm though weeping Kate; but, in
deed, think you have carried it alto
gether too far in this case. 1 hope,
however, that you may never have oc-
casion to regret your determination, and
that he may find wife worthy of him.
''And doubtless he will. At all events,
1 trust he will marry some lady of
wealth, for after all, money makes the
man, in more ways than one. Only
think what his prospects might be, with
a fortune at his disposal Why, with
his talents, not to say genius, he would
soon win an enviable name and fame in
the world, had he only wealth to assist
him in attaining it."
t'And you Kate p
"Oh, I shall do we'll enough yet"
was the half earnest, half careless reply;
''some rich man will perhaps take a fan
cy to me, and make me the welded wife
of his house and fame"
Mrs Fletcher answered by a sigh,
which was echoed by Kate, who had ta-
ken up her work, and was applying her
self with renewed diligence to it; and
thus the matter was dismissed.
CHAPTER II. =-- .~.