Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-11-25
How I Came to Say It

Ralph SomeFvllle spent some months
at our house. He was a noble-heafted,
generous fellow, and / soon found that
took more than a passing interest IN him.
Though generous-as ! have said-his
disposition bordered upon ~sternness.
There was something silent and mysteri
GUS about hlm-not repellant. to be sure,
but seeming 70 bespeak a love of solitude.
a quiet containing with his own thoughts.
| was q wild, roinpl,g girl, and perhaps
1t was this contrast of dispositions which
drew me towards him. He was certain
" not handsome, neither particularly
well formed and yet in The fire that
sometimes kindiad in those grey eyes, o.
the soft smile that wreathed his lips
there Was much of beauty TO me. 1t seem
ed strange that be could bind with the
spell of attraction a nature so volatile a:
my own-yet he did.
| loved him deyotedly-I must comics.
it sooner or later in this little waif any
how-and hat he returned this devotion
| had every reason to believe. A little
thing occurred, however, which came
near making US go opposite ways through
life, like ships that part at sea.
Going into the study one morning,
found an unfinished letter lying on the
desk. Ralph was out. and curiosity
am ashamed TO tell Tied me to glance
over it. PagsQf it was in reference to
myseif. It - letter to his sister and
the following clause stirred up all the op-
position ana willfulness my nature was
capable of.
" am now certain that Mabel loves
me. And yet so contrary is she. thai
were | soberly to ask her to become mine
[ no doubt would meet with a perempto
ry refusal. If | let her alone. she will
tell me herself that she loves me before
long"
felt my cheeks Jingle, and | believe
| bit my lips with yexation.
Do you think SO, Ralph ?" / cried
/" We shall see!"
In a minute afterward | was down in
the parlor, improyisating at the piano il
9 manner which under other circumstan-
ces might have made my fortune.
Well, two weeks more passed by. !
did not avoid Ralph's society, yet in 9th
er ways evinced an extreme indifference
to it. A shade of anxiety and thought
~fulness began to settle upon his face.
One morning Ralph took the cars foI
O.. A collision occurred, and a mum
Der of persons Were killed and wounded
The news made my heart futtter like a
frightened bird. The most painful solic
itude was awakened in regard to Ralph
In the evening of the same day | hearc
voices Oh the porch, among which | dis
tinguished NY u%ncle's. Iheard him say
How had we best break il to her p
My heart seemed 10 turn into ice a
these words ; my brain reeled, and
caught at the table for support. VIVA.
dark forebodings we're creeping into my
soulI | rushed out upon the porch:
You may break it to me as abruptly
as you please, Uncle. Ralph is dead i
Oh, my best beloved that | should SCI
this hour!'
felt very faint then. and the tears
streamed down my cheeks like rain.
Whose arms were those around me
What low, sweet voice spoke such earn
est words of love? What lips pressed
such warm kisses to mine?
Why, KasNHe hadn't been huri
at all-and had been commissioned to
bear sad news 10 another. And that is
the way | came to say it. 1t was pro
voking-but | don't care now. Ralph is
worth a dozen of your common husbands.
-PetersOn's Magazine.