The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1866-08-18
VOL. I.-NO. 16.
thing-in which Jack Brevoort found

llc uiu ilOt lONe Jean IttuIlDurnp-yOu
are not to suppose that for q moment
AT her brightest and best she would
never have been his style; besides, q
little blue-eyed girl, at home in his
mothers nursery, poor cousin, held SC
much heart as he had, and was more to
him than any one else ever would be.
But she lacked money just as entirely
as he did, and it is not in such cases that
two negatives make an affirmative. OF
course, he could be much more dangerous
to Miss Rathburne's peace than if he
had really loved her, for his GOODNESS
would enable him to take advantage of
all openings. He sorely needed money,
and he had settled it with himself that
he must marry it. lie thought fate,
which should, of course, have II special
kindness for the old Brevoort blood, had
placed her in his way on purpose.
He meant to make her in love with
him; so he commenced, like a skilful
tactician, by trying to make her in love
with herself. For the first time she
found herself studied with unmistakable
interest. He noticed her tastes, and
showed quietly his appreciation of them.
lie gave her hints about dress, and she
grew handsome rapidly-much to his
satisfaction for, though he would have
been ready to marry her in any case, it
would be much more agreeable to have
wife who furnished to spectators an
excuse for ones choice in something be-
sides dollars and cents.
1t was not altogether the new colors
that she wore which improved her. A
subtle flame ran through all her veins,
and kindled the smouldering fires in
her reyes. Hercheeks were paleno longer,
or her face spiritless. When she looked
in the glass she saw what seemed to her,
in contrast with her old self, radiant
vision. And when with this new Jean
Rathburne Jack Brevoort began to fall
in love it did not surprise or startle her.
This was the Summer of her life-fer-
vid as short; it lasted three months.
This time only, to her sad colorless ex-
istence, came happiness!
Brevoort was an ardent lover. He
was gifted in the art of seeming to Il de-
gree amounting tOpositive genius. Then
Jean was too sturdily honest herself to
doubt the honesty of others, and too
delicately generous ever to remember
that she was rich and he was poor. So
her Summer was warm and bright, and
all her roses bloomed!
1t was something to see her in these
days-her old dead-and-alive self no
longer; in its stead a sparkling creature,
melting into the unspeakable glory of
love and womanhood. How man who
truly loved her would have delighted
in what Jack Brevoort watched with
the cynical GOODNESS Of Mephistopheles
He hurried on the preparations for
their marriage when once she had accept
ed him. He could not do without her,
he said, longer than till Fall. 1t was the
truest word he had uttered since he be-
gan his courtship; but the need he had
of her was of a nature he would not
have found it pleasant to communicate.
she thought it was the eagerness of love.
1t was to make some of the arrange
ments which his approaching marriage
rendered necessary that Brevoot went
out of town for couple of days; and of
course, in his character of impatient
lover, he must write each day to his be-
trothed. The first lettcr-.Jean Rath-
burne's first love-letter-was full of
subtly sweet words, tender phrases, al
lusions which made her pulses beat fast.
She read it till she knew it by heart, and
then kept reading it over to see if she
had forgotten anything.
The second she opened with fingers
trembling with expectation. 1t conf
menced with "Dear Hal 20 Her deli
cate sense of honor babe her fold it up
again, for she understood at once that i.
had been sent to her by mistake. But
as she doubled it over she caught her
own name. She would have been more
than woman if she had not read it then.
1t was simply the letter of one fast
young man to another, about betting and
debts and horses. 1t shocked her taste !;
but she loved him enough to have ex-
cused it but for this passage
"Ge"rge cannot say that I am not making
effort enough to pay him. | am to marry Miss
Rathburne In October, Splendid woman as she is.
she Is not H. style-never would have been Il
care more for Nells little finger. However n
man who owes forty thousand dollars, and has
some conscience still left about paying it, can't
very well afford 10 indulge in the luxury of heart.
believe got rid ofmne pretty ellectually some
time ago"
Those were words which no sophistry
could ever beguile her into forgiving.
Her Summer was over. The untimely
black frost had come.
Who "Nell" was she did not care, or
George" or Hal" She had no
curiosity at all. Enough for her that
love had failed her.
She looked in the glass with sad,
changed eyes, and lost forever all the
fond self-complacence of recent days.
There was nothing about her to love,
after all. She had been decciving her
selfyet more utterly than she had been
deceived. The very depth of her self
abasement made her patient.
1t was morning when the letter came,
and at night Brevoort was to return.
80 she sat all day and waited, without
knowing how long the hours were, or
lceiihg once the WEAKNESS of delay. She