The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-03-19


and then sat down to rest in the old arbor,
in which / had sat and wept out, as l have
told you, my girIish despair on that day
which have called the darkest day of my
| life.
! "Theo," he began, with grave gentleness,
| Il have something to tell you-sometning /
should have told you long ago but for Mar
| cia. .f r
II know what it is," l cried impatiertly,
| Suppose you tell me then
That am to have you Tor my brother
It's all right if Marcia can forget so easily.
couldnt-that's all"
Couldn't you? Marcia has been very
firm Of purpose, too, about this money. A
year ago begged her to let ne give the deed
TO your father and consider the debt cancel
ed But | could not prevail upon her, though
| used all my eloqupnce. 1t was then that
told her what | was going to tell you to-day
only you forestaled Inc. By-the-wuy. yol
weren't qnite right in your coujrc ure-that
wasn't Just what had to tell you"
"W hat was it, then?"
"'That loved YOU, rheo, and want you for
my own. l think it began way ba k that
first day when you came to my Office. l did
not acknowledge it. to my own heart then;
| but | think it was my secret feeling for you
| which made ME buy Inglesidp, though [ put
the matter to myself on different grounds. -
The charm deppeued every time saw my lit
tie lassie; and II year ego made up my
mind That did not want TO dowithout her any
longer 1t was then | mrnt to Marcia, and
tried to persuade her To come home SO that
yOn could he spared 10 me; for | would not
be selfish enough to ask you 10 leave your
father and mother alone | found her i'm
movable as granite; but she begged me hard
"a l. Il r.. H., e, I
said anything to uusertle YOU. Somehow she
bpguled promise out of me, though think
should not have given it but for my aver
sion to subjecting you to the unpleasantness
of loug engagement. That is, you know,
if you could love me well enough to be en-
gagged TO me ut all. You have not told me
that, Theo."
looked him straight in the eyes-I meant
TO see his soul through them.
Are you sure that you love me, David
Hope. me and no other!
"VNy sure, Iheo."
"And you would rather have me for your
vile than Marcia, beautiful aud strong and
grand as she is?'
Rather than any one else in the world, lit
tie las.ip.
Then somehow, before knew it. l was in
his arms. crying on his shoulder. Joy tears,
| lUOUBu, lOt JhiS WIS Will ilSunI "iCu l.
spoke Of the brightest day Of my life.
We went in togeather. after awhile, to ask
my parents for their blessing, and they gav,,
it to Us with full hearts.
Mr.. Hope did not 90 back to town that
night. 1t Was the first night he had passed
in lnglpside, but he would come and go
!rncrIorth as Il son of the house. | sat up
with him little later than the rest, Just to
hear over again what it was so very sweet to
know ut lnsl--that he loved me- | began to
find out the rare deep tenderness of this man
who ,aimpd me ~ his own He suited me
exactly. Some girls wouid have thought,
perhaps. that he lacked sentiment. He did
not ideuItze me at ALL told you in the first
place that his ideally was smali-but he
had strong, practical sense, and acute knowi-
edge OF hum nature He knew me- just as
/ was-wih all my little tlmpers and vani-
ties, and ruiirs--nnd, just As was, he held
me- dear; so there would never be any disr-
nuntmrmt between US. Our engagement
was Ia BE- Il 81 0rt one, for he said he had
. waited long euough for his bride. So he on
. ly gave me until Christmas TO make my mod.
est preparations.
When ut last left him fingered a little
at Marcia's door. aud listined to see if she
slept | wanted 20 90 to her Il moment aud
rest my heart, burdcnrd with its fu'ness ot
r joy in the quiet Of her sympathy But, list
, tening there, | heard her voice low, sweet
voice always, murmdr:
My work is done. am ready now, my
love, my love!'
lt was almost the old words, and is seem
ed to me like the echo Of her cry Of passion
ate longing the day before saw Mr.. Hopr
FIRST. | knew where her thoughts WERE ant
| would uot go in to mock them with my toe
happy looks
, cla took me into her room, and made mt
what she called wedding present. 1t was
| five hundred dollnrS-the sum Of which, aile
her two thousand were safely earned, she hac
, sold her lease aud her business
''lt is for the Wedding hncries, Theo
which ! shall never want, she said, and sh,
made me take it,.
, looked at her SO stately, 20 Young, 81
bpautiiul-so much lovelier than | ever wa!
or could be in any eyes save pavld Hopes =
and uttered my thought, could not he'll
II.
] Surely you will love again, Marcia. For
getlulness comes to every one in time; anC
you are too good and TOO lovely not TO bt
f destined to make some man happy
Il think my nature is granite, lheo, anC
, impressions do not wear off 1t very easily
} bot whether shall forget, or whether shal
) remember, can have nothing to do with m,
IN king you wedding present.
y So she forced me to accept her gift; aud
1 had vanity enough-l, at twenty-une. aud il
love to take real hearts delight in the pref
) ty things it brought me-
When Christmas came we were married ant
t went away. 1 had not expected journey
| fo.' knew what busy man Mr.. Hope was
. but he made every thing else give way, an,
took me to some of the Southern cities first
- and then for glmps Of life at Washington
1t WAS all so gay and strange and brilliant
= aud | was s0 happy. | scarcely had time t,
1 think about the old irelis, the new life wa
so engl osSing And yet did not notice
? vein Of sadness in my mothers letters and
rather wondered that Marcia did not writ
S at all. believe Mr. Hope thought NOR
about these things than | did, for after