Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-07-21
SelcfteO 3HisteIIamI.
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through so many hearts of the land hat
passed her by, to all outward seeming, quit
untouched.
Sylvia Farnhan's mental allnlent was O
that kind, talking over which the best o
as are apt to shrug little, and say, tNon
senset' So reluctant we are to admit on
belief Of things we do believe. We knoy
how Sylvia Farnham might sit bereayed
though death had neither touched no
threatened the least of her beloved. Thinf
Of the capacity for human tenderness anC
devotion gentle, clear-headed girl vii
garner MP from her own nature and ou
literature in the years which pass between
sixteen and twenty-three. And if-th'
time seeming full come-it seeks lavish
outlet, and is driven back ashamed, will no
the heart sink and quiyer under the sick
ening weight? -
Sylvia had never been specially in love
though she knew very well that as Amer
lean girls 90, her Wedding bells must ring
before many years, ii at all-and sh,
thought marriage the ''lue state, as W,
all think, whether we say it on not. No
long. ago she had observed among the Office
signs of the town a new name, "Phllip Ell
caren, and by and by she began to sin
clude" its oWner-a man firm of hand an(
step, with eyes and voice passing those o
most men in clear, kindly breadth and full
ness
Will you tell me the common result OF {
girl ofSylvia Farnham's stamp seeing much
of such a man? The demand of right
soul for virtues like its own being appar
emily fully met, how about the human In
stincts the mobiles truly feeR What need tC
90 over the old theme wherewith the sweet
singers and ready writers have found their
best occasion for all times.
Sylvia and EIcaren had notvery long met
at social gatherings, and talked, and play
ed chess before, scarcely with her eogni-
ton silently, and. as itwere, in the night
the food gates felt the opening pressure,
and the tide ofherwhole life'S love set forth
in steady flow toward this one man.
And so, reader, if you have been in love,
as you very probably have, you viii see
how a Girl who had been cool and stately
as Diana for twenty three years, could
come to thrill and glow by virtue of a Sill
gle step. and voice, and touch. She was
afraid of herself, she was coming 20 love
him so! How could she, who had 'zzdetest-
ed" such things, let her hand be retained
so long in his the last time they parted? -
More easily, clearly, than to have with
drawn it 'sproperly' away. Itell you there
is painfulness almost Contemplating the
bliss of that sort of incident. The high
reserve of a whole, pure maidenhood can
not be thrown off, though but partially
with ease, even under rising loves quick
ening light
You having been in the state presup-
posed, viii know how it was with Sylvia
after an event like the following She was.
you will remember, in the mood we have
Just discussed, entering on passion Which
at its full would have thrown herself and
the whole world besides at the feet Of this
beloved. And vet, back of it ALL was the
maiden delicacy growing doubiy sensitive,
aud ready to take keen alarm at q word
IL was a social evening at Mr.. Mayhew's
The parlors were fuIl-the talk and passing
to and fro very brisk. Not especially OBJ
served, as she thought, Elcaren was soon
at her side; but before long a gay little
piece of the world, in the person of Miss
Euphrasia Lance, came between them In a
little breeze Of airy, veXati0us yet inslnua-
ting de tTopness and the result was that
Sylvia found herself after a brief eye-par-
ley with her companion, separated from
him, and seated at chess on thoroughly
golden rule principle, with good but prosy
and purblind DR.. Akeriy, the cbeckered
field before him his world for the 6ue be-
ing.
For nearly an hour she saw nothing of
Elcaren. She was beginning to really
chafe at this quiet puppet-handiing which
the Doctor enjoyed so much, when the
voice again reached her ear. Any other
one at the same pitch she would have SIM
ply have heard and not understood, but you
know there viii be voices for US alone,
,4,boco ,41,c oopoIoSc oada,,oo riy,crc,
silver bells
She could Just distinguish Alf Mayhew'f
words, though he spoke in higher key
The first were:
Now, Phil, you may as well be honest
and own you're trapped at last. No girl il
her senses could ever have looked and act
ed that way to fellow who hadn't made
himself pretty definite.
1t seemed to Sylvia as though the blood
had all gone out Of her heart, for it hardly
seemed to quiver in It's still suspension,
while har face glowed furiously. So hel
burning ears took in the second speaker
words.
''How little you know me, Alf, to jump
at that style of conclusion 1 assure you
that no word of this kind has ever passed
my lips. (But what had he not looked 7
'If you knew her as well as do, you would
never had fallen into this mistake. She
either wants TO be married or wants tC
firt, and what they gulgarly call the dead
set is her plan Of operation. | tell you
Aft I would not marry Venus herself i
that were her style of attack. Ny ideal o
the sex can never stoop quiet so briskly
nor so low to conquer.
Then that was his estimate of her, Syl
via FaTnham How the tide rolled bacI
upon her suffocating heart How she dis
engaged herself from DR.. Alierly she nevel
knew; but what remained of that evening
she spent in a shaded corner of the desert
ed dressing room-not crying, but knowing
for the first time what real misery meant
Yet as she donned her hood with the res
YOU must have looked carefully at her, anC
known her well, to have told that hers hat
not been a generous share of the enjoymen
of the occasion. -
At the hall door she met form sh
knew quite too well, waiting, before Ii,
went his own way, to bestow her safely il
the carriage, which bore her home SOM
distance out of town.
What matter If she could not help
thrilling under the old look? The one sh
gave back was as full of gathered ant
naughty reproach as ever cut keen from
ewes NUlCliB Hl iuSu1tGu uGdIb. Ills Owl
glance changed to one of surprised inquiry
But what Of it? He knew his part vel
enough, 10 doubt.
Sc youz sec it was quite over. The It'd,
could not well be colder or wider whicl
flowed between her and him. She did no
meet him very often, but when she did
that man. must have been very singularl.
obtuse who did not see that the ere,an
oD1nes was henceforth prom unced on al
mental intercourse of his as concerned her
self
Girls ike Silvia Farnham do not pea
and pine over things Of this sort. Sh
went about her household tasks, as twere
with more gendeness and efficiency thai
ever. The only change outside seeme'
tuat she was more tender and thoughtful
Of actual suffering, orpossibility or oft, thai
before.
Her nimble needles clinked and glittereC
among the very first which unsheatheC
themselves, on comfortable deeds intent
Iof those brave but chilly fellows dyVellinf