The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1870-06-30

Ot course, he loved me be,t-I knew
that we'll enough-but would less than
oN mans love satisfy n.es Could
he have eyes or ears for any other wo-
man in the world ? No. I had little
beauty, less sweetness but I had at
least woman's pride. Therein I felt 7
surpassed my rival, and he should feel
it too. Haughtily I turned him, spoke
more haughtily. 2" '
"Excuse me, if you:please," I said.
IL am not Of much value, I know but,
such as am, belong, not to you, but
to myself alone.'' ~ Ef*1 -ss .>.''>a.>.
He started back as if [ had struck
him. ;>..-., VI = -.
Barbara" he said, passionately, Gam
I, then, a fool? Do you really not love
meW go 80 Il
"You have not yet done me SO much
honor as to say that you love me-" I.
answered, scornfully. *T
"Did you need that I should ?" he
demanded, hotly.5 "No, for you know
it; you cannot but believe in my love,
if, indeed, you believe in any thing.
Barbara, for Gods sake; do not torture
yourself, nor me I love you with my
whole soul. I ask you to be nv wife.
Say yes or no" ~ @a's aa2ss; s.&:a
"No, then, With many thanks" I said,
carelessly, and turned to 60 away. He
dropped my hands which he had seiz-
ed as though they burned him, and
yet they were cold as ice. ! He stood
up before me in the starlight, and look
ed at me from head to foot. s r ..szyz
IL think you are mat" J" he said pres
emily, in voice forcible made calm,
"but shall not make me mad like your
self: I will not let my life be: ruined
by you. Good-by." He turned, ,and
strode from the garden, without once
looking back. I stood as though turn.
ing to stone for a moment, and then I
started to follow him. It was mad.
ness, indeed, to throw away thus, ,osiu
blind, perverse pride, the only chance
Of happiness Fate had over offered me.
But my knees tottered beneath mes I
had to lean against an arbor-railing, or
I should have fallen. I tried to call !;
the voice died away 10 my throat; and
now-now it was too late: He reached
the gate he flung it open. A white
robed figure glided across the lawn to
meet him. I heard the soft, reproach-
full words: *'
"Arnold, where have you been ? How
could you leave me SOP"
I saw him stoop, as if in defiance,
and kiss the tempting face uplifted to
him in the moonlight; and I knew that
all was over. Ny rival had triumphed,
and three people were: rendered miser-
able for life. : .s*a+ 80 ~ u - /
Well, I had had my triumph, too-a
strange one, and it did not thrill me or
make me glow on the contrary, I felt
chillness, dreariness, as Of death. I
orept up to my own room, and there, in
silence and solitude, my soul and I did
battle together all the night long. T..
In the morning, Mrs Marples met
mo with radiant face. II 49,.
III am sure dear Sylvia may count
upon your sympathy, Miss Thorne,"
she eaid-''Mr. Darrow proposed last
night. Il
I did not notice whether there was
malice or triumph in the womau's tone
or not; Twas thinking, while she spoke, .
a little irrelevantly, Of the old myth of
the Spartan boy with the fox hidden
under his jacket and 'gnawing at his
heart. But I answered, quite coolly:
"And was accepted, Of course. May
I trouble you to convey ny humble
congratulations? They make 4 ssplen.
did looking p.,r." ~ And then I in
timated that it was long past school
time, and that Imust 60 about my busi-
ness. 49,: 49,; ,@r;F4 g: .>
F Which I did that day, and the next
and the next, through the weary round
Of weeks in which the whole house vas
full Of the hustle Of preparation; and
presently the weddipg.day came. I. had
not seer Mr. &Darrow. since the night i
threw'his heart back; to him in the gar
den ; he had gone away the very. next:
day ito attend toszsettlements, get
ready 4 house, etc., etc.,, they said he
was 20 impatient but I met him face
to face upon his Notwithstanding, ,s,
clad in hi, bridegroom'ss suit, which
vas almost squ.llyasppropriste 81 % )
chief mourner At = funeral, he was 60
ing down to lead his bride to church.
And in the look hs cast upon me then,
full Of pain, anger, reproaeh,, Is it was,
read tho truth-shat, If 1 had been
mad that night, he had been = :m.dder
still; that, though in an hour he would
be Sylvia's husband, he was my lover
still. =. 90 ,@zss@es7s :,,s:s4:s: II
knowledge how sweet, yet how bit,
ter! I loved him we'll enough to wish
it otherwise, and yet it was the only
crumb Of comfort which my starving
heart had to subsist upon. It kept it
slive for year, during al which time
never raw him, and then one day Mrs.
Marnles told mo that the Darrova vera