Centre Hall reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1868-1871, 1871-10-20

4
intended 70 adopt, Why had Mr., Bligh
gone away. leaving them the prey Of this
miSchicvous opportunity !
fcss FOR Heavens sake, don't speak 20
me IN that way, or you'll drive me mad y
and then he got up aud went TO the win
dow and poor Madgu saw that bis face
had grown very pale. and that an exprcs-
sina II horelessneSS had settled upon IL,
She could not bear IL, lie had been ~
thoughtful lot her slways--So gentle, aud
devoted, and sympathetic-thats she felt as
Il she must comfort him, let what might
come of it.
TheO.n she said again, with that same
pathetic cadence in her voice, "you have
bcen 50 kind 20 me always; | can't bear
70 see yoa 10, Can't mako yoa happier,
\ Thco "
Vie turned round quickly and caught her
hands aS she was standing near 60 him.
"Aadgc, do you love INV uncle "
Half frightened, she drew back from
hrm, and 81 am engaged 20 him." she
stnmmered.
Yes, but you have made me love you
YOU knew your chance, and you have used
it. II you love him, let me 20 without
smother Of those appeals that you know
how to make 50 maddening Il not
MAdge. Madge r.
He had taken her hands again. and was
looking down into her tace with CLEAN
Of such intense pleading affection that for
a moment he was the world to her.
II | had known you first.A she sobbed,
but didn't. y0l see and we DGadees
never break our word. And--oh you had
better 60 after all but forgive mem
Forgive her. liz was easy enough 20 say
I've would, and 10 make an end Of this mis-
cradle scene, but IL was very hard 10 do it-
Had she not spoken his name with NIL her
heart In her voice only mnute ago, lead
ing him on by the tone she used to tell bis
secret to her in the hope that she would
be brave. and avert eyentful misery from
them all And now she was telling him
that il she had known him first she would
have loved him best. and that she could
not for her names sake break her word TO
his uncle,
II was a chastity state Of Affairs, and as
soon as he could, Theo Bligh made an end
OF il, by going away. The two men had
90 verbal explanation on leave-taking, but
they parted Us comrades who had been
wounded in the same tight might part.
And then Theo sound that, though Sxis-
tence was not embitterrd 20 him, the SAVIOR
had gone from the old pleasures.
IL was decidedly not worth while now,
he Ielt, TO try and do anything good or
definite; for he could never find woman
10 share bis glory or smile upon bis success,
who could put Bonnie Dundee out Of his
mind after her other women did and would
always appear TO be wanting in something.
She had the trick of making Others appear
tame, and pale, and insufficient. and
well, the man who has been shown upon
by a star, never feels that there Is much
warmth in a taper.
He banished himself 80 eilectuAlly that
be heard no tidings from the Chase for six
months, and then he ventured TO send his
address TO his banker and To have letters
forwarded 10 him but before these letters
are read, retrospective glance AZ the Bon
ME Dundee must be given
She bore his departure very bravely.
Remember how many other interests were
claiming her attention at the time. and re-
member the ardent, impTessionable, change
able nature Of the girl. There was good
deal OF the woman. She had the faculty
Of feeling intensely for the time, and Of
getting over things. Is not that last char
acteristic fhe secret of many women keep
! ing right, and OF many Others going wrong
Ii brushed the bloom Of thS peach
roughly when he went away, for that
vailed idolatry Of his bad been very pleas
ant TO her; nevertheless sac bore II bravely,
| and made the best OF that which remained
to her. 's / am so sorry, for was so fond
Of him. she said TO her lover, with that
disarming frankneSs which women Of her
calibre know so well how TO use. And
Mr. Bligh, hearing her, did not wonder
that his nephew had been Scorched by the
! hery ordeal through which be had been
| passed.
There was this about IL, too, that il was
such clean fire that even her own sex could
not despixe and condemn and prophecy
evil things concerning Miss Dundee's
warmth. Just as she loved light, and
dancing, and flowers, and sweet sounds, so
| did she love 20 be loved and though i;
made her dangerous, il never made her
despicable. And somehow men understood
this, and so fostered her other foibleS,
because of their gladness that she was free
from greater ones.
IL was only about week before the day
Fixed for their marriage, that Mr.. Bligh
ventured to speak ,decisively TO her. Very
earnestly and gently he spoke, beseeching
| her Co open all her heart To him, and TO
tell him Ii any other image had ever dis
placed his. And Madge listened 70 him
thoughtfully, and analy zed her own emo
tions, and finally answered him.
"If he had come first, should have loved
TheO desperately as it was, didn't dare
let myself. You're not afraid, are you
10nlv for your happiness, my poor
child" be said, Z" not for my own honor"
81 like you so much, you know" she
said. energetically-"it il does seems so hard
that one can't express all ones little grada-
tions Of feeling in words-I like you so
much-Out it's dark TO me now without
him. she added, with n sudden passion
that carried her cut Of herself, and con-
vinced him that she could never be his
wife.
eli. II the younger maii-and-yOu are
right He tried TO say il calmly, but IL
was an awful blow; and again, mr. the
strength Of bis manhood was shaken, MadGe
wavered. and strove 20 comfort him.
"Let things 20 on and / shall forget
him, or grow indifferent TO him; J know
myself-I shall live in down.
g You need not, poor child. for be loves
you too"
ayes. l know that" she answered with
the reckless openness that made her what
she was.
After that, so much Of the world as
knew the Blighs and Dundees had a fresh
and delightful source OF wondcr1nent for q
time. The marriage between the owner Of
the Chase and Madge was broken off, and
still they were friendly; and still neither
would listen TO one word against or com
menf ON the conduct OF the other. Time
would tell, people said sapiently, rcserving
their belief as 10 what time would tell TO
| themselves.
Six months passed, and then Theo Bligh
received those letters Of which mention
has been made. One was from Madge, and
contained these words:
aYour uncle has promised to explain
everything. need only say that ! shall
always be your faithful friend, Madge
Dundee"
The other was from bis uncle, and con-
tanned free forgiveness, this was only
imulied. not coarsely volunt~ered,) and a
Gali account. "Come back and win what
| / have lost, and as ! love you as my son,
so will love her as my daughter" That
was something like an invitation from a
defeated TO a successful lover !