Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-04
UPPER sANDUSKY OHIO THURSDAY, APRIL 4,

too, Ever Forgive me for asking; but
you have no doubts?"
While he spoke he never looked at me,
but straight at the sky.
"Doubts?" said l, affecting a confident
tone; mot one."
"Then / am satisfied" replied Friend
Edward, solemnly; but his face was so
pale that it startled me, and there was a
look in it that thrilled my heart strangely
l was never in my life less sure of any
thing than l was just then of my love for
Adam Mott
We had unconsciously strayed to some
distance, and on our return l saw that
Adam was displeased. AS we walked
home he undertook to chide me for being
too trifling in my manners. His words
were very gentle, but they reused me to
anger:
well know first as last that l am not a
saint. Thee need not attempt to control
me | I shall never ask thy leave to talk
with an old friend. Moreover, while
was talking with the doctor what was
thee doing ?"
Reading poetry with Miriam, for she
had told me so.
Adam hastened to apologize, and tried
to soothe me with tender words; but all
he said only irritated me; his affection re-
PEELED me more than his anger.
Another week passed. l was growing
wretched. Father thought my sobriety
very eommendable, and Adam liked me
all the better for it.
He and father still talked of trade; but
/ fancied father was not as well satisfied
as at first with Adams business capacity;
he told me he thought the young man was
too fond of speculation; he didn't know
but he ''took after the Motifs"
Adam was going home to Philadelphia
to enlist with the young men of his own
city. Why didn't he start? When he
was fairly gone, at last, drew sigh of
relief. 1t was downright wicked of me,
but could not help it!
80, Cousin Sophia" said 1, one day, in
an irrepressible burst of confidence, 81
begin to be afraid I don't love Adam as
well as I ought to-"
"Well, dear" replied my experienced
cousin, cit will be very different after you
are married"
Reader does thee perceive the sophistry
of her views?
Friend Edward had grown estranged.
could not but observe it with pain. One
evening he came to say good-by. He was
going into the army as surgeon. Friend
Edwardl All, this struck homel l tried
to conceal my distress. had begun, be-
fore this, to suspect the true state of my
heart, and the bitter consciousness made
me wary Words had no right to speak
rose to my tongue; emotions had no
right to feel were throbbing at my heart !;
tears, which would not have started if
Adam had been dying, gushed up and
choked me while Edward held my hand
to say good-by.
So many years as I had known himi
Such pleasant talks as we had had togeth-
er! How could l spare him? Perhaps
he might not live to come back! Never
had l known such friend before, never
should find such another. 1t was dread
full that he was going, and dared not tell
him I was sorry.
"Not one word for me?" said he, sadly.
"Only say 'God-speed,' my friend"
My lips moved. He must have seen l
could not speak tore my hands from
his and rushed out of the room that was
our parting.
The summer passed on-or they called
it summer. tried to do my duty, and
hoped that sometime my mind would 'set-
tie down into quietness." l worked in
the kitchen and l worked for the soldiers.
Miriam's mother held me up as model.
But always underlying everything. else
was the thought, "Why can't die?"
They said DR.. Hathaway was engaged
but she was too shallow for Friend Ed
ward. 1 had my own private thoughts
as to what might have been, but dared
| not think even. And as for the chain
which bound me to Adam, never dream
ed of starting one of its iron links. Hadn't
my word been passeds My qcord!
Adam had not enlisted yet was wait
ing for his company. His letters to me
were well enough, but had no patience
to read them. Yet all the while listen
ed greedily to every stray word from DR..
Hathaway. He was throwing his whole
| soul into the work. Everybody in town
missed the good doctor-Cousin Sophia
| by no means least.
! One evening, as I walked home from q
| sewing circle, whom should | meet in my
very path but Adam Mott? ''Why, where
in the world did thee come from." cried
with more surprise than delight.
He seemed so glad to see me that my
heart smote me for my GOODNESS.
"When is thy company to start?"
''They started two weeks ago. Thee
will be the last to blame me, Eve. 1hadn't
the courage to leave theer
"What does thee say, Adam?"
GIVE been longing so for another sigh
of thy sweet face, Eve"
"Adam," said 1, coldly, 'thee hasn'
given up enlisting ?"
"Wel, yes, Eve, the truth is, my love
for thee stands in the way"
| Indeed" cried L, cit shall be sc
no longer Where is thy patriotism
Adam ~
"Don't be hard on me, Ever
''Thee might know, ADAM" cried 1
throwing off all restraint, ''that all eve
liked in thee was thy patriotisml If the,
hasn't that, thee has very little to recon
mend thee p'
Adam WINGED.
perhaps, Eve, I may have obtained
clearer views of duty"
"DOn't talk nonsense, Adam! The
knows what my temper is"
"Why, Eve, man may change hi
mind, hopel'
eyes so may woman. I've change
mine, Adam. I'll never marry thee"
The words flew out without any will o
mine.
"Why, Eve, thee is jokingw
"No, Friend Adam. am in downright
earnest. Our engagement has been a mi:
take 1t has bounded upon me to say so
1 wish thee well, Adam, but there's no
one spark of love for thee in my heart
not one spark I"
"Oh, Eve, Eve %
81 have deceived thee, Adam. be
thy pardon. If thee had enlisted as the
said thee would, should have kept m
word if it had killed me. Now, as Ion
as thee breaks thy own promise, how ca
!, thee hold me to miner
Adam gazed at me in stupor. Whs
| l had said was not to be comprehende
! in a minute
But Eve, you wouldn't break you
friends heart?'
He looked as if the blow had crushe
:. him. wanted to sink into the earth.
e deeply pitied the man / had wrongeC
d But what was spoken was spoken, an
n even if could would not have taken
back.
: When 1 told father of it he was sore]
# displeased..
d HE had thy promise, daughter-th
e faithful promisel"
a How could father look me in the fat
4 | hot