The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1873-12-25
FOR PASTIME
on scribner's Monthly Magazine.
CONCLUDED

no experience had taught him to submit
patiently 10 discomforts Of mind or body
lie was uncomfortable now; and hi, boz
ish lmrLlse was to run away from his TN
saslness. lie had not yet learned tha
trouble Is like he ghost which had tormen
sed certain worthy family for years. Til
good wife finally concluded to mevo in or
'er to escape him; but when the last loa,
i goods was on the van, neigbbor T asse,
hat what vay, and saii $50 you're NOV
ing! "fes, CRED the ghost, lifting from
among the beds and cushion a voice {
'"ngrafulation, eyes, we're oil going.
Water Phelps hal not learned that al
maladies which are Of the spirit have wing
by right Of birth, and will fy with u,
wherever we go. lie thought Europe wou.,
hare resources enough 10 put out Of min.
one little, brown, mo,king face. lie wouI,
Try 1t. Miss Sturgis should 90 with him
II she would. lie could take her over t,
The old Greek marble women with whom
she seemed to belong What il she shout,
choose to turn into stone there, and live a.
forever in white dream of beauty? III,
laughed at bis own cocceit, ard then wenr
to Iii. cousin
With an althogetler unaatterins abrupt
ness, he proposed to her to be married a
enee' and catch the next steamer for Eu
rope. The mood to 60 was on him now
10 had no patience with waiting-as for
Gowns and things, they were plenty ther,
a. black berries in New Hampshire.
Miss Stargis vas a thorough bred, self
contained woman Of the world; bat sh,
was neither without heart nor without per
,eption Whether the New Uamo.bire n
h's comparison suggested any thing to hel
do not know; but at any rate she hac
no mind to be married in an unsentjmepta
haste that did not even pretend to excus,
itseIf By any passionate ardor Of love.
She refused his proposal with quiet firm
ness; AMI do not think he was at al! sor
ry to start upon his travels alone.
Enropo diverted him, however less thar
he had expected. lie spoke American
French, and it did not omen to him any
wild delights of a social nature. For vul
CIR dissipation he had no taste. At that
rtage in his career he vas, no doubt sell
h1h' ease loving, good-for naught but he
was always pure minded. The balls OIL
the Ma6i!le OILY disgustel him-the salons
% society corresponding o bis own IN
Nov York were not open to him. lie Tx
Cd paIntlnS, and music, and sculpture, al
OF them with mild, cool taste not one o!
them was capable Of giving him an intense
emotion. lie would have goae homs in :
year. had not the problem Of his lie wait.
ed a. home FIR his solution. lie sought
for light Oh it in all tie accustomed dir,e-
tons; he wiutared in France to no burmese
he passed the next winter in Rome with no
better success. A summer in Switzerland
aud another in Northern Eureps served
Inn 10 farther; and at the end of two
wears he went home, just as puzzled and
uncomfortable G man as when lie sailed
away from New York.
Meantime Miss Stargis had been tL;nL
lng. Would a lover who loved her have
stali away two years? When he he'd ask.
ed her to 20 With him, had it not beer
with a make the best oft air?
Il besp titaurItS =,
he returned to her, and asked her if, IT
last, she we're ready to name the welding
day.
She looked at him 18th curious cxnres.
zion OF inquiry, Just touched, or at least he
thosght So with sc3rn.
"lhis is sweetly courteous of YOU. am
sure, che said, in her cold, clear tones
but | want to unders sand you perfectly
do you ask me 10 lie your wife hccauso YOU
love me with love that would choose me
cut of all the world; or because, after GU,
rnderstandingin the past, honor constrains
you?"
1t is late N the day to ask that ques
ton, he said, with what indignant man
hood he could summon, NOW that YOU
have been my promised wife four years.
She smlled-a smile which promised hun
no consolation.
Nv ell, i'll change the conditions, then.
am no longer your promised wife. |
withdraw every pledge ! ever made you.
Now, If you seek me, It must lie afresh
gu have thought me cold woman: but
tell you that sny man would marry me
Ut his peril who could not give me the "
,ermost love Of his heart. 1t would be u
treason | could never forgive-I should be
inexorable as death. Do not speak che
word more to me Of marriage, unless you
know In your soul, that you love me with
" devotion that is absolute, exclusive, ami
for all time -
lie had never cane so near doing Just
this thing as al that moment. The keen
excitement of her mood had brea.hei life
into bis seeming statue. Her eyes shown
with a new fire. A brilliant scarlet glowed
on her checks. There were new tones in
her well bred voice. lie had never fouul
her SO intoxicating. | think he would
have thrown himself at her feet, but that
ha feared her. Possibly, also, he feared
himself. 1t may be that no had self kpowI.
etsc enough to understand tina, when the
excitement of thIs mood was over, and she
lad gone back to her old graceful rerose,
she would fail tc satisfy him, as she did
before. With Bessie forever blthe and
bonny and begulling in his memory. dare
he swear that he loved Margare. absolutely.
exclusively, and for all time?
lie rose and bowed courteorsIv
"iou have chosen, he said, for what
reason am unable even to conjecture. to
s-ak the bonds that bound us-to c,s,
doubts uron feeling you seemed in other
days to End satisfactory. Against such
eaprlee am not skilled or patient encugb
&c contend. viii not torment you with
sntreatles-yon shall be, as you have cLo.
ten' ''tress Of yoar own future
lie made his exit with dignity, as he
thought. Her eyes followed him with a