The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-26
UNDER THE APPLE TREE.

UNDER THE APPLE TREE.
Slightly bent forward, her hands
clasped in her lap and her book lying
unh0eded on the bench beside her,
Margaret WoodfOrd sat thinking. An
easier attitude would not have com.
ported with the cornestness of her
thought. She did not even notice that
the rays Of the afternoon sun had got
beneath the outstretched limbs of the
apple tree and were falling full upon
her.
She had come out to the orchard to
read the story of the lives Of those born
in mn authors brain, and lad CONT in
stend upon n new scene In the real
drama of her own life,
II wus certainly through no fault Of
hers that Alfred Carson had there sought
her out and poured into her unwilling
ears 'thc passionate story Of his love
and begged hor for ever so little in re-
turn.
She had checked llimagain and again /;
told him that she had no love to give /;
that she feared the capacity for love htd
died within her; been frittered away in
the miserable round OF ilirtations OF
fashionable society. OF course she said
she felt honored by the love of so good
and true a man would value his friend
ship, II she might still have it; but, for
his love, she could offer no return.
"Do you love another?" he had
eagerly asked.
"No, "Bhe said, hesitatingly, and then
more decidedly, "No, 1 have many
friends whom love andhonoras friends,
but there is none to whom could give
that love which would make us both
content"
Then came youths eagcr and eloquent
plea for hope-hope that some day the
devoted love he offered might find n
return.
"No," she said, firmly, and Alfred
felt that the answer was final, and with
choking in his throat he turned and
went slowly down the hill.
And Margaret sat thinking. Now
that she had spoken the irreyocable
word, she queried OF herself why she
need have given it. Why not have said
Eyes rs well2
Alfred Carson loved her. he offered
her homage no woman could receive
unmoved. He was good and kind had
wealth and social position. He could
have kept her in the circles in which
she had always moved, and given her
the lu1urics custom had made neces-
saries.
whynds have accepted him2 Simply
because she could not love him, and in
stinctiyely reyolted from the idea Of
spending her whole life with him.
She pitied him. But she did not fear
that the wound she had inflicted was
beyond cure. She had lived too long in
the world and society for that. She
had sent other lovers away Just rs
broken.hearted MS he, and had afterward
congratulated them us happy bride
grooms, while they stood beside their
blushing brides and wondered in their
hearts how they could ever have loved
cold, heartless Margaret Woodford.
Yet such scenes were painful. She
was not o coquette-sinply belle.
Society expected Of her that she would
smile, and she smiled that she should
bo charming, and it was easy to obey /;
that she should be brilliant, and she
shone resplendent, adding mirth to
beauty, and wit TO mirth, and she en-
joyed her power.
II some were dazzled, and would fain
have come nearer, she made them feel
that her brightness was that Of winter
sunshine, light without warmth, and
they went away with heavy hearts, but
soon comforted themselves with the
thought that they yhad been dazZled with
an iciclc, and sought steadier though
less brilliant warmth elsewhere. She
knew better, but was not weak enough
to break delusion that gave them
comfort.
This interview had stirred her deeply,
and annoyed her Just n little. She had
intended to make this country visit n
season Of quiet and perfect rest. Why
should Alfred Carson have remembered
an old invitation OF her atints, and fol-
lowed her? She did not mind Ralph
Wentworth's coming. He knew the
value OF rest, and would bother her
with no romance. Besides, he had q
right there. He was like a son in her
aunt Wentworth's house, being her
dead husbands iayorite nephew.
Ralph was ploasanter subject fol
thought than the painful interview she
had just passed, SO she let herself think
OF him. She remembered when he, too,
was full OF romance, when he came back
from Harvard full Of bright hopes aud
plans for brilliant futnre. Hn too
had bowed before her charms, and 70.
ceived the same answer Alfred Carson
Just had.
That was when Margaret was in the
very food Of her second year in society,
and keenly alive TO the Joys Of her tri.
umphant reign. No, indeed, sho had
thought, she would not settle down 10 q
quiet, hum.drum life, with Ralph Went.
worth and help him carry out his odd
notions OF doing good and reforming
society, and all that