The Placer herald., 1873-01-04

,hcte WAS sollle'ilNlS auoul. llal praiitlu 'ua'
| could not understand. He was brave,
even to rashness. But it seemed to me
more like The recl>lessness of the man who
holds his life of little worth, than he bravery
of him who takes it calmly in his hand ready,
f it is required of him, to offer it up in all It's
full, sweet completeness. One evening"
was on the exc Of an engagement-I ven
tured to demonstrate with him.
'You are too reckless, Hal" | said. ga
man has 10 right to throw his life away need
lessly, even in battle. Think what it would
be to Thyrza, if YOU vera to be left in some
namelcss grave down here"
lie started rs if the bullet had already
found him. Whether you believe it or not !,
we three had messed together ever since we
left Vermont; we had tramped side 10y side
through Virginia mud; We had shared each
others ratons and blankets in many a stress
of danger and fatigue; but the name of Thyr
"a Harrington had never passed our lips
since that day in camp at Brattleboro. Hal
was always re'iceut. He was the sort Of
man who held you at arms length, if he
pleased; and any subject he chose TO ignore
was a sealed book lie lad not chosen 10
talk of her, and SO jack and had been 81
lent. But that night the spirit moved me
strongly-and spoke.
He started, as have said, and his bronz-
ed face flushed. But after a moment he an
swcred quietly;
81 do not expect TO he killed, Grey; for !
have learned since came down here that it
takes deal Of ammunition to Kill one man,
But if should fall, think Thyrza would
manage 10 endure it," he added in low
tone, as he tossed pebble into the road
with the toe of his boot.
"Mmage to endure it, cried. "Nhat
do You mean, Hal? Is she not your prom
sed wife ?"
"I--suppose-so, he answered slowly
"accordmg to the letter Of the law. Bu'
what is the letter good for when the spirit is
gone? What is The body worth without
the soul p
The flush had faded and he was pale as a
ghost
81 am sure You are beside yourself, Hal, -
| said, laying my hand upon his arm; "but
it VIII do YOU good TO break the silence in
which You have been wrapped - long.
Make a clean breast of it, man, for youi
souls sake. What is the trouble with you
and ThyrzA? p
"Tgoublo enough" he answered, dog
gediy. 81 have reason to believe that she
made mistake in engaging herself to me.
# | should happen to he picked of by one Of
these ilcmal buIlcts, he added, grimly, ii
would be a fortunate circumstance. 1t would
sci her free, you see, without amy fa-s
There was stern compression of his lips
Il metallic hardness TO his voice. Yet Hal
Dr,inard's nature was brave, tender, and
womauly. proJed Lin with questions as
Il surgeon probes wound.
And you," asked, "haye you made a
mistake too q
IF she BE- not fair to me,
What care / how far she be-
he quoted lightly. Then, as if some wave
Of feeling swept over him, tearing bis pride
from lis moorings, he seized my hand in a
yice-Hke grasp.
~ love herr he cried, "vhcther | have
made mistake or not. havcss loved hel
al my life long do not even know when
began to love her That's the worst of it,
Harrison Grey"
We were silent fora While The sur drop
ped lower and lower, and the soft twilight
wrapped " in its tender folds. ! knew
should hear the whole story, ifI had patience
to wait for il; but Had Brainard was not one
10 be hurried.
81 do not know that blame her," he
sld, at least "The truth is, Grey, Thyr-
n aud are too unlike. ! am no mate toi
her. She is gay, bright and airy, full Oh
Sudden splr>les and flashes, that dazzle and
bewitch me ont Of my senses. Bat cannot
follow her cannot keep pace with heI
flights cannot half comprehend her. There
is something in her life which my life cannot
grasp. And then she looks at me with a
vague, reproachfu wonderin her eyes, which
is too much for my philosophy. She is IA
skylark, aud am IA clod.
"But admitting your comparison for a mo-
ment, | sad, "skyIarks build their nests
upon The solid ground. DID it never occur
to YOU that your hardy, rugged strength
might be more to Thyrza Harrington than
all the brilliant parts, all the merely aesthetic
It certain sortof neutrality-suspicious. it comes
by intuition or otherwise, that women gain
earlier lLan men,.
Hal shook his head.
can very well in the abstract" he re-
marked, "but, you see it does not touch
this case. Mat is man TO do when he
sees that the woman who has promised to
marry him feels DEFICIENCIES in him, and when
he knows that his failure to meet the wants
Of her nature, and to give full sympathetic
recognition to what she regards AS best and
his hest in herself, is constant trouble to
her? Tell me that.
was silent, trying to think what should
,ay-what it was best to say. Presently,
his hand frll heavily upon my knee.
"Iel me one thing more, he added, IN a
low, intense voice. NV hat IS one TO 40
when he believes, even if he does not know
of "A surety. that there is rnan in the world
in hp,. word-who could be to the woman