Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-01-03

That's the worst Of it, Harrison Grey"
We were silent for awhile. The sun
dropped lower and lower, and the soft
twilight wrapped us in it's tender folds.
[ knew | should hear the whole story,
if had patience to wait for it; but
Hal Brainard Was not one to be hur-
ried.
'sI do not know that I blame her" "
he said, at last. "The truth is, Grey,
Thyrza and I are too unlike. I am no
mate for her. She is gay, bright and
airy, full of sudden sparkles and flash
es, that dazzle and bewitch me out OF
my senses. But [ cannot follow her,
| cannot keep pace with her flights.
| cannot half comprehend her. There
is something in her life which my life
cannot grasp. And then she looks at
me with vague, reproachful wonder
in her eyes, which is too much for my
philosophy. She is skylark, and
a clod."
''But admitting your comparison for
a moment" [ said, 'skylarks 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
cultivation, in the world? Besides,
there is a certain sort of knowledge
whether it comes by intuition or other
wise, that women gain earlier than
men,"
Hal shook his head.
Cali very we'll in the ABSTRACT he
remarked, "but, you see, it does not
touch this case. What is a man to do
when he sees that the woman who has
promised to marry him feels defcien-
ces 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 highest in herself, is constant
trouble to her? Tell me that"
I was silent, trying to think what
should say-what it was best to say.
Presently, his hand fell heavily upon
my knee.
ssTell me one thing more,o he add
ed, in low, intense voice. "What is
one to do when he believes, even if he
does not know Of a surety, that there
is man in the world-in her world,
too-who could be to the woman he
loves all that he has failed to be?-
What should he do in such a case %
sHal!'
81 believe just that, Grey. I have
believed it for six months. Pleasant
state of things, isn't it?"
''Now that you have said that much,
you must say more" answered.
''What do you mean by these strange
words?"
'sHave you seen Fayette Blackmann
since he came back from Heidelburg?"
''Never. Haven't had a glympse of
him.
''That is because you were away so
much for months before we enlisted.
He was in Hilltop half the time"
''He used to be good-enough sort
Of fellow before he went abroad" [
said; 81 hope they have not spoiled
him over there. But it is not he you
are talking about?'
"It is, though" heanswered, his face
darkening. 'But tell you what it is,
Grey, [ will not do the man injustice.
He is just the one to charm the fancy
Of a girl like Thyrza. He is all that [
am not-all that she wishes [ was.-
He is interested in all the things that
interest her-in poetry, music, and
every thing that | am such dolt a.
bout. He can lead her where | only
follow her afar off; and with all his
careless grace of manner, his easy flow
of talk, | feel like great, clumsy i'd
lot beside him.
"Fayette Blackmann may be Adonis
and Apollo and Mercury all in one,
for aught know" [ replied; 'G will
not dispute you. But it does not fol-
low that you have any occasion for jeal-
ousy."
My words stung him, and he sprang
up from the log on which he was sit
ting.
'SJealousy!" he cried. cam jeal-
GUS? Do you look at it in that way ?
Jealousyw
"But what else is it?" [ asked
"Look here, Hal. Do you think that
because woman is engaged-or mar
ried, even-she must become at once
blind and deaf? lean understand how
a cultivated woman may enjoy the So
ciety of cultivated man, and vet not
have the slightest idea of falling in
love with him."
I spoke with some heat, for I had
always liked Thyrza Harrington.
He turned white as sheet.
"You do not comprehend" he said,
with a certain quiet dignity. 81 am
casting no aspersions upon Thyrza.-
1t is not easy for man to say what
have said tonight; and you may have
misunderstood the words wrung from
me by pride and passion. | do not
think she is even aware how this man
has come in between her and me. But
[ see it; and what am to do about il? :?
Am I to sit still, like craven, and let
her drift helplessly into my arms, when
l believe she would be happier in the