Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-01-23

He started n n the bullet had alrcad'
found him. Whether yea believe il o
not. ethree had messed -tcgosher evs
since We left Vermont ne had .srampel
side by side through Virginia mud |; "
had shared each others rations and blank
ets In many stress Of danger and fatigue
but the name of Thyrsa Harrington has
never passed our lips since that day, il
camp at BrattieboFo'. Hal was Away,
rcticent. He vas the sort Of man wh.
held yeu q arms length. If be pleased
and any subject he choose 10 ignore was !
sealed book. lie had not chosen 10 tall
Of her. and % Jack and I had bees silent
But that night the spirit r.oved sme tos
strongly-and / spoke. hss-sE-t
He stsrsed. - I have s.ja. WA n
bronsed face flashed But after momen,
he answered quietly: ~
Il do not expect to be killed, GREY: 20,
have learned, since came down here,
that il takes deal Of ammunition to kill
one man. But il I should fall, I think
Thyrra would manage to endure it, -hs
added in low tone. as he tossed pebble
into the road with the toe Of his boot.
Manage to endure il I cried. what
do you mean Halt Is she not your prom
ised wife 2
'1---surpose-.o.' he answered, slowly,
! according to the letter Of the law. Blu,
what is the letter good for when the spir-
it is gone? What is the body worth with
out the soul r
The flush had faded, and he was palc
rs a ghost.
i am sure you are beside yourself, Hal, ,
! said. laying my hand upon his arm; but
it will do you good to break the silence in
which you have wrapped yourself. Make
clean breast of it, man. for your souls
sake. What is the trouble with you and
Thyrzar
Trouble enough. he answered, logged
ly. Il have reason to believe that she
made mistake in engaging herself to me.
If should happen to be picked of by one
Of these internal bullets, he added, grim.
". 1T would be fortunate circumstance.
II would set her free. you see, wi,hou.
any FUSS
There was stern compression of his
lips. a metallic hardness to his voice -
Yet Hal Brainard's nature was brave, ten
der. and womanly. I probed him with
Questions as surgeon probes wound.
And YOU I asked. have you made .
mistake too
III she be not fair to me,
What care how fait she be-"
he quoted lightly. Then, as ifsomc wave
Of feeling swept over him. tearing his pride
from its mooring, he seized my hand iu a
siee-like grasp.
made q mistake or not. l have loved her
al my life long. I do not even know
when began to love her. That's the
wors. of it, Harrison Grey .
We were silent for awhile. TIE sun
dropped lower and lower, and the soft twi-
light wrapped US in its tender folds. I
knew ] should hear the whole story, IL I
had patience to wait for it; but Hal Brain
ard vas not one to be hurried.
Il do not know that blame her. he
said. at last. The truth is. Grey. Thyrza
and are too unlike. I am no mate for
her. She is gay. bright and airy. full OF
sudden sparkles and flashes. that dazzle
and bewi,ch me out Of my senses. But l
cannot follow her. I cannot keep pace
with her fights. I cannot half compre.
heud her. There is something in her life
which my life cannot grasp. And then
she looks at me with vague. reproach-
full wonder in her eyes. which is too much
for my philosophy. She is a sty-lark,
and l clod.'
But admitting your comparison for q
moment I said. 'skylarks build theil
nests upon the solid ground. Did it never
occur to you that your hardy. rugged
strength might be more to Thyrza Har.
riugton than all the brilliant parts, all tn,
merely aesthetic cultivation in the world
Besides, there is certain sort Of knowl
edge-whether it comes BY intuition Of
otherwise. that women gain earlier thar
men,
| Hal shock his head.
AN very we'll in the ABSTRACT he re-
marked, but. you see, it does not toucl
this case. What is man to do when b,
sees that the woman who has promised
marry him feels deficiencies in him. IN,
when he knows that his failure to NEE
the wants Of her nature. and to give ful
Sympathetic recognition TO what she re
CARDS as bes. aud highest in herself, IL
constant trouble to herf Tell mo that
! ! was silent, trying to think xhat
should say-what it was best to say. =
Presently. his hand fell heavily upon m,
knee.
Tell me one thing more.' he added, il
low, intense voice. What is one 10 d,
when he believes. even il he does no
know of a surety. that there is a man i
the world-iu her world, too-who coul
be to the woman he loves sll that he ha
failed to be? What should be do in sue
. casea
; Hair
i believe Just ths. Grey. 1 have b
lieved il for sir months. Pleasant sta,
Of things, isn't its'
. Nov that Jon hare said that much. 20
must say more answered. What d
? Jon mean By these strange words r
Have you seen Fayette Blackmara sin,
he came back from heidelburg ?
|. Never. Haves't had . glimpse ,
: him.
THAT is because you ~ese a~ay 20 mne
{ for months before Ne enlisted. He v,
o In Hillscp half the time. -
o BE used TO Be geod enough sort Of
fellow before he went abroad I said
4 hope they hare not spoiled him over ther
, Bse il u not Ae zen ana ta!ksag shout
u 'lt n, thongh, he answered. Ms e.