Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-03-08
Written for the STATE JOURNAL.
| NDER THE APPLE TREE,
BY Oscar Dale.

Slightly bent forward, her hands clasped
IN her lap and her hook lying upheeded on
TIE bench beside her, Margaret Woodford
rat thinking. An easier attitude would
1T have comported with the earnestness
OF her thought. She did not even notice
at the rays of the afternoon sun had got
b meath the outslretched limbs of the apple
tee and we're falling full upon her,
She had come out to the orchard to read
the story of the lives of those born In an
Ruthor's brain and had come instead upon
new scene In the real drama Of her own
Ire.
1t was certainly through no fanlt of hers
that Alfred Carson had there sought her
ont and poured into her unwilling ears
thu passionate story of his love aud begged
her for ever 30 little In turn.
She had checked him Agaln and again
Told him that she had no love to give
q at she feared the capacity for love had
d ed within her been FILTERED away In
thr miserable rouLd of filtations Of fash
unable society. Of course she said she
iut honored by the love of so good and
true a man would value his friendship, il
ste might still have il but, for his love,
81 could olflr no return.
DO you love unother1" he had eagerly
asked.
No she said hesitntingly, and then more
decidedly, "No, have many fiends whom
] love aud honor, as friends, but there is
none TO whom | could give that love which
would make US both content"
Ihcn came youths eager and eloquent
pea for hope hope that some daY the
devoted love he offered might find
return.
NO" she said firmly, and Alfred fe't
That the answer was final, aud with II
choking feeling in his throat he turned
and went slowly down the hill.
And Margaret rat thinking. Now that
sh had spoken the iirevocablc word, she
que riea Of herself why she need have given
it, Why not said ''ycs," as well :
Alfred Carson loved her. lie offered
her homage no woman could receive un
m, we'd, He was good and kind had
wealth aud social POSITION. He could have
kept her in the circles in which she had
always moved, and given her the luxurles
custom had made necessaiics.
Why not have accepted him Simply
because she could not love him and iu-
ttinctiyely revoled from the idea of spend
Ing her whole life with him.
lie pititd him. But she did not fear
that the wound She hnl iniiiclsd was be.
yond cure. She had lived too long in the
world and Society for that. She had sent
other lovers away Just as heart-bToken as
he, and and had afterwards congratulated
them as happy hridegrooms while they
stood beside their blushing brides and
wCidercd in their hearts how they could
evC have loved cold, heartless Margaret
Wo'dford.
Ytt such scenes were painful. She was
not cOquette-simply belle. Society
expected Of her that she should smile, aud
she smiled; that she should be charming,
and II was easy to obey that she should
be brilliant, aud she shone resplendent.
adding mirth to beauty, and wit to mirth
and she enjoyed her power.
II some were dazzled, and would fail
come nearer, she made them feel that hci
brightness was that of winter sunshine
liz without warmth, and they wen
away with heavy hearts, but, soon com
io ed themselves with the thought tina
they had bten dnzz'ed with an iciclc, an,
so ght steadier though less brillian
warmth elsewhere. She knew better bu
was not weak enough TO break a delusiol
I'll % gave them comfort.
This interview had stirred her deeply
ard annoyed her inst little, She ha
intended to make this country visit sea
son Of quiet and perfect rest. Why shoul
Alfred Carson have remembered an oil
Invitation of her aunt's. and followed her
tN' ul'l nuL iiAnu lhhi 'u NNulNOANh NNAi
Ing. lie knew the value Of rest, an
would bother her with no romance. B,
side, he had n right there. lie was like
son in her aunt Wentworth's house btin
her dead husbands fayul'e nephew.
Ralph was pleasanter subject fC
til ught than the painful interview she ha
in passed, so she let herself think of hn
She remembered when he, too, was full {
romance, when he came back from Ha
4 Ft,T1 aFh hvfsr aa1 for
brilliant future. He, too, had bowed b
fore her charms, and received the sau
al swer Alfred Carson had just had.
That was whtn Margaret was III Il
vc'y flood of her secord year In socie
aud kterly alive to the joys of b
Triumphant reign. No indeed, she III
thought, she would not settle Gown tc
quiet hum.drum life, with Ralph Wei
worth and help him carry ont his odd =
tons Of doing good aud reforming soeiet
ard all that.
Ralph had got over it. All men do, s
thought. But he was very different n.
now from what he was in those daye.
Was rather given to sneerng at thin
than trying TO change them. She doubt
if he were changed for the better he "
more like herself. He had "done" socie
an knew all about ii. He could pay
silly compliments TO smirking Misses,
tn next fellow and then laugh in his sle'
TO think what fools he and ''the next
lows both were. He could offer mt
subtle tlattery TO women not too wise
b, battered, (and what woman, Or N
either, isl but wise enough to wish to
e. enled for something more lasting IL
eVanescent physical charms.
lie seemed TO have forgotten his Qu
oIi' notions about "reform" unless
,Er'ctci to make a reform In poli'
Margaret wondered if her refusal had
az THU to do with dampnz the glow
cl ihusi ,sm he had brought back from
lc e. Some of il must yet remain Y
n for he was hard worker in his !
sion, and old Judge Horton had Q
tod her that there was not hetter law
o. his age in the commonwealth.
Her rejection had not made him
cErmy, anyway. She was glad of tn
f. when he would cons scnt TO be scrl
nu not chaif her over her eonquests
b her as Queen Margaret, he was
most Interesting man she knew. He
II read and had impcrceptibly led
u'o the enjoyment of higher litcra
Tan she had once cared for, and he
e. ihate her taste in many ways.
'c seemed to value her opinions,
II told her once that when she grew
o ruling puppets, she might, with her
III cad of her fan for q sceptre, rule
az I women.
She wondered il he meant ii. She
half disposed to try it. She was
enough of ruling puppets, and longet
newer anu better woIlds to conquer.
siw'nty-iive now, and the Dead
fruits Of six "seasons' had turned 10 q
,n her lips. 1t was dry as dust aud
Ns weary of it. suppose she had
n d Ralph, she thought, would it have
better She thought not. She cert
" aid not have had such an oppOrtl
l' ound mere conventionaity to its
io depths. and Would not have fel
s,nt aspirations for something h
ard more enduring.
sitting thus musiug, she did not q
u the OBJECT of her thoughts stoo,
1 re her, until his shadow fell upoI
face.
She looked up startled and for a mf