The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-05-01
SELECT STORY
PALE SYLVIA.


lowance for lovers exaggeratIon, his
simile was not far out of the way.
For Ray was her lover; not quite her
betrothed, for, though Sylvia consented,
her father refused, and Sylvia would not
disobey him even for Rays sake. Il
cannot bind myself TO marry you against
my fathers will" she said
Ray did care, quite enough, and was
cOntent-per force.
1t was not that Colonel Dorchester dis
liked Ray; on the contrary, the young
fellow was favorite with him. If only
he had been fortunes favorite, too. For
the Colonel, himself poor man, would
not give to another yet poorer. his only
child, the very apple Of his eye. But,
if prudent father, he was kind one,
too, and set his requirements at the very
lowest mark consistent with any degree
of worldly wisdom. Let Ray show me
that he is sure of bread and cheese, and
| will provide the wedding cake, he
said.
If one could draw on the bank of am
bition, and parcel out colored canvas in
to so many yards of bank notes, it would
not have been long 10 wait. Ray Croy-
don painted and dreamed Of great things
in the future, and forgot how, mean
while, the present was slipping away,
day by day, till all at once he bethought
himself that year had passed since Col.
Darchester's ultimatum had been spoken.
A whole yearl And what had he TO
show for it that would bring Sylvia any
the nearer? The conviction suddenly
struck cold to his heart that he should
never win her thus. "The choice is be-
tween Sylvia and fame" he said to him
self-it is so natural for the young aspi-
rant to believe that fame is his for the
choosingl The brush dropped from his
fingers; he bent mis- face in his hands,
and kept it hidden there for many mo-
ments. When he raised it again, it was
very pale and almost stern; yet it was
kindled by some steady, inner light. 81
choose Sylviaw he said. He pushed his
palette aside, and, with one brief, relue-
tant glance at the unfinished canvas,
turned it to the wall Then he left the
studio, and went straight to merchant,
an.old friend of his fathers.
"You offered me place in China the
other day." he said, abruptly; "if you
will give it to me now, will take it,"
So the thing was done. Colonel Dar-
chester, on learning it, applauded the
young mans resolution. "China is a
long look ahead; but at the worst, it is
nearer than the studio-no offense to you,
Ray" he said, with smile.
And Sylvia? All, to Sylvia it seemed
indeed long, long outlook. In spite OF
all that hung on the journey, she could
almost have wished Ray had remained
in the studio, where he would not, al
least, have been lost to sight and hear.
ing; the present might be wasted
time perhaps, but it was very swee'
to her, and she had more faith thar
Ray in the futures chances. But, of all
this, she breathed not word to him
and when, holding her hands, and search
ing her face for some comfort, he said
"Sylvia, l shall come back to claim yor
in year or two; you will wait for mt
till then?" it was with a smile that sh'
answered:
"Come back in one year or twenty
Ray, you will find ME as you left me
will never be the wife of any other
And with that, the last good bye wa
said, and Ray Croydon sailed in searcl
of fortune he fancied was waiting 70
him on the other side of the world. And
on this side, everything went on the same
Ray was gone, to be sure; but did tn
sun rise. and set any the less for that?-
Did the butcher and the baker forget t
come, or people cease to eat and drink
because an unsuccessful artist had turn
ed his canvases to the wall, and, for love
sake, abandoned all he loved? No, nc
body tasted for Ray; nobody, perhaps
after little, remembered even that ther
was Ray to fast for-nobody but Syl
via.
As for Colonel Dorchester, he was sol
ry for the young man; but, to tell tn
truth, he was not sorry to have him gon'
He had listened with quiet smile, ha,
plying, half amused, to Rays talk of q
year or two," for, being considerably ole
er and good deal wiser, he realized a
that China-made fortune meant. %
will give Sylvia chance" he said
himself. "Long before Kay finds his al
pies ripe for picking, they will both hay
forgotten this childish nonsense" 7
be sure, the Colonel did not know of Sy
Was parting pledge; but, had he know
it is to be feared he would not ha7
made much account of it. He had fat
enough in Sylvia, but not in her ag
How was eighteen to know its ov
heart?
One makes allowances for friends
another hemisphere; but still, one do
expect to hear from them finally. Bu
from the time Ray Crowdon said h
goodbye to her, Sylvia never had
word from h1m-never one wordl Q
though she heard casually, from 9th
sources, that he had arrived safely, al
entered upon the post assigned him.
That was all; little enough-yet, but f
that, he might have been lost, dead, t
anything Sylvia knew. 1t was all; bl
coupled with his silence, it was me
than enough. Yet, whatever of wond
of doubt or pain, might have been
Sylvia's heart, she breathed it to no me
tai ear. Only, after while, she ceas
to write those poor little letters whe
so much love and trust had been waste
and silently banished all token of hi
from the daily life. 1t was no part
her fathers purpose to recall him,
Rays name was never spoken now
tween those two. But one day Color
Dorchester came home with a pre-ocC
pied, troubled air. His eyes follow
Sylvia with a wistfll glance that shu