Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-08-08
SKIM-MiLk AFTER CREAM.

ShIM-MiLh AEIEH CKEAM.
Marcia Gilbert ceased speaking-a SER
ious, tender light in those wondrously y-allur-
ing, changcful, dccp-hued eyes Of hers-a
scarlet spot, like bursting damask rosebud,
on either smooth, round cheek. She was
sitting ON the sofa by Perry Williston, lean
ing toward him. her warm, moist, slender
little hands claspcd in his. And Perry
looked straight into her face-her face that
was the one Of all the world to him, her face
| that had taught many a man what love
mcant-hs thoughtful, clear gray eyes
never tlinching from their earnest, steadfast
gaze; his lips, that had touched Marcia's
with reyerent tenderness often in the long
before, never laltcring; his pale. truthful
face never blanching his features-purely
intellectual, perfect Grecian-giying no evi-
dence, howe 'cr slight, of the terrible wound
in his heart into which her words had thrust
barbed arrows with firm, unerring hand.
He took her face between his hands and
pressed his lips to her smooth, unlined
brow.
"God bless you, Marcia and may your
future be radiantly happy. thank you
for this confidence. 1t helps me to believe
that we are indeed friends
''Friends until death, now that we under
stand each other, Perry, if you so will"
Gas | do. 1t will always be a gleam of
silver over my lonely bachelor life to feel
that one woman will think kindly of me-
"Bachclor life? The idea You will
marry, Perry; never fear
''You mistake, Marcia. could never be
content with Skm-mil after cream
"But you have the cream yet to find. 1t
was not L. You always had Il shockingly-
long list Of impcrlectious booked against me,
I you please to remember
81 never deemed you perfect, KNOW
smiled Perry Williston; ''but you have all
the requisites for development into the per-
tcction Of noble womanhood. And, Marcia,
, | shall never find another woman who can
so completely satisfy the demands of my
mental nature. But forget myself! Once
more wish you all happiness"
Again he pressed a rcycrcnt caress upon
Marcia Gilbcrt's brow, and so they parted.
You smile at such parting between a
man who has loved a woman madly, and
! she-haying held his life-olering as an I'M
acceptable sacrifice? 1t is not true to TO-
nance? No. But it is true to truth.
Perry Williston, at nineteen, had given to
+,u1 I,,ln
worship of his idcali>tic intellectual youth.
She had received it because hers was Il nature
that craNed love, and hated perplexities.
When he found that she had been bound to
another, even while she had accepted his
idolatry, he had thought life worthless, and
dreamed of casting the divine gift back to
the hands Of its giycr. But, like many Il
rash youth, he lived to sec his folly, and
lived to love Marcia again, when she was
free, to be wounded again to understand
her at the last. lie knew that, indeed, her
heart held large place for him. but, with
all their many ailinitics, he knew that he
would never measure up to the standard that
Miss Gilbert had set for the man to whom
she could resign her heart, her passions, her
life.
Perry believed she would never find her
ideal; but when he met Marcia again, she
had found him, and Well, Perry Willis
ton bore the wound brayely, and went back
to his quiet pastoratc.
Marcia married Oscar Lindsay, knew
what happiness meant, and knew what
loneliness meant; for in five years she was a
widow
Helen Haynes and Perry Williston were
cousins. From childhood they had been
companions; from childhood Helen had
loved Perry. He had always liked her be-
cause she was vastly superior in education,
tastes, and manners to the girls whom, dur
ing his home life, he was forced to meet.
For many years Helen preserved her secret
in safety, watching with bitter, jealous heart
during that period when Marcia Gilbert's
hands had swept the chords of Perry's life,
awakening joyous notes and walls Of misery.
At last the dread influence was thing
of the past. Marcia was Mrs Lindsay, and
Perry was back to the quiet farming COM
munity, attending to his pastoral duties with
calm, earnest face and pleasant, unclouded
department. Daily, now, he met Helen
Haynes, his cousin, companion, and play
mate, Of the long ago.
The years came and went, and the young
clergyman had reverence and love always,
and only for the memory of Marcia Gilbert
that his heart enshrined. 1t was memory
too sacred ever to be spoken of, and Helen,
his constant companion, waited patiently
for the time that she was sure would come
waited and was rewarded. 1t came about
so gradually, without any words, every one
treating them as persons soon to be married,
llelen's family regarding them as betrothed,
arranging for the wedding, that without any
loye-yows, any definite understanding with
Helen, or his own heart, Perry drilted into
matrmony.
Ihav h11 h,gn rn,rYia1 tur ,--,r, II.Ta,