Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-07
no HERO AFTER ALL.

only trying to devise sOme new method OF
shulhiDg on the mortal coil" Tom answered,
isylns his uLishted cigar on the railing beside
Have matters reached such a desperate
condition With your" lsughed his companion.
i sh0u!d never have suspected it."
lit Is my hero, not myself, wEO is 10 be sent
cut the World was the reply. "CIn you give
ne a kiutH Poison, cOnsum ption, precipIcss,
shipWreck, runaway horses, BAH 4 have 10 ade
use Of them all TIL they have grown wsari-
sOmeiy common. 4 am tempted 20 advertise
for = novel Way OF Riding myself or other p6O-
PIE Of liic-eyen at the risk OF bringing a whole
host OF dC tec IL e. down upon me-
why rot let the poor myth liYe?" quest
IODei Helen, smiling AZ the cOmical expression
II despair on the perP!exed authors face.
limp. ssiSie." replied Tom. "The lost heir
has Turned up, and il already to marry Lady
GTeEtO..ue, and so this EsrO-assistaut hero,
rather, j. IN the way, and must be removed,
even u l have TO Do II in commonplace fash
len. You do hot know Whist a benevolent per-
con an, Miss Helen, nor how much i have
done iOT the happiness of my kind since first
commenced scribbling- A. the lowest estimate
1 have hunted out and returned 10 their sorrow
ing parents fully three dozen heirs and heir
essss-wiih and without strawberry marks aud
tattOOed anchors on their arms. If il wers no.
for the base iugratitUde Of humanity, my sta
tue, arTayed in BOndescript Costume, and exc
cGtSd ID the worst style OF American art, would
now adOrn Central Park or Mon square. /
would Ike to be lost heir myself" he went on
muSiEgly, "Only 70 be ore IL Is necessary to
have liquid blue eyes and gcldeD hair and
snowy brow, or raven lOc6s and fathomleSs
dark Orbs and classic features, and rot one OF
these attractions Gid uDkind nature see fit .
bestOw upon Lle. 1 AN hOmely-nOt even pie
i1rssGaSiy homely, at tbst-do you know it,
"ShCe yen have made the assertion, 1 cannot
be imPOlte enough TO contradict it - she re-
Piled, gathering some OF the crimson leaves
from the Virginia creeper and putting them
Into Der belt ~ she spoke.
give them to me, please" said Tom,
stretching cut his hand
She shook her head, and pointed - the vine.
"for a mementO OF this evening" he
Pleaded, IN tone which was far from santi-
mental.
"HOw many mementOes have YOU aIready?''
questioned abe, s;iil Keeping the leaves.
"a dead IOse-sOme other plant, which now
looks and smells decidedly hayoy-a glove,
spotted with lemonade and OF no possible use
It's Tightful ovner-a slipper rosette, big and
creased, which may, perhaps, have belonged to
Miss HElEted instead of yOu," enumerated
Tom. "Ihat is all, assure you"
II, What are you going 10 DO with them"
keep them to sigh over winter evenings
when the IRE gets low ard my cigar is smoked
out, Tom answered. zone must have helD to
misery Is vel as happiness"
If that De so, here are the leaves" laying
them in bis hand. May they contribute their
snail share toward making you Wretched, since
for that you desire them"
"A thousand thanks.'' he exclaimed, putting
the coveted possession into his pocket book,
where the dead rose already rsposed.
"WheTe are your collections" asked Helen,
81 presume you have made quite q number
within the past ten years"
"To tell the truth" replied he, 81 burned
them after piltering your glove. do not wish
10 get the trlfes mixed and so misI lace my re-
grets, you see."
Helen bit her lip at the straightforward
ayoval- "Are you always so frank, Mr. FOFd?1
ness can not avail me anything. IL diplomacy
could make you adore me as-as adore you (
should be a fullfiedged Machiaveili instantly:
but could not?' with quick, furtiys glance
al her face.
''No." she said, slowly. and coloring a little.
81 knew II, seid Tom, checking a sigh.
well. must content myself with the dead
Towers ard erUmPled ribbons which you have
NorD. A man more deserving than might re-
CeIye even less" y philOsophic remark By no
means IN keeping with the speakers gloomy
and PretUTbed cOUntenanc5 at that moment. A
lCng silence, broken at last by Tom.
IL Is almost three months since we met, Miss
Helen. 10 you RENE mber my coming up the
wax and finding you hulling straw berries with
one OF Rschel's check aprons on? How sweet
those strawberries were?''
almost three months, )" echoed Helen, Sand
an gong home neXtNeek"
Ten started and then scOwled, but said no
thing.
.'How glad an that we are to be in the same
cry next Winter, che went on presently. eve
can meet often, and Clara who is q literary per-
EOn. will liOniZe YOU"
I'VE shall nerer meet" he replied with most
curtness.
Why she asked in a slightly hurt tone.
.Do you need to ask why." he rejoined.
hat sort of a companion for Miss Demos
friends Shouid L be-s beggsrly scribbler who
barely Keeps himself lodged and fed, and has
rot talent enough TO enable him TO hope for
fame even when he is grizzled and fifty, No."
he continued, more quickly, al have had my
day, here IN this old farmhouse, without q rival
10 cTead-vtth no soul to como between me and
the sweetness OF your compsniOnship-I baye
had my full need OF happiness, and I covet TO
halfway JOY in the future. i was not msds to
pay the part Of 8 Gespairing lover. could rot
haunt your footsteps for a smile, a look; or
dance attendance st parties and operas for tue
pleasure Of bringing you an ice or picking up
SCur ian. despise man who can humble
Llmsei IN such way. Yes, and was going 10
add, that / despise the woman who Can take
Pleasn IRE IN seeing him do it!'
he tossed the cigar away, and strobe M and
down the porch, which creaked a!armingly be-
meath the heavy tread.
"a pretty fellow 1 am TO get into such a rage
about nothing" he said at last, pausing beside
Helen, who sui leaned against the latticework.
have so again"
81 have nothing to forgive" she replied. with
a smile. 81 like 10 see yOu behave 6adly-lt
amUses NE ard need u be amused."
is Il not pity that a nan Is 80 hamperei by
circumstances a. 10 be unable 70 assume he
roiC attitude hen he Rishes?' Questioned Tom
seemingly quite tranquil OEce more. 81 do not
care 10 lie taller nor less clumsy; I don't even
wish 10 amend and revise my nose; but 4 would
INC ~ fcIlCTD some wonderful feat which
would forever exult me in your eyes and earn
Tor me your eternal gratitude. can think OF
scoTes-snatchiDg you from under the wheels of
locomotive SWIM ming with You to shore from
3 sinking snip, while the waves were runnirr
mountains IA n; or TescuiDg you from some des-
sporadic armed with numceTlsss dagSers and re-
Folyers- How delightful IL would be to hear YOU
sob cut your thankfulness 20 yeur brave pre-.
server, a. Miss, Alicia lie COurcy doe;
10 Percy Fitzgerald in NV last dramsl
AT present sRuse yOu-sm well
nigh as indispensable TO your comfort az a
lapcos; compel YOU 20 be grateful, snd-I think
you could hardly avoid loving me-"
- should dbbOr you." returned Helen. al
always dislike people 10 whom 1 am under obli-
cations. When / am forced to be grateful 10
nyoody, feel as though the anybody had
string tied 10 my little finger and could Jerk il
warningly a. intervals 10 remind me OF nv
duty"
"On the whole. them" said Tom, looking
down al her small figure, lyon would prefer TO
rescue me, and listen TO the soDbinz assurances
Of my gratitude; will imprOvse some horrible
danger fOEthwith-plunge headforemost into 1t
ana allow You to take me out, II you will be any
more likely to care for me in consequence. let
me see-we are going up the valley to-mor-
Not We" interrupted Helen. al must re-
main At home 10 entertain a VISITOR"
Do you expect the coming of that domestic
aHIcuon, Mss Fletcher? Why not run AWAY
from her The nrst thing in the morning."
III II not Miss Fletcher. - sAid Haiar