, 1874-08-30
WHO WAS SHE?

this Every time meet your eyes squarely,
dotect the question just slipping out Of them
II you had spoken It, or even boldly looked it
it you had shown in your motions the least sigr
Of fussy or fdgcty concern On my account
if this were not the eyening Of my
birthday, aud you the only frient
who remembered it,; II confession wer.
not good for tho soul, though harder
than Gin TO eoms people, OF whom / am ono,-
we'll, if au reasons were not at this instant con
vcrged into focus, and burning me rather vio-
le1ltlv, in that region where the seat OF emotion
is supposed to lie, ehould keep my trouble to
myself.
Yes, haro fifty times had it on my mind tc
tell you the whole story. But who can be cer.air
that his best friend will not smile-or. what ia
wo1ec. cherish hind Of charitable pity over a.
tcrwards-whcn the external forms Of q rery SO,
rious kind Of passion seem
TRIVIAL, FANTASTIC, FOOLISH
And the worst Of all that the heroic part which
imagined was playing proves to have boon al-
most tho reverse. The only comfort which
can find in my humiliation is, that am capable
of feeling If. Thc,o isn't bit Of paradox In
this, as you will sec; but I only mention
it. now, to prepare you for, nlsybo. q
little morbid sensitircness OF my moral nerves.
The documents arc all in this portfolio, under
my elbow. I had just read them again COM
pleteiy through, when you were announced.
You may examine them as yoa like. afterwards
for tho present, fill your glass, take another
Cabaua, and keep silent until my ''ghaetly tale "
has reached its most lamentablo conclusion.
Tho beginning OF it IVES at Wampsocket
Springs, three years ago last summer. I sup
pose most unmarried men who have reached or
passed the age Of 30--ard was then Sex
perienca q milder return OF their adolescent
warmth kind OF fainter second spring, since
tue first has not fulfilled its promise. OF course
wasn't clearly conscious Of this at tho time !:
who is But had had my youthful passion
and m : tragic disappointment, as you know; I
had looked far enough into what Ihackcray used
to all the cryptic mysteries to save mo from
the Scy1la OF dissipation, and yet preserved
enough OF natural nature to keep mo out OF the
pharisaic Cha1ybdis. lily devotion to my legal
studies ha already brought me- mild distinc-
ton j; the patelnal legacy was d good ncst-cgg
for the incubation Of alsh,--iu short. I uas
FA1n. RESPECTABLE 'RAnTf,"
desirable to tie humber nsmn1as, and not to
be lespised by the naughty exclusives.
The fashionable hotel at the Springs holds 900.
and /. wa. packed. had meant TO lounge thsro
for & fortnight, aud then finish my holidays at
Long Branch but eighty, ut least, out Of the 309,
we're Youns and moved lightly IN muslin. Win
walk. talk, OF dance with them became simply
luxury, such EB Ind never-at least SO freely
possessed before. Ny name and standing,
known to soma families, we're agreeably exas
gerated to the others, and I enjoyed that au-
creme satisfaction which d man always feels
when he discovers, or irnagines, that he ID popu-
lar in society There is kind OF premonitory
apology implied in my saying this, am aware.
You must remember that am culprit, and cul
prit's counsel, ut the came time.
You have. never been at Wampsocket?
cont, on the northern ado, and four
OF five radiating glcns, descending
from them, unto just above tue village. Tho
central QUO, leading to waterfall (called
because there is SO little Of it). is the fashiona
bic drive aud promenade but the second raviue
on the left, steep, crooked and numbered with
towlders which have tumblcd from somewhere
aud lodged IN the most extraordinary groupings.
became my fnvorite walk Of q morning: There
wks 1oot~path in it, wel-trodden Ut first, but
gradually fnding out as it became more like d
ladder than pa:l,, and I soon discovered that
other city feet than mine were likely to scale
u certain rough aicpe which seemed the end OF
tho 1Ayinc. With the aid OF the tough laurel
stems climbed to tho top, passed through n
cleft as barrow as 3 doorway, and presently
found myself in
ALiTr1r urrrn DELL,
as wild, and swcct and Strange as one Of the
pictures that haunt LII ou the brink Of sleep.
Dowet ae[e water wat in PSeoe 3e esstro i'DS5 SardS
20 yards across, yet the Sky in it was so
pure and far down that the circle OF rocks and
summer foliage inclosirg it seemed like q planet
ary ring, floating of alone through eraco. I
can't explain the charm Of the spot, nor the self
,ri>1 ta5 t1,af fah
keep tho discovery to myself. Ten years earlier,
l should bayo looked around for soma fair spirit
to he 1ny minister but now
One forenooa-I stink it was the third or
fourth time I had visited the p'ace-I was
startled to find the diut Of heel in the earth
halfway np the slope. There had been rain
duiing the night, and the earth was still moist
and soft 1t was the mark OF 4 woman's boot
only to be distinguished from tha: Of a walking
stick By it's eomicirculnr form. A little higher.
found tho outline OF foot. not 60 sn,ali to
awake an ecstscy, but with C. suggestion OF
ghtness, elasticity, and grace II hands we're
thrust through holes in board-fence, and noth-
ng OF tho attached bodice .een, I can casily i'm
sgine that some would attract and others repe1 U.S.
with footprints the impression is wenkcr, of
:ourse, but 10 cannot escape it. Lam not surs
whether wanted to find the unknown wearer of
he boot within my precious personal solitude: I
sas afraid should SEQ her, while passing through
he rocky crcricc, and yot was disappointed when
tounQ no one.
But On the dat, warm rock oye1hansing tha
special ta1ono-laT como witAe1in3
AND D0oE!
looked up and down, right and left; there was
lot tho slightest sign of another human life then
nine. Then I lay down for quarter of en
,our, and listened there wcro only the noises
# bird and squirrel, as before. At last, I took
10 the book, the fat breadth Of which suggested
'n1y sketches. There were, indeed. some tolera-
lie studies OF rocks and trees tue first pagoe
few not very striking caric.tures, which seemed
o hare teen commenced as portraits, but re-
allied no faces I knew; then q number Of
notes, written in pencil. I |
ouud no name, from frat to last; ouly, under |
he sketches. 3 monogram 60 complicated and |
aborlous that the initials could hardly bs dis
oyered unless ono already knc1 them.
The writing WAS Woman's but it had surely |
AIKEN its character from certain features OF |
Ter own it Was clear, firm. individual. It had |
lothing of that air OF general debility which |
IsuaIly marks tie manuscript Of young ladies' !
ct its fir11ncss waH far removed from tho stin |
Conventional slope which all Engiiehwomen |
ecn to acquire in youth and retain through
fe. don't see Lon any man in my situation
ou1d heva helnefi reading few lines-1f only