Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-02-07

Jdlk.
He was but partially successful
however, for the adverse temper o
the moment was too strong to b
thus easily changed. Both Nassau
and Willis made formal attempt
at courtesy, but these each ant
all lacked the saving grace of truth
and so they chilled upon the air lik
winter breaths.
/ an hour the rector took his de
parture.
He walked down over the lawns
now and then looking at the lightet
upper windows of the old house.
He leaped over the palings, and
stepping into the moonlight road
walked slowly on towards his dis
tant home, with his head bent upoI
his breast, and with his hands clasp
edbehind him.
He was passing the case and it,
circumstances in review"
I aCome, " said he to himself, s1et
us admit tiny path is becoming
a hard and thorny one.~I can nc
longer refused to be convinced Of
that. Willis is my rival. Alice ha:
grown strangely cold to me. The
fathers eyes are filled with the vir.
tues of the new hero, and the old
one is being pushed aside, this is the
sum of it. 1t is neither more no1
less than that. Willis is a power
full, athletic, spirited man; he is full
of life and energy. He sings, he
rides, he rows, he laughs, aloud, he
recites, he fills the house with noise
and excitement. This pleases his
host. His old heart is delighted
and it is natural that it should be;
yes-it is natural. But Alice-Al-
ice can scarcely find little to love
in all this. 1t is impossible that her
tender spirit can be cheered or
soothed by such virtues. Yet she
is gradually drawing away from me,
she avoids me, she gives me short
answers, she does not smile when /
come, or try to detain me when
go. All, l did not think that
could be so unhappy! Still how
impossible this is! 1t cannot be!
He is cruel selfish, heartless. Moth
ing true and lasting can bridge the
gulf between them! They are too
dissimilar to love each other / am
sure of that! But let me be calm.
Let me judge fairly and justly be-
tween us-let me examine our sep
arate dispositions, and assure myself
that / am not In the wrong. It
seems hard that he so much of a
stranger, should rush in and tear
assunder our sweet companionship
with so rude a hand, and assue by
force what 1 had earned by long
waiting! But patience, patience.
Let me study how can undeceive
them, and warn them of the impend-
ing danger. Let me think and
plan what I can do to restore the old
order of things that I loved-alas!
perhaps too we'll"
Communing thus with himself.
the rector kept on his way, revolv-
ing his troubles in his mind, and
gradually bringing out of the cha
os well-defned and necessary pur-
pose.
Finally urged by his ever increas-
ing pain and anxiety, he one after
noon sought out of his rival, whom
he found out at the edge of wood
upon a hillside, where he was oc-
cupied in sketching his broad and
glowing interval.
He was smoking, and was entire
ly at ease in his loose garments,
while Nassau, in circumspect black,
stood formally erect, at short speak
ing distance.
EI had hoped" said the latter,
coldly, after explaining in few
words the object of his visit, shat
I could persuade you to regard this
matter from my standpoint"
"It would be quite as reasonable
that l should demand that you look
at it from mine"
q do not agree with you"
"Indeed!'
''For think you are the interlo-
per, or, rather, the intruder"
"Is not that little harsh?"
perhaps sol beg your par
DON"
There was silence. Willis went
calmly on with his painting and
smoking, while Nassau seemed to
be holding his breath. Presently he
resumed.
81 should like to discuss the sub
ject with you, for we could then see
clearer, l think. 1t is a little COM
plex at present, and no doubt we
could each explain enough to per-
NIT us to act mere intelligently.
POSSIBLY"
'Shall 1 go on?"
"Oh, yes-yes.
81 suppose you admit that you
love Miss Weymouth"
"Admit it? No 1 do not admit
it,
"sir?"
81 do not admit it, / assert it."
"Under the circumstances, it
seems to me that you make an un-
necessary distinction in the terms"
"On the contrary, it is distinct
ion that l feel obliged to make in
order to keep your self-suficiency in
its place. Were l accountable to
you 1 should admit, Inasmuch as
accountability to you it is out of the
question. l simply state the fact,
for your edifcatiOn, that l love Miss
Weymouth"
Willis, in spite of himslf, showed
little heat. The. other retained
his outward cOmposure, though his
blood boiled within him. He did
not speak until he felt that he could
not trust himself.
"Let me go over the ground" he
said, gently; ''let me make a little
review. You came in upon our par
ty of three, and found that Miss
Weymouth and l entertained re-
gard for each other, and that, on my
part at least, thele was strong
and earnest affection. Our inter-
course was looked upon with favor