The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-01

So Helen sang, her deep notes conveying
a woful passion, which changed Reginald's
mood, snd made him all at once feel sad
dened and chill. He stood in shadow till
the music ended, then moved forward.
Elbow do you do p said Mrs. LIE Clerc,
her gay, friendly voice coming like relief
after that other. eve are keeping blind.
mans holiday, as you see, and Miss Miles
has been singing to US. Can you find
chair in this darkness, Mr.. Thurston :
Here's one. Oh, Helen, don't stop; 60
on
But Helen had left the piano and was
moving toward them. Reginald, who was
shaking hands with the invalid Rosalie,
was glad of this. He did not care for
music as music, and he hated to have his
feelings drawn upon in society. Besides,
he had some curiosity to see the singer.
She came forward steadily, made an
lev little bend on introduction, and sat
down by the fire.
'Please, Miss Miles, sing something
else."
"Excuse me, Rosalie; not tonight"
':Well,'' said Mrs. LIE Clerc, ''if you
won't be persuaded to give us more music,
we will have the gas She lighted it as
she spoke. Reginald glanced at the cool
pale face, framed in it's lustreless hair, but
he was not attracted He liked lively.
vivacious women, women who chatted and
entertained him, and with whom he was
not forced to exert himself. Intensely re-
served, he hid the fact under an easy.
jovial manner. Anecdotes, repartee,
great bursts of Homeric laughter, these
made up his coat of armor. People gen.
orally did not suspect that he wore any.
Out Of the pulpit he was. just like other
men, they said, the truth being that only
in the pulpit was he really himself He
scarcely noticed Helen again this even
ing. Not once did they speak; and he
was quite unconscious Of the quick,
startled chances with which she favored
him. Never had she looked thus at any
one. From the moment Of their meet.
ing new influence possessed her. She
did not question or analyze, but drifted
on it's flow, asking not whittier.
''Mamma," said Rasalie, after the
guests were gone, ''did you notice Helen
Miles tonight? l never saw her so
queer"
s'She is always queer. didn't notice
anything in particular. What was it ;"
sI-don' t-know. (Thcughtfully.) She
looked so strangely at MIR. Thurston' and
though she was still as ever, she gave me
the impression of being dreadfully ex.
cited about something. That dreadful
quiet Of hers is horrible. I grew so ner-
vous that wanted to Scream
''Nasty girl! responded Mrs. LeC'erc,
who looked upon the human race in gen.
eral as material for the amusement of her
daughter. "We won't ask her again. l
only did it because you enjoy her singing
so much"
''It isn't exactly enjoyment said Ro-
sale. @'Her~voice is delicious, but [ am
never so low spirited as while she sings.
how strange that so cold person should
make one feel SO! Are you sure she is
so cold, mammal
s'Cold as stone," pronounced Mrs.
eClerc, decisively.
| 1t is hard to be classified as stone,
and yet to have none Of q stone S immuni-
ties. This luckless Helen of mine was no
wiser than the rest of her sex, and far
less happy. Weeks went on. She and
Mr.. Thurston met continually as people
do when once they begin. Continually
his attraction for her became stronger.
It was long before she knew she loved,
and flor she never blinded hersclf) loved
hopelessly. This did not pain her great.
~, except at moments; she was used to
finding herself locked away from every
day experiences of other women, and the
mere fact of loving brought with it a stir
and thrill of which she had not dreamed
herself capable.
What was in this big, careless, happy
man that drew her 80 powerfully Who
can say! Which of us can pretend to
measure or anticipate the strange GIBBS
and flows, the fux and refux of our
likes or dislikes, those insensible forces
which act without our governance and
mould our lives? She only knew that
some stringent spiritual pressure bent
her toward him, and, alas that force
equally stringent held her in bonds when
he was present, sealed her lips, froze her
manner, made her altogether impassive
and unattractive. repelling where she
fain would have pleased. Too proud to
challenge even by look the notice of a
popular, sought after man, she coldly
drew aside, while other women petted and
t1attered her hero to her hearts content,
and nothing COMMUNICATING could, in
fact, occur--to bring them to the knowl-
edge Of each other.
After while strange happiness came
to her from the very secrecy Of this unre-
turned affection. In her heart she named
Reginald by tender names; every day her
thoughts went out toward him. She dared
to believe that in some way unknown to
her, but known to God, his life must be
better and richer for the ceaseless due of
benediction poured upon it. Nobody