The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-09-05
@Woodruf."

and hid their quiyering then In smne'
81 knew of Eugene once" they said, like
lips that might be talking In q dream, "like
whose good heart and whose poetic mind that
act would have been, Gertie. Butt and asigh
told the disappointment, "this is not the
same"
at might be-" said; g Woodruff is not my
Eugene's real name" At the word "my," how
those velvety dark eyes defied me ! Sol fancied
any way.
"Not real What theni'
told her in very simple way, thought,
Eugene's story, and yet, as went on, she was
touched beyond all power of controlling her
feelings. Perhaps the stately head might not
have dropped SO before one who seemed to
know the world better than l. Perhaps the
queenly heart thought the prisoned cripple
could not read loves signs, or it might have
been more chary Of showing them. did not
know Eugene's real name, of course, but saw
the story was recognised; it answered for the
missing name. I tried to be eloquent, speaking
Of his holiness of purpose, his lonely life, his
sacrifice Of self, and the low estimate at which
| he held his own goodness. At the end mem
| toned softly, and with all my own deep feeling
about it compressed into the sentence which
spoke it, about " the one" SO dear to him.
Then was silent. So was she, crimson glow
| burning on each cheek her eyes locked far
away as his looked, when knew he thought
Of her, her lips hslGparted, bat not smiling,
rather 10 our lips are when we weep. seeing
them without looking shove them to the tear
less eyes, would have said she wept. Sitting
this way little while, abe appeaeed to forget
| me, and wrung her hands, and said:
"Ohf why must it be sos"
"I touched her. She did not seem sur.
prised. She only turned and said:
"Yes poor little Qertie, know you are
there. Do You think, toll me, there is NO
world of pain but yours, to which You are
chaineds"
"No," said "his is world of pain, and 80
is hers If she loves him."
"D-she-loves-himp The words were re-
peated slowly as though they spoke q mon
strosity, the "if" was emphasized as il it con-
tanned sacrilege. Then she quickly added,
" Oh it is all, all outside here, poor Gertie, q
world of PAIN" and walked to the window, the
window where the lily stood, and where, last
} night, he had gazed out, thinking Of her, and
: there she hid her face and thoughts from me.
But knew the face still held its crimson glow,
| and knew the Thoughts would people my
sweet castle in the air, and lying waiting for
her to come back to me, built it higher and
higher.
When she came back she said, "You See
! Gertie, know the one your friend loves SO
dearly, and know your story Of him would
make her proud"
, "Then she loves him. said; "and if abe
does, why don't abe stay with him, and be poor
3 with hint would, knowp
The velvet darkness Of the eyes defed me
d again, thought. But she answered very
!, sadly, and looked on me in q kind Of wonder
and envy, I suppose, Of my ignorance Of CON
Q ventionalities:
"The world and Eugene do not let her,"
g did not know what that meant, and couli
NOT take 1t as usual to Eugene to be solved, f.
3, 1 wanted to make real ny castle in the al
!, without his help. So, determined to find out
3. said L:
g at cannot understand that. Please tell m
10 why they do not let her."
d eft might be q very lofty sort of courage
little Gertie, for her to go to him, and bravinl
't hiS high sense Of honor, which seals his lip
and the worlds formulas, which would condemn
Up suoh an act, say, take me to be your comfort
le becauseI-love you" The voice fell sweetly
as if it had lost itself in the depth Of her hear
to find the words, and heard it coming u
from there; tho eyes dropped, and the crimso
40 lights beneath leaped up to meet that modes
~ downward look. Bot" she went on, sit
- an act that even he might misoonstrue, an
= being motherless, remember, Gertie, she mul
: do nothing that could be doubted"
/" But if she had g mother" said L.
= "Then," and the stately head was rsiset
ain her mothers sacred presence, she ,woul
answer his unspOken cry for love and help, Mt
minding if the world found out and mocke
~ the act"
u "oh if she had mother ~ cried. my cast
~, in the air fast dwindling down to q mass
>" bright ruins.
She stood mp to leave me, and with a look
~ tender eagerness in her eyes, said she:
"Say it once again, that may be certain
10 it-for her. You heard him say he-loved h
=" You know he had never said tin words