The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-03-19
A SHADOWY LOVE.
And How II Proved Real.

was much too early for the train. yet
Ii occurred 70 me hat there had been at
least forty-eight hours In the day, and. as
| neared the station, was sure a my
watch was slow. and hurried at last. So
il happened that now l found myself,
heated and out of breath, setting down my
yaliSe before the stu closed ticket office.
and the great round clock boldly asserting
the hour TO be 10. The train didn't leave
till II. sat down m nv valise opposite
the clock, and, taking from nv breast
pocket a note. occupied myself with read
ing il and thinking il over. will not be
rash enough 10 say how many times had
read it before. nor how many interpreta-
tons | had put upon its simple words.
Your letter anne TO me yesterday
NV only surprise was thar il found me I'M
able re- give You an answer. What shall l
say . Perhaps face 10 face the difficulty
would seem less. L do not understand
myself. Can you have patience with me
and forgive me il in the end hurt one
who has been my true friend"
That was all. There was no beginning
or end, no signature. There was a rush
OF people, and | was half conscious OF be-
ing dragged and shouldered and pushed
into a car. while | held a ticketin one hand
aud my valise in the other. There was am
empty seat near a window, toward which
a weightv old lady In spcctaclcs and a
green veil drove me, and occupied il with
me. The even beat of the moving cars
seemed saving the words of the note over
and over. chopping them up, changing the
punctuation. The monotony OF this had
a soothing effect on my excited nerves.
and for the first time since the writing of
the letter which had brought this note in
answer to me | was able to look back upon
the whole story Of my love.
Quite "a If il were a tale in a book. | be-
gan at the time when | accepted Mr.. De-
Iancey's invitation 10 his country seat for
a fortnight's trout-fishing a a recreation
ard rest from nv scientific studies before
| went abroad. don't know what rela-
ton Mr.. Delancey's late wife had been TO
me. II was one Of those distracting prob
lens Of genealogy chiefly concerning
great-great-g ~randmothers . but she had
always treated NE as a cousin, which, as
she was a very charming woman, was
pleasing to me. IL was a little
dull without her there, for my host was
not an intellectual man, and very worldly,
and Julia, his only child, was but fifteen,
innocent, Ignorant, pretty. but too plump.
She used to accompany me sometimes
when l fished. but was too shy to talk.
Her chief powers seemed to lie In walking.
so that really | had thought very little
about her till one day when l found her
crying and inquired the cause Of her
misery.
Papa is going to make me marry that
silly ugly Mr.. Norris, and go away with
him TO his big town-house.
What for ~
IL don't know
docs he love you !"
She dried her tears, looked up at me.
then blushing, laughed and covered her
face with her plump haLds: al suppose
he does
ANDY you don't like him in spite of his
fine town-housey'
She didn't answer. but ran away. Poor
child 1t was evident that the going to
the "great town-house" conveyed far
more terror to her mind than marrying
her rich sutton.
In an interview an hour later with Mr..
Delaney | found that he was In some
money difficulty, and this offer of mar
rage from Norris seemed to him too good
an opportunity to be lost. He put IL very
delicately, as a gentleman of his breeding
should. and after a moment of silence,
during which 1 mastered my Indignation
enough to cover IL. 1 offered him q loan,
which shonls assist him In this trying
ome more securely than the possible
generosity OF a future son-in-law.
As we went In to dinner Julia whispered
70 me: Its all right. Papass so
good ~
Il am very glad,r I said, and was
amused to see the virtuous complacency
ofpapa during dinner.
Three years later, when { was living in J