Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-27
NO. 2o3.
Calls aud Sketehes.
From Appleton's Jonrnal.
A C0QUETTE'S CURE.
| CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.

thoughtlessness
The season was most charming, and /
did not hesitate to make up my mind to
spend month on the island The great
er number of the summer visitors had
long since departed. and the long walks
and the shady groves were almost entire.
ly deserted. Now and then, in a long
walk. one caught glimpse OF a city dress,
or heard the ring OF city laugh. but it
was not often the glorious sunlight, now
doubly yellow, poured down upon the 81.
lent fields and the white roads, and every-
thing paused for the grapes to ripen.
Thurman went every day to Reinhart's
house, and frequently went with him.
Finally Reinhart himself, urged by the
good wife whose anxious face had more
than once seen peering cautiously through
her vine-covered windows at the group
upon the bench. came and put. the ques.
tion in a good-natured roundabout
way
"Isn't your friend lonely sort offellow
to be hanging round our Seibel so much ?
What do you Think" s.ssF
I'm speak to him." said l.
l did SO. Thurman replied. quietly: IL
am going to marry her."
"What :"
ut is true" #8#Ta4
':But your heart, your spirit, your en-
tire nature, must be antagonistic to love
You are fresh from one of those defeats
that drive men mad, or out of the world.
1t is impossible for you to stimulate new
passion"
THAT is very true" $40
''Then explain"
''Listen: | admit that there is ruin
somewhere. observe myself from without
myself, and l see that / am i'll. that am
purposeless, that am full of sorrow and
regret. 60 through slight calculation,
and perceive that must recover myself
in order to be of any further use in the
world. You admit that Very well. Then,
instead of taking usual measures--by
usual measures l mean the slow processes
of time and travel-I take heroic meas
ure. force upon my attention an object
whose nature is such that my distracted
spirit and outraged sensibilities must soon
assimilate with it. | find in Seibel crea-
ture OF absolute purity elevated moral
sense, ardent disposition, and unquestion-
ing trust. | am as certain that my heart
will entertain her at some time in the fu-
ture as am that we now talk together r
do not say that the memory Of my real pos
sition does not agitatc ME at times even
before her face, but am resolved to hold
her to my breast until her nature does its,
healing. purifying work, and then I shall
hold her forever sg - ssaap ts,.-sgs
This was his idea, and faithfully did he.
labor to carry it into execution. 1t touched
me to the quick to see him go up, pale and
languid. from some new reaiizations of his
pain, and seek in the grape-felds this fair
faced, simple-hearted child, and walk be-
side her hour after hour, bending his IN
telhgenee with an iron will upon the things
that gave her interest and qualification
Reinhart and his wife took my word for it
that they need have no fear, and so Thur
man found welcome from both at their
house. He dined with them often, ate of
their rough dishes. and looked pleased at
their simple surroundings. On these occa-
sions Seibel was gay and unaffected. and
she would sit beside him happy at his con.
tentment.
Meanwhile, the grapes ripencd poorly,
and the buyers who were abroad shook
their heads. | sent intelligence to the Wal
lings through the Office, and proposed to
wait until the gatherIng-season came, for
it would then be easier TO judge of the fl
nancial prospects of the farmers. Week
after week in Q ftober Went by, and still
the song of love was sung without let or
hindrance. saw the two sitting beside
the shore in the long, sweet afternoons,
idly listening to each other. Thurman was
succeeding. Il noted signs of returning
strength in his manner, and an increased
vigor in his method of talking. These
proofs. We're slight. to be sure, bu. they
were positive as far as they went.
~, III ,,fn 1nt h.,
the afternoon, received note by ames-
scnger who came from club-hotel at the
lower part of the island. 1t invited me to
call at once on 4 matter of pressing i'm
portancc, and it was signed by Marion
Walling. Twas thunderstruck. She had
found us out, and was upon the ground
fate had led her here? Thurman was not
present. | FASTENED 10 obey the sum-
mons. u.a. fMMs e5
Miss Walling received me in private
parlor, one of those poor rooms scantily
furnished with the cheap material OF
watering place grandeur: | was aSten-
ished, nav, shocked at the change that had
taken place in Miss Walling's appearance,
She had become wasted n~face and per-
son, and her features always serious in
expression. were now most sad. Her
large, dark eyes turned upon me with
look of appeal that had never beheld be-
fore. and her voice, at this somewhat im-
portant moment, almost escaped her mas
terry She was alone. and She received
me without iormality. sa sas
"Iou see that am here" she said, with
II faint smile. bowed. I'VE have been
here, father and !, for three days"
l did not conceal my surprise. She
hesitated Il moment, and then said, with
painful deliberation--a deliberation which
enabled her to compose herself before the
utterance of each word - 3 rast sss
'Mr. Weymouth, you know why am
here. | feel that could not deceive you
even ii would. for it has been your in-
fortune to discover that l am weak-or
rather, perhaps, that am strong-for !
have come at last to count it a strength 10
be able TO love. Tell me, is what have