The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-13

Allan Toau tnl6 note over, ana WAS
not satisfied with 1t; it seemed too flow-
cry, too elaborate. He had meant to be
calm and concise, keeping his own feel
ings in the background, Instead OF OBJ
truding them selfshly upon her. But as
1t was written he would let 1t stand. He
had a wretched headache, and a second
attempt would probably be worse than
the first. So he carried 1t to the nearest
letter-box, dropped it in with feeling
as If he were burying friend, and then
returned home to indulge at leisure in
his melancholy reflections, for he really
felt too i'll to make the eXertion OF going
down to the office, before the afternoon,
at any rate.
How changed everything seemedl A
dull, dead blank was around him,
a weight on his heart that felt as ii it
would never be lifted again; all was
dark where 1t had been sunshine q few
hours before. A few hOursl-It seemed
as though years had elapsed since last
night.
How little had he thought, as he lin.
gerediwith Meta on the esmoonlit porch to
say his reluctant goodnight, that it was
Tor the last time-Lhat those little hands
would never again be placed contidingly
in his ;that genLIe voice murmur his name,
giving it the sweetest sound it had ever
borne on mortal lips, no more!
How fleeting had been his dream Of
happiness and love! how drealy and
tasLeless seemed his lite when robbed Of
lis grace and glOryl
The weary morning wore away, and
the hour OF noon rang out from the turret
close by. He rose impatiently from the
sofa, rang 10r coffee and some biscuits,
but could not taste them when they
came; he had eaten no breakfast, and
telt faint and weary from excitement
and fatigue, but lOathed the sight OF
food.
His landlady, kind-hearted Western
woman, quite compassionaLed his fe-
vered and naggard appearance.
"Dear Mr.. Gray. but you 40 look
badv she exclaimed. "YOu had better
let me send Tor doctor right away"
Allan smiled family, ana assured hor
that it was only a nervous headache,
which would wear off after while.
He was, indeed, suffering from ex-
treme nervousness; his pulse throbbed,
and his brood cOurseu through his veins
with painful rapidly. He tried to COM
pose himself to sleep, but the attempt
was vain.
Late in the afternoon, as he was sit
ting in an armchair near the window, he
nearu the sound OF ioolstepS on the
stairs leading to his rooms. "Nob0dy
coming to see me, devoutly hope," was
his thought.
The hope was vain one, for the next
minute there was a tap at his door, and
in answer to his resigned "CUme inP'
his landlady flung it open, and with
beaming face ushered in-whO?
A little lady in blue silk dress, and
hat with most beLwitching feather in
1t, who, without the least show OF bash
iulness or timidity, ran UP to him and
ciasped her arms about his neck.
"Oh, Allan, how could you-how could
you write me such a n0tef PHI never,
never forgive you'll" She was sobbing OH
his shoulder.
"Meta-Metal my love, my darling
girl! What is tnisi What does it meanw
said Allan, too bewildered to compre-
mend how this state of affairs could pos
sibly have come about.
II mean this: that you are bad, bad,
good d.ior-nothing person, VINO wants to
get rid OF me, ana 1 won't be. got rid Of
do you near? Now do you understand,
manW
mo, l don't understand, Meta; l am
afraid there is some great fnistakeW
eyes; there is u great mistake; the
greatest you ever made In your lie.
dAre say it was my own tau,t' (sob) }.
81 made you think me mean, Sc tisn,
heartless, mercenary little wretch"
(sob), "and it was shameful In you to
believe me, and l never thought you
would have acted SO" (sOb, soD); "but
Pll show you thatI am just as goUd and
forgiving as l can be-and Pye a great
mind never TO forgive you or love you
any morew With which very lucid
and consistent speech, Miss Harding niu
ner face and cried more.tnan ever.
"But, Meta, my dear, dear grill do you
know tnat Pm ruined manW
"Of course know il! Papa knows it
(see papa there; you didn't think l
would be so improper as to come to a
gentleman's rooms without MIN, did you,
sir?) and he says it's all the same; ana
you are just US silly as can be-"
.Paruon me, my dear Meta" blandly
interposed Mr.. Harding, OF whose pres
ence Allan had been IN total uncon-
sciousness; "that was by no means my
expression; only said-p
What he said, and wnat Allan said in
return, is too long to be repeated here.
Suffice it to say, that Allan, in the
Strength of his newly restored love, felt
equal to making dozen new fortunes; !;
but as one Will be sufficient for his
needs, let us hope that II viii not be
long before he succeeds in obtaining 1T.
He is already on the road to renewed
prosperity. lie has been married, now,
lor over year, and in all the Queen
City OF the West there is not Il happier
couple than Mr.. and Mrs. Allan Grey.
-A-ss~--
Court Ct4Ilin0s.