Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-05
THE sfoRY OF AN OLD YOUNG MAN
BY LOUISE CHANDLER MoULToN.
CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY

tainly. never had. Her delight was pure
and sweet. She would have said, if any
one had questioned her, that Mr.. Waring
was her friend, the best friend she ever
had but unquestioned, she did not say
even so much as that to herself. She
scarcely knew that it was summer with
her heart, as we'll as with the year, or that
the summer daysiwere flying fast.
Nor did anything in the aspect oil affairs
make her husband uneasy. To do this
young man, whom perhaps circumstances,
rather than nature, had made old, justice,
he was neither mean nor ungenerous. HIS
confidence in this young wife OF his was
perfect She loved him; she was his to
have and to hold; why should he grudSe
her few hours with some one else made
pleasant after fashion not his own? do
not think he was likely to lose anything by
this generosity, or that any amount OF sus-
picious espionage on his part would have
served his own cause better.
There came at last an evening OF reve-
lation to the two who were going on SO
blindly; or perhaps it had come to Waring
before. He had sat silently through the
sunset, watching the play OF the warm
light on Mrs. Hannaford's fair face and
golden hair. She looked wonderfully
young and helpless, with her extreme del
icacy, her appealing eyes, and her soft
white dress, made as simply as u babes
and girdled with blue ribbon. a Ian
guor, born perhaps of the summer heats,
oppressed her. She dropped towards him
leaning her head upon her hand, and look
ing. as frail as snow wreath which II wind
might blow away. Waring sat silently,
as said, and watched her, until the sun
set lights had gone out of her hair, and a
curious awe began to steal over him. as
he saw her through the gathering shadows
white, and still, and uneartbly as spirit.
Then out of the semi-darkness, his voice
came to her in q sort of chant, too low and
even to be song:
Sweet is true love- though given in vain, in vain;
And sweet is death that puts an end to pain;
know not Whist is sweeter-no, not l.
Love, art thou sweet Then bitter death must be
Love- thou art bitter sweet is death to me.
Oh, love, If death be sweeter, let me die
Sweet love, that seems not made to fade away
Sweet death, that seems to make us loveless clay,
| know not which is sweeter-no, not l..
Her tears were falling fast before he had
finished. A spell was upon her which she
did not understand, and could not cyade.
Still. she kept silence and waited for his
words-words which, which when they
came, pierced her like sword.
"Mrs. Hannaford, think | must 20
away tomorrow. 1t is midsummer, and
all the hay is mown.'
"But l thought" she faltered timidly,
'you were to stay the summer through.
$50 should, if all things had been as
of old. 1t is not for good for me to be
here under the new regime"
II have tried" she began; and then
she stopped. Her tears .choked her. She
could not go on and tell him, in simple
commonplace, that she had tried TO make
him comfortable.
"If you had done no more than YOU
tried to do, all would have been WE'LL" he
cried his tones fervent with sudden passion.
~ saw you just what You were, and your
husband Just what he was. saw how
much it was in you to give to some man ;
how little you were even asked to give to
him. God help us both, for have learned
to love you. I covet my neighbor's wife
Il dare not stay here"
She said nothing; but he heard through
the stiffness the bitterness which she strove
to smother. 1t was more than he could
bear. He crossed over to her, but he did
not take her in his arms. Some shield OF
purity was about her which still held him
away from her, though he was close at
her side.
Carrie" he said, calling her Tor the
first time by her name, II must 60 away
tomorrow but you shall so too, if you
will. Your love would be worth to me
any sacrifice. What would mine be worth
to you? You know how much your hus-
band cares for you. You have seen what
life with him is. Do you think it would
break his heart to lose you9 tell you,
no. He would very composedly get a
divorce from you and marry moro wisely
next time. You would be free in few
months, and the moment You were free
you should be my wife. So held me God.
would deal honorably with you. Don't
YOU believe mep"
He caught a low Yes" murmured un-
der her breath.
"Then you will come? | think eau
make life different thing for you from
what il ever has been. You shall know
what 1t is to be loved by man with Il
mans heart in him. VIII you come, on
will YOU settle back on the old life. and
send me away alone to curse the fate that
ever brought me to the knowledge 81
you?"
He stopped and then she could hear his
heart beat in the silence. Temptation be-
set her sorely. How sweet this love would
be of which he spoke-this love for which
she had so hungered-this passionate,
lovers love, which Joseph Hannalord
would never give her. She had a tenn
permanent TO which love was the supreme
thing. 1t was her one idea of Heaven
But she had not gone far enough away
from the innocence OF childhood for her
guardian-angel to have forsaken her
Clearly. as if some human voice had
spoken it, she heard whisper, which
came again and again and would be
obeyed-"Pray?" She got up at last, and,
saying to Hugh Waring nothing but
Wait" went away to her own room.
In the darkness she did not see her hus-
band, who sat there in an arm chair, too
tired to care for light, and waiting for
her. He would have spoken, but some
how he felt the excitement of her mood,
end was silenced by it. She kuelt down,
and tried to obey the voice. But she could
not collect her thoughts and only two
words would come, over and over again
Help. Lord. help