The Van Buren press., 1875-11-09

brow with tiny silver star. Ernest
Courtney looked one moment, and the
next surrendered his heart wholly. He
was in love for the first time. | cannot
tell You of the struggle in his mind that
night, and, indeed. for many weeks it con.
tinued, Ii he married Miss Ingersoll-
and she plainly showed him that his com
pady was very agreeable to her-he would
gain at once wealth, ease and beautiful
wife, without an effort. Yet when the
sweet, pale face Of her cousin Alice came
up before him. he felt that he could never
take another to his heart, although to
possess her was impossible; he could
not drag her down to miserable poverty,
even if she were willing. Never had he
so regretted his idle youth; never so
wished for the wealth that should have
been his.
SO the weeks flew by, and Ernest Court
ney, lingering. like a moth. about the
flame, came to love the sweet, quiet Alice
with an intensity of which he had never
dreamed himself capable. AT first, he
struggled against it, and sought much the
company OF Miss Ingersol and others !;
but when engaged in the most brilliant
conversation. or entertained by the
sprightliest wit. he could not keep his
glance from following her every motion,
and when at last he saw that the lovely
eyes would droop, and the pale cheek
flush AS he approached, there came no
ble purpose into his soul, which added .
new brightness to his face, new hope to
his heart which aroused and regenerated
and made him man.
He would work for her. He would
win wealth and honor for her. lie had
formed no plans, but what it was possi-
HE for man to do he would do for the
hope of calling Alice Haywood his own.
His resolution was fixed.
Walking ON the starllt beach, he told
her his story He asked for no assur.
ance-bound her by no promise-but
simply told her of his love, and how it
had aroused him from his indolent apa-
thy, and of his resolve to become a work
or for her sake. lie told her, little falt
eringly, that were she free when his pur-
pose was accomplished, she wsuld seek
her as the only woman he ever loved or
ever could love; then he held out his
hand in farewell, for the next morning
they would all depart in different direc-
tions for their homes She laid her trem
bling hand in his, and raised her lovely
fearful eyes to his, and, seeing how hard
it was for him to leave her thus, and how
firmly he held his emotions in check lest
he might wrong her by single word,
she slowly, half fearfully, raised her
sweet lips for kiss. One moment he
claspcd her to his heart, and he was
gone.
y = = =
) had gathered to hoar one of tAe most
popular lecturers of the day. The hall
was packed to its utmost capacity, for no,
) only was the speaker noted for his elo
quence, but he was also the author Of a
series Of papers bearing upon q political
controversy then raging, which had al
once placed him among the ablest youth.
ful logicians in the land.
A hush fell upon the audience as tho
lecturer entered, and, with graceful, man
ly dignity assembled the rostrum; and q;
he turned his handsome, intellectual face
toward the expectant people, many rec
) ognized in him the once indolcnt Ernes
Courtney
,, The orator sent his piercing eye ovcl
the sea of faces, when suddenly he start
ed almost imperceptibly, and flusf
mounted to his very brow; then
with new fire in his eyes, a new earn
estness and pathos in his voice, he begar
one of his most glowing, eloquent ad
dresses. Soon, tossing aside his notes
he came forward to the edge Of the ros
trum, and, seeming TO forget all but hi;
; theme, with glowing eyes and passionat,
veice he held his audience spell
bound until the last words of his trium
phant peroration had died away. For al
instant there wss deep hush, FOLLOWED
by thunders of applause, and the peo
ses Oh their lips.
) Earnest Courtny made his way through
+. the partially cleared hall straight TOWARD
group whom he seemed to know Th
eloquent light had not faded from hi
eyes, nor the flush from his face as h
. held out his hand, saying:
"Mss Alice-Miss Hcywood-hav,
, you forgotten me2"
4 She raised her face which had not los
, one iota Of its lovelincss, and looked q
u him through eyes swimming in tears, anc
though she said not a word, he knew tha
his years of toll had not been in vain.
He accompanied Alice and her uncle tt
their hotel. and there he told her how
= for her dear sake he had won place an,
! name, and asked her to share it with him
He told her that he would win yet NOR
J for her in coming years, and asked he
to cheer him and inspire him for futur
efforts by her loved presence.
"Mr. Courtney" she said, softly lay
, ing her hand ia his; "my brave, nobl
Ernest, am yours to claim when yol
q choose; but first have confession t.
make mot Miss Ingersol-am th
q heiress. That mistake made so long agt
; by the seaside occurred through som
2 letters which Bell Ingersol wrote for me
engaging rsoms for ns. Soon after ou
+ arrival, found, from some remarks tina
overheard that Bell was mistaken 70
, the possessor Of wealth, and for the de
pendent cousin, and begged Bell not t.
, correct the mistake, partly through al
). only half acknowledged desire to see if
might be loved for myself alone. Th
. result YOU know but you do not know