Smyrna times., 1875-06-23


between love and his pride. He knew |
when the time came to go away, that he |
loved this girl with the face of a flower,
and he asked himself if he could give her
up; or rather love asked that question Of
him. And then his pitiful pride took
arms and asked him if he could brave the
opinion of society by marrying this girl
whose face and voice wore her only pass
ports to the circle in which he moved.
What was her worth of heart and soul
when weighed against her lack of culture
and family pride? Absolutely nothing in
the estimation of those who moved in the
set he belonged to. He felt how weak he
was in even allowing a thought of what
would be said if he We're to marry her to
assert itself, and at the same time he knew
how much a slave he was to the opinion
of society, and he confessed to himself, in
shame, that his pride was stronger than his
love. He could give her up easier than to
brave what "people would say If she
were only educated and refined in the
society meaning of the term, then! But
she was not, and he must give her up, or
face the gossip of those whose friendship
he cared nothing for, and that he was not
man enough to do. What slaves Of opinion
most of us are. We ought to be ashamed
of it, and more but that does not mend
the matter III the least.
She was in the garden when lie babe her
goodbye. lie had told her nothing about
his going away. He dreaded to speak of it.
He felt that he had not acted quite
honorable with her; knowing that she
could be no more to him than She was now
| he should have gone away before she got to
caring for him. To have done that would
have saved her all that his going away
would cost her now.
| "This has been a pleasant summer" he
said, as they stood there among the late
lilies and carnations. "a very pleasant
summer" and a sigh broke across his lips
as he looked away to the distant hills,
bathed in the mellow sunshine of the
September day.
. 1t has heen the happiest summer | ever
knew she said, softly, and he knew well
enough what had made it SO. Her love
dream had come to her in it.
Then there was a silence which neither
cared to break. She was too full of happy
restful quiet, and he was too full of sorrow
to speak just then.
BY and by she broke off spray of car
nations from their stalk, and gave then
TO him, with a smile. 1t was simpl,
little act, but it touched the mans heart il
its tenderest spot. For moment love wa
; up i'll arms again, stronger than ever; bu
the old, crul pride stood ready to crush
; down.
He dared not trust himself longer.
"Good-bye," he said, suddenly, holdin
out his hand. II shall keep these flower
in memory of the giyer, and the summe
! that has gone-thc summer that has bee
such happy one! | wish we could bot
forget it! = he cried, passionately. lie wa
:. cursing himself for his pitiful weakness.
: "You are not going away?" she saic
i. wonderingly, her face more like the lille
than carnations now.
"Yes, am going now. Goodbye an
= then he turned and went away. IIelookc
back once, and saw her standing ther
white, stirless, like figure cut from ma
bic, and his heart was full of pity for tn
Z girl who had learned what it is to love an
, lose so soon.
IS Two years went by, and they were tv
years of constant battle to Earle Trevor
4 He had thought that he could forget Il
10 woman he loved, in a measure, when
10 was away from her, but he found out
mistake. lie could not keep her face ol
er of sight. At the strangest times and plac
he heard her voice, and the sound of
no would set his heart to throbbing, and
such times it seemed to him that he mu
Il 90 to her and tell her that she was mo
We than the world to him. So for two yea
To he fought against his heart, and then
he gave up. Love conqured pride at last.
, " When he made up his mind to face t
>" opinions of society, he wondered how
ever could have been weak enough to +
re his love beneath his pride. What was
q, opinion Of all the world compared to
mo love ne bore for the girl with the flow
cd. face?
od. He would go to her at once, and ella
mt her as his own. And so he started on
journey.
AGO 1t was afternoon when he reached
her village. A mile away was the one won
con in theworld to him. He was full of fever
ter impatience to see her, to hear her voice
one tell her that he loved her.
ins- His path led by the old church. Th
ave was new-made grave in a corner of
dice churchyard. The sexton was covering
we with sods. He could not tell why it '
that but something made him stop and
on,e across the messy fence and watch the 1
,,vp at his work
thot Suddenly the sexton looked up from
with task and saw him.
tber "Whose grave is that?" Trevors asl