The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-19

our last ride, remember. Must it be the
last, Eleanor, he cried impulsively, laying
his hand on the pommel Of her saddle as
he spoke. @
"The very last" she said. @You may
despise me now, but / should despise
myself were capable of giving up all
the convictions of my life on the impulse
of this day. l made mistake of judg-
ment when consented to see you again
after what had passed between us, and,
like all other mistakes, it brings its own
punishment with it."
Let what Is broken SO remain;
The gods are hard to reconcile.
Do you like that quotation better than
this mornings? And what do you think
you will do with yourself tomorrow"
she added, with An abrupt transition 10
her customary voice. "By the way, are
you going to the races this year, 1 am
aAnd so it is all over, and henceforth
when we meet, we meet as strangers"
said Jack, slowly. "WeH, it was plea
SAINT dream while it laeted, only, as in all
dreams, one must wake up after while.
Excuse me, Miss Hardy, not having had
the advantage of frequenting your society
all my life, l find cannot hope to emu
late your charming self possession. How
1 envy you that prsiseworthy habit of
self control! 1t u really al admirable
triumph of GO i taste over those danger
Gus guides, tho feelings You ask about
tho roooo I ON, eo ooryy I NON N ~ an q, fhaf
l am gong, too, but We poor wretches
cannot always afferd to share in the
amusement of our betters. 1t is quite
pardonable, though, that you should for
get this; young lady with your brilliant
prospects can hardly be expected to re-
member that we are not all blessed to the
same degree"
Eleanor did not answer; indeed, she
scarcely hesrd him. at is our last ride,
our last day together" she thought. al
must never see him again. l dare no.l
This Is the last time, the very last time of
ALL" She thought with dull surprise Of
the change wrought in herself since that
morning. ~ wonder if We must alto
gether say good bye? she unused. "Sure-
ly, surely he still might goo caring for
me little, be still my friend
"Wat a moment said Jack, refining
in his horse suddenly; "those two lights
ut the end Of the avenue are your gate
way lamps. The farewell TO Bohemia
must DO said LOW, Miss Hardy" He
held out his hand and clasped hers firmly
for II moment, trying to pierce the dark
ness with eager eyes that could not be
satisfied with taking n last long lock.
Good by" he said slowly, "good by for
ever, EleanorH
The trees above them rustled in the
darkness; the horses dropped their weary
heads together; away in the marshes they
heard the desolate. piercing cry of some
lonely night bird. Good bye" he re
.pested softly, "good bye, and God bless
you, Eleanorl Our paths part here;
yours. l pray, may pass through all the
sunny spots of life; mine-weil, man
can always find enough to do If ne is will
ling to work. Perhaps-who knows?-I
may even learn to forget you, in time"
he added. with short, bitter laugh.
what do you say to comparing notes
with me this day ten years hence, Miss
Hardy?"
Eleanor bent low down over her saddle
bow, and played with the maine OF her
horse. "Do conc and call on me to.mor-
row, Mr.: Desmond" she said.
Jack burst out in a wild laugh. "Call
on your" he cried. what, you want me
to come and talk to you rs another man
would talk? Perhaps-ifm my anecdotes are
amusing enough and l know how to keep
my plsce-perhaps you will even invite
me TO attend those Tuesday evenings when
all Rome goes to the Palazzo PM To ad-
mire the charming Miss Hardy Good
Godl Can't you understand that | love
you'll Have you lived so much in a
drawing room that you do not know
there are passions in this worldl Has
your life been parlor comedy for So
long that you have forgotten that men
are made of flesh and blood, aud hot
merely OF black coats and equally correct
sentiments, manners, and necktiesY He
flung her hand away from him with n
sort of contempt. "And to think that |
have thrown my heart, my life, my honor
at the feet of a woman so little cap
able of understanding their worth
Eleanor" his voice grew gentle MS he
spoke her name, "have you never known
what it is 10 lover Just thisl love
you To me you are SIMPLY the one
woman in the werld, the one beng whose
presence is perfect joy, whose absence
the world and all the glory thereof could
not tempt me for An instant to forget.
You are full of faults; see them, and L
love them for your sake? You are full OF
noble qualities, and i bow down and
worship them! l love the very glove on
your hand, the ribbon at your throat, the
faded flower you have worn and
thrown away. My feeling toward you
is no dainty devotion, ready to fall grace
fully into the background alta hint, and
be the pleasing, tenderly.remembered,
lightly forgotten romance of season. l
love YOU as man loves the woman he
would make his wife-passionstely,
strongly, jealousy. l want you all TO my
SELF or not all Pardon mel | mean
l wanted YOU" he added. 81 am speak
ing of the past. You need not tell me
again you do not care for me; l know II
now. / will not go and see you. / am
your lover, Eleanor; i cannot play at be-
ing your friend"
Little fleecy clouds bad been drifting
fast across the face of the moon; now, as
he ended, the wind drew them suddenly
apart, and food of clear, soft light
poured down on Eleanor's bowed head
and tight.clasped hands. =,
"Jack," said Eleanor, in meek, small
voice, al don't think it's very kind Of you
to MAKE me say it-but L wish you
would come and see me to-morrow-for,
look here, Jack-rve been thinking
I'm sorry for what said-and-and l
don't want you to come as my friend,
y,u knOWl' DUDU FLETCLER-