Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-23
fcontinped num frst psxv.I

for such women as George Eiot anu Noio
Browning to work up scenes with, ana
NAV be convenient to hand the coming
woman out of her chariot when she arrives
in this man-cursed land. Sincerely, Myra,
Won admit this one-sided reverence p
II don't know, Elmer-1 truly do not
know certainly do not deserve what
you have been hateful enough to say; but
somehow, cannot understand men, and
when l have read about them / never feel
sure that they are painted to the life. /
would rather not be bothered thinking
about them midway. ~
That's just it, Nyra; you do not un-
derstand them because you will not take
the trouble. o, my beautiful. my dearest
friend, if you would give little serious
thought to the nature and needs of one
man, he could afford to let you 60 crazy
about women for the rest of happy life.
In fact. know his jealous disposition so
well, that can swear he would wish to
carry your studies of men no further.
But what's the use of wasting hope and
breath ?" he added. II have never Tor
gotten the tone in which you said that "a
pretty boy could always find comforter.
tell you | am boy no longer. have
you ever thought so 3'
II tell you frankly, Elmer, that | have
thought so lately, very lately, but | have
realized it only through new shrinking
from your passionate fancies and words,
and it is that which makes me bold to tell
you that you must turn your feelings which
can strengthen with your strength toward
some one who will not disappoint you
continually-some one less cool and I'M
sympathetic-what you would call more
womanly.'
As these words fell from her full yet
delicate lips, and as the deep, soft tone in
which she uttered them stirred the fra
grant air about them, the young man felt
dim apprehension that the revelation he
had been endeavoring to make of her own
nature to his hearts idol was somewhat
shallow and mistaken. Could it be he
and net she who failed to read the whole ?
At all events, just as it always was, he
loved her more wildly now than five min
utes ago, and yet what was the result OF
her brief answer Was it nearer to her ?
No. The blushing, half-yielding repul-
sion with which she had met him until
this moment was more hopeful than this
new frankness. Elmer, have thought
So" He would rather she were utterly
thoughtless, and yet tolerant of his love
once more. What could he do that should
remove the hateful barrier his folly had
raised between them? Nothing now,
poor fellow; for the garden gate was
creaking on its hinges. and the world
which delighted to play the marplot would
soon be locked in. He had only time 10
say, before the interruption: "Will you go
down the river with the party this after
noon, if l call at three O'Clock P"
EYES," said Myra, and he was gone,
leaving her with dust-cloth still in hand,
and still dreaming; but her position was
strangely changed. Her mind as well as
her body, had seemed to cross over to the
light when Elmer's face appeared at the
window opposite. And yet, did she real
~ understand any better what her life
must do with hisp She had told him
new thing in very different way but
were the emotions that were growing into
a struggle hushed? She could not tell.
Mechanically she shook the dust-cloth,
which had far less need than should be,
out upon the gilded air, and the act so re-
called her that she shook off with it fan
cies and facts, and in minute more there
was general shaking up of "all things
carnal," and it was dinner-time before
her aunt was able to put her head in and
say that the room was "ready and regula-
ted"
At 8 O'Clock Myra was ready, but far
from regulated. She longed for one mo-
ment to gather lost courage and compose
her topsey-turvey emotions. And why
should she need to calm herself? why
were her emotions upsetP and what posi-
BILE excuse could she give to her own in
telligence and w0msnly pride for such an
idiotic state Of thingsP Here was boy
no. not boy. a man, why should she
shrink from the word P-whom she had
known from babyhood, who had always
liked her, and who she had no reason to
suppose liked her much better this moment
than ever, and even if he did, what mat
tera She had never felt in her deepest
nature that he was congenial to her, and
che had not distant dream of allowing
him to misunderstood that fact Her
heart acquitted her of anything insincere
or unwomanly; indeed, she knew that she
had always been almost brusque in her
truthfulness. and that every word might
do her honor SO far as purity and honesty
of sentiment were concerned. And yet,
she could have torn out her cheeks for
blushing like silly girl or a lovesick dam
sell; and a thousand unintentional acts
would haunt her, which in another would
have looked like desperate Irritation or
desperate love. What was it? What
could it be? This day she would conquer
the silliest OF weaknesses, before she COM
pletely loathed herself.
All this while she tied her hat strings
for thought is swifter than the moments of
Old Time, and when we leave this me.
chanical measurment of our days the most
skillful thinker will be seen to have the
longest life. And this time it was an ac-
customed track over which the poor girls
mind was flying. 1t had all been passed
over between the sound OF Elmer's voice
at the gate and the rushing upstairs of one
of the gay party.
The three focked down again in a very
disorderly fashion; for, from some un-
known cause, three people seem to set all
the proprieties at defiance. Two girls fall
into delightful tete-a-tete, but three girls
can only plan mischief. Conversation is
destroyed, and nonsense instantly fills up
the gap. So two OF the girls began to gig
gle immoderately after snickering little
whisper with each other, and Myra was