Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-03-24

"WaAT AILS THIS HEART o. NINE 20
lcoNTINUED FROM YESTERDAY. ]

| CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.
Here is something we found among
Myra's treasures. Mr.. Halstead," said
Clara Pearson, one of the girls. "She
intends to throw it at your feet to-day with
the old symbolism of Defiance" she ad-
ded, as she flung to. the floor in front of
him Elmer's glove, dropped that morning
in the window, and carried off by Myra to
avoid the foolish jokes ofthe household, to
which she was becoming sensitive.
The instant Myra appeared on the stairs
she had seen in Elmer's eye new express
sion OF eager watchfuness, and this little
incident, although mere nothing to the
torment which daily gossip wasinflicting,
added to it-completed the work of con-
fusion. She blushed and cast her eyes
down in sheepish misery, depressing her.
self and abominating the silly girls who
giggled at what they considered their tri-
umphant joke. Yesterday Elmer would
have turned off the matter, but to-day his
own feelings were too keenly alive. and it
followed too singularly upon Myra's morn
ing remark to him, and he only said:
81 shall not pick it up. Is it true Myra."
"Am | accustomed to send my challen-
ges, Elmer?" she answered, and leav-
ing the glove untouched, they left the
house.
Wandering along the plnasantest streets,
they picked up recruits of young men and
and maidens, and then went laughing on
their way, the incident unknown to most
making the kind Of struggle TO seem to
have forgotten it, which is the surest evil
dence of failure.
| Vind;np ond ,,;ot,roso,o x,,o, tho Foot
path that skirted the road, till it turned
away to the torked and flowing" Muir
mureta," as the girls had named it; and.
when the rush of its fall and the babbling
sound of the broken shadows met their
ears, they paused to pay tribute to the
sweet-toned stream. The banks were glo-
rious with the beauty that comes only
with passing life and fading loveliness.
The spray of the fall formed rainbows in
the mellow light and earth and air SEEM
ed to have hushed their quiet noises to
drink in the beauties of light and color.
They clambered down the banks and
sat upon the rocks, and summed themselves
for all the world like party of clans,
even to the open mouths, " said Myra.
With pleasant talk and laughter they
rose and sauntered towards the rivers
broader and stiller sweep, where the little
barks were swaying to and fro the length
OF their musical chains; for the old boat
man knew where they would want to ship
for the "Islands of the Blessed, the "Si-
ren's Rock, and other fancifully named
places as sweet as dangerous.
AS they reached the landing the tor
menting discoverer of the glove exclaim-
ed:
"When we reach this landing there is
always the most delightful uncertainty
about the disposition of the crews. Only
one thing is unfaiing certainty. Mr.. Hal
stead and Myra De Lancy will be in the
same boat; SO wouldn't matters be facili-
tated if they stepped in and sailed at once
Tor the Kingdom of Ponemah, for the
Land of the Hereafter. towards which we
are bounGp''
"All the rest are bound to the Land OF
Heretofore, | suppose. And certainly
you are growing silly enough to turn ba-
bies again" said Myra.
"What do you say, Myra ?" said Elmer.
Forward with me. or backward with the
rest of the world ?"
Forward forever, should have thought
! from every instinct Of my nature, but
when the question has actually been put,
there is a strange longing to return to the
days when no decisions vex u.s. she an
swered. playfully but the absolute truth
fulness OF her words only she could guess,
while their plainness gave her a needed
relief.
Don't shrink from the inevitable, Myra,
especially when it comes in such pleasant
guise. We girls are all dying of envy
or should be, if other beaux were not so
plenty continued the girls, as they laugh
ingly seized her, and almost put her into
the dainty bark.
According to the contraries which things
love to 60 by, the legend "Coquette" was
painted in flaming colors upon the little
vessels side.
"Is it bitter sarcasm or hated truth ?"
said the sensitive Myra to herself, as she
gathered her drapery and settled herself
upon the seat with kind Of hopeless feel
ing that, after all her heroic struggles,
perhaps the laughed-at- rhymes were true,
and life was river, and man "a little
bark floating down the stream" with the
drifting current. What then would be.
come of her? Should she sail to the haven
of her dreams, or be dashed upon the
rocks of an unknown miseryP
She hardly heard the light laughter OF
the other crews as they launched thought
lessly for fairy-land. There was some-
thing singularly earnest in the stroke OF
Elmer's oar. and fancy might have thought
that he was bold buccaneer fleeing to
familiar covert with his hearts stolen
treasure. 1t was the desperate pull of his
right arm that had affected her quick i'm
agination.
"Is that Elmer Halstead and Myra De
Lanoy, or Captain Kidd and Hildebrand's
fair daughter in The Skeleton in Armor p"
said one of the other rowers with fancy
blending toward weird tales of the "wild
New England Shore"
"They are strangely changed" said
another. 81 would not like to make a
third in their society to-day
Elmer pulled fiercely past the shores
where he and Myra had dreamed away
many summer hour, without a thought
in either breast of day when the heart Of
one should seem Knocked by the light
which tloated their beautiful slopes-a
light which was fame.color, and yet
burned not--and the heart OF the other
/ - ~