The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-06-02

NtHt'ts
"Ohl you grow used to ii in time, Z"
observed Seton.
IL seemed impossible 10 imagine these
two persons, more formal 10 each other
in manner than the most@ distant ac-
quaintances, could ever have been pas
sionate and devoted lovers. What
Thoughts had they, | wonder, as they
sat together and yet SO far apart, of the
Old DAYS wherein love led them and all
was well? IL would weary You, dear
reader, and to no purpose, were 20 set
down here the dreary commonplaees
with which these two tried 10 beguile
tire time for over an hour. At length,
worn out by the arduous effort Of trying
10 entertain each other while their
thoughts were so far away, they took
refuge in silence; and the wind roared,
and the rain dashed the window, and the
dusk came on prematurely, and Seton.
looking out on the cherries prospect.
shivered a with the cold Then that
other person in the room rose very
quietly and stirred the fire into blaze,
and resumed her seat on the sofa.
No, YOU shouldn't, really" said
Seton, not turning round, however,
though with look of great pain upon
his face. II is wonderful what suffer-
ing some small, commonplace word or
action may cause us. What vistas of
impc ssible joys, again, may they not
open up 90 us
I" suppose the carriage viii soon be
baC a." said Alice presently, and speak
ing with effort, "and our new coach
man drives SO fast, too"
=. Yes, and your term OF imprison-
ment will soon be up" rejoined Seton,
resting his arms upon the mantelpiece,
and examining with critical interest the
photograph OF Mr.. Hunters defunct
mare.
How the time passes said Alice,
in low voice, as if speaking 10 herself.
Then with sudden energy, - can not
tell when we shall meet again. Before
we part, answer ME one question. You
are looking worn and weary-are YOU
happyPn
Now he stood before her, and through
the dusk and the freight his eyes
dashed on her, as he saldAn "A low,
harsh voice" From your lips this
question l. an insult.
"Df which you need not fear the
repetition, she rejoined promptly, with
cutting formality.
No. il can't end like this, - he went
On. "Do you know, ever since you
have been here, have bitten INV lips
through and through 10 keep them from
speaking of the past. This meeting
was not Of your seeking. and it seems
10 me unmanly and dasiardly to take
advantage of this opportunity
We are sometimes SO mistaken"
she said hUrriedly. but her words were
hardly audible and he continued
"Alicel you have treated me very i'll.
On that day, now three years ago, when
| gave YOU my love, and believed in
yours, ! was frank with you. told you
how wild and irregular my life had
been, and how full of faults it was
You reclaimed me-you transformed
my days-you made my life, all at once,
pure and fair and then, because some
thorn in my love hurt you, you threw it
All away, and left me 10 perish inisera-
bly, She would have interrupted him,
but he silenced her by a gesture and
went on: land now when we meet. af-
Ter three years, you ask me if am hap
pyl Ii loved YOU once. | shall love
you forever. DO look happy?r
81 think there were faults on both
sides" she said quietly.
Yes, perhaps there were," he re-
piled; 4" but was reading your last let
ter over only to-day. Oh. how terribly
bitter il wasm
"And have you forgotten your an
swer 10 taat letter." she said, almost
passionately, her voice quivering, and
her breast heaving.
II don't remember it word for word"
be returned quickly; Il know it was
written on the impulse of the moment
"But have it BY heart" then, very
slowly, ''you said, if your love, in it,
heart and strength, was little exact |
ng, mine was cold and tideless in fact, I
no love, only slow, sluggish affection
You almost thought | was right, and
hat we could not be happy. am nat
lrally proud" she went on; 'but a
woman with less pride than have could !
lot have acted differently. Only one
course was left me-to he silent. -
well, il is all over now" he re-
oined; 1--WE shall never, never meet
gain"
" You won't take my friendship,
hen p"
" No, thank you; you are very gen.
rous, but / do not want this gift"
He threw himself YEARLY into chair,
md for some time there was a complete
Hence. Hope is so subtle, SO intangi-
lie, that we are often only aware Of its
Existence when il has ceased to be. Ar |
hur Seton looked upon himself As man
quite without hope. Ii seemed To him
hat his life could hardly be more gray
md desolate than il was, yet who snail I
ay what feeling, of which he was not /
directly conscious, may have sustained /
linn through the last three years. Now
tbtprr un.rraI ,rnna fhoro e.y.a