The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-08
HOW TOLD MY STORY.

ly up and down the room, while l sat
back in my chair by the window, with
my heart beating violently, and a sense
of sutfOcatlOn upon me that was absO-
lutely painful. But was panied, too,
for him; grieved that he should ever
have asked me-more than grieYed to
have caused him sorrow. For in his
suffering he looked so calm and gentle
he, the tall, stalwart man, with his fast
greying hair, and c0unteuance marked
| with the lines printed by maturing age
and thought. lie mad been so KIND and
! friendly too, ever since he had been at
the parsonage, and in our daily work we
had been drawn SO impercepti6ly to-
gether, thaS had hoped ours was to be
firm AID lasting friendship; and now
THIS meeting seemed 10 have brought II
to an abrupt conclusion, Sudueuly he
istopped before me again, and stood
looking down, while l crJuched there
almost fascinated by his gaze.
| Miss DenisOn-Laura," ne said, in q
low soft voice, "y0u must must forgive
me, and if you can not aceede to my pro-
pooal, let Us be as we nave been during
The past happy year."
tried to speak, but he held up his
hand. #r
"Hear me out, dear friend" he said,
Sand let me speak again, for ! still hope
have known you now for a year."
| tried to speak once more-to beg of
him that be would let me leave the room
THAT he would bring our interview to
an end; but my heart Went on still
with it's heavy beat, and the suttocating
sensation was still ut my throat, SO that
half lay there with my eyes closed, lis
tening to his words, every one of which
seemed to wake an echo, and increase
the heavy throbbing oil my heart. ...
~ had loVe.dream once," he said;
and his voice BECAME very rich and soft.
81 was tutor IN noble house. There
was daughter there whom could have
loved, had but dared. Honor, posi-
tion, all forbade it. She was heiress to
thirty thousand pounds, aud | was the
lyoung tutor TO whose care the education
of her brother had been trusted. She
never knew my fancy, and l saw her
married to a obleman-happily, hoped
while IL returned to my books"
He paused again, and sat up watch
ing his halt-aVerted face, as in those
few words-so few but SO pregnant OF
meanlng-he laid bare to me his heart;
and as lie sighed, the heavy throDbing IN
my breast began 10 subside, ana a
strange feeling Of PITY for him to grow.
81 thought it but fair to tell you this"
he said sadly, "to show you that l have
no youthful first love to lay before you;
but L felt that here, In this village, il
your lot were joined to mine, the down.
hill of life would be made happy for me,
as God knows l would try 10 make IL
ever green and pleasant for you, while
those around us should be taught to
Iibless us tor the help we gave. 1t is no
romantic OFFER" he said, more cheer
fully. 'It is very matter-of-lact, know,
) but it was upon these grounds, dear
friend, that l asked you to be my wife,"
He looked down at me once again, and
as our eyes met, something within me,
seemed to say, "Wlthdraw your refusal
: and lay those trembling hands in his,
for he is man that you could love-"
{ But only shook my head sadly, as l
murmured-
mo, it could never bew
"You are agitated," he said tenderly,
as he took my hand and reVerently
kissed it. Il Will leave you now. Mine
is TOO solemn proposal for us both, to
I be replied to without consideration.
Let all be as it was for month, and
then l will renew my suit. If, alter this
, lapse of time, you still think as you 40
F., tn0W, believe me, will never pain the
i woman whom l hope to retain as my
} best and dearest friend, by the fainJest
/ ailusion to that which we will agree to
r bury in the past"
"No," SAID, with frmuess which
surprlsed myself. "Stay, Nh. Grange,
ana let me speak"
r He bowed his head in his old pleasant
, manner and took his seat once more.
+ II must undeceive you uoW-at once"
+ | l taltered. alt would be cruel 10 you
/ Ito us both, to let this rest, only W be
4 renewed at the months end"
He bowed his head still lower, and
. Imy heart gave d throb of gratitude as l
. saw the tender consideration with which
, The aYerted his gaze tIOm my agitated
\ IIace.
! There was again terrible silence in
1.-THE room, broken only by the distant
Z Imurmur or the sunnt sea as it broke
lupon The fine shingle three hundred feet
2 IbeloW. Taere was soft rustic, too,
Eamong the leaves around the window,
land, l remember 1T so Well-the pale
Ipink petals OF rose kept falling slowly,
tluttering down like the withered hopes
OF my past sad life, as struggled hard
u, = for the calmness that should enable me
TO speak.
, There was no other man living to
whom | could have made this conles-
Esion, and not even to him an hour before;
Ebut alter the way in which he had barred
the secrets OF his own heart to my gaze,
a BOND of sympathy seemed to nave
Eioiued us, anu something within me
!, lforced me to speak-agitatedly at first,
but with a growing calmness, that was
even piteous to me, as lseemed to listen
to my own words, and once more grieYed
lover my sorrows, as il they hau been
those Of another.
fen years ago." l said, "when 1 was
, | in my nineteenth year, mamma in hel
iwido who0d and sorrow took this quiel
lcottage by the sea, to end her days IL
!, Ecamness and repose"
! YES" he SAID, II know, and she
Edied two years ago, beloved by all."s
This in a tone Of sympathy tnat seemed
to give me strength.
"W den we first came, we found tha
There were trequenb mistakes made, tol
tat the great house there was another
= family named Denlson, and little cou
, Illusions arose about our letters" d"
eyes, have heard OF them," be sale
pleasantly. II have studied UP The pas
history OF the village. They were VERY
wealthy, and there was u beautiful
f Idaughter. an heiress.n -
3 "Yes," L said, you are quite right
, | she was very beautiful and very rich
} She used to call on me, and we weft