Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-06-29

wounded hearts with merely careless
grace.
Musing in the sunset it was impressed
upon the proud heart that unconsciously
she had poisoned life that was already
sinking. There were capabilities for bot
ter things than dissipation and suicide in
John Furber, and she shivered as she
thought he might be upon some danger
Gus precpice, waiting for the clasp of
the hand to draw him back, or its repulse
to thrust him over. She passed in review
her host of male friends, and found
none who had wakened her heart to hours
of such keen pleasure as John Furber had
given her. She tried to recall one mind
whose grasp Of intellect had dwarted hor
fairly in SO many arguments and worsted
her, and she could only remember soft
fiattery of her wonderful mind"
Finally lifting her eyes with soft sigh,
she saw him leaning against tree oppo-
site the low window, looking at her. A
vivid flush stained her cheek as he said :
"What can you have been thinking of?
You have not stirred for half an hour
Only that your eyes were open, should
have thought you asleep"
"Your powers OF observation are mar
velous," she answered lightly. "I was
dreaming"
"Of what :"
"The world in general, my world in
particular. 1t is almost time / returned
there"
She was prepared for some polite show
of regret, but not for the ghastly change
in his face.
She shuddered, remembering his aunt's
words.
"Going away ! Why, of course you
would be soon," no said, trying to speak
carelessly, while his eyes hungrily de,
voured her face, and his white parched
lips were drawn as il in sharp physical
pain.
81 have been here three montns," she
said, feeling her own heart ache at his
misery.
Eyes yes ! You will go, certainly"
"And you," she said very gently, "you
will be in the city, | presume. should
be glad to welcome you to my house."
"No," he said barshly; 81 will not
take such advantage OF your kindness |
am man your friends would tell you to
shun, Miss Cameron-a man who has
wasted his lite till il is too lato to take up
tho threads again. You do not know,
perhaps, that my aunt keeps mo here
from charity ?''
~ know you have offended your faith
err" she answered +; "but you are man,
scarcely thirty, and it is cowardly to talk
of despair at your age"
Her words cut him like whip lash.
The dark blood mounted to his forehead
as he repeated:
Coward ! l might fight the whole
world yet, but" and here his tone was
bitter, and yet strangely pathetic. "ths
battle is scarcely worth winning. What
would gain Money! | do not value
it. Position, have thrown it behind
me. | have played the fool, and l must
take the fools wages"
II will not have you say so," she said 4,
reused by an varnestness she had never
intended to betray "You shall not
uselessly throw away your life."
A hope sprang to his eyes, new there,
lighting them to dazzling radiance.
"Mis Cameron Leonie," he cried,
"were there prize to win, were ones
hearts hope centered upon me, would
trample down these demons Of tempta-
tion. l would prove myseifa a man il |
had any motive"
There was no mistaking the prayer in
his eyes, the pleading in his voice.
Only for moment, close to the low
window, before hand Ike snow fake
fell upon his shoulder, a voice, low and
sweet, murmured low in his ear
"Be man for my sake"
She was gone before no spoke again,
aud be wandered off to the woods to muse
upon possibility Of this new life.
The next day Mrs. Tolman lost her
summer boarder. Society, languiely
contemplating Miss Cameron for the next
three years, found her eccentric.
She was gay and grave by flashes, fas-
cinating in either mood, but she was
mysteriously unapproachable.
The bravest suitor found himself met at
the point where friendly attentions merge
into lovers devotion by u wall Of icy re
serves that was impossible. She never
flirted but she had the reputation Of a
Ain, because sho was popular and admir-
ed, and remained single until twenty
seven. She was known to be truthful,
and she had distinctly told several inquis-
tive lady friends that she was not engag-
ed, SO there was not even the spice OF ro-
nance in the gossip.
S. knew her not in those three years,
but Mrs. Tollman was the recipient of
various hampers of city delicacies from
her and would acknowledge the same by
letter.
One of these, dated three years after the
beautiful Miss Cameron left s., after
elaborately thanking that young lady for
hamper of dainties, added
"Do you remember my nephew, John
Furber? He left me the day after you
did and / fretted more than little. But he
took turn for good heaven be thanked,
He worked himself up, and ts-day he
writes me he has made friends with his
father again, and he is to be taken part
ner in commercial, house. His fathers
to buy it, but John earned place too by