Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-10-04

A vivid flush stained her cheek as he
saids
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
yelous," she answered, lightly. | 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, at remembering his
aunt's words
Going away? Whv, of course you
would be soon, he said, trying to speak
carelessly, while his eyes hungrily de-
voured her face, and his white parched
lips were drawn IS if in sharp physical
pain.
/ have been here three months" she
said, feeling her own heart ache at his
misery.
Yes, yes! You will go, certainly .
And you," she said, very gently,
you will be in in the city, | presume.
| should be glad to welcome you to my
house.
No" he said harshly; II 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 life till it is too late to take
the threads again. You do not know,
perhaps, that my aunt keeps me here
from charity"
" | know you have offended your faith
er, she answered; " but you are man,
scarcely 30, and it is cowardly to talk
OF despair at your age"
Her words cut him like a whip-lash,
The dark blood mounted to his forehead
as he repeated:
Coward! | might fight the whole
world yet, but, and here his tone was
bitter, and yet strangely pathetic, the
battle is scarcely worth winning. What
would gain? Money? | do not value
it. Position? | have thrown it behind
me. | have played the fool, and | must
take the FOOLS wages"
" | will not have you say so, she
said, reused by an earnestness she had
never intended to hetray. You shall
not uselessly throw away your life"
A hope sprang to his eyes, new there,
lighting them to dazzling radience.
Miss Cameron-Leonie," he cried,
were there prize to win, were ones
hearts hope centered upon me, would
trample down these demons of tempta-
ton. would prove myself man if l
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 like snow flake
fell upon his shoulder, voice, low and
and sweet, murmured low in his ear;
: Be man for my sake"
She was gone before he spoke again,
and he wandered off to the woods to
muse upon a possibility of his new life.
The next day Mrs. Tollman lost her
summer boarder Society, languidly
contemplating Miss Cameron for the
next three years, found her eccentric.
She was grave and gay by flashes, fas-
cinating in either mood, but she was
mysteriously unapproachable
The brayest suitor found himself met
at the point where friendly attentions
merge into lover $ devotion by a wall of
icy reserve that was impossible. She
never firted, but she had the reputation
of firt, because she was popular and
admired, and remained single until ~
She was known to be truthful, and she
had distinctly told several inquisitive
lady friends that she was not engaged,
so there was not even the spice of ro-
nance in the gossip.
5" knew her not in those three
years, but Mrs Tollman was the recipi-
ent of various hampers of city delica-
cics from her, and would acknowledge
the same by letter.
One Of those, 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 a little.
But he took a turn for good, Heaven be
thanked. He worked himself up, and
to-day he writes me he has made friends
with his father again, and is to be taken
partner III commercial house. His
father to buy it, but Johns earned a
place too by hard honest work. Oh my
dear, I'm happier than | ever thought to
be. Perhaps you've heard of the house
in London that John is in. But Ill
tire you, writing about my affairs, |
wouldn't only | thought perhaps you'll
remember john
" In London" LEONE murmured; so
near me all these years, and yet never
seeking me. Was | to bold? Did |
drive him away by showing him my
heart too plainly? Well even so, | am
glad. gave him the first lstart toward
an honosable manhood. Remember
him? Yes, Mrs. Tollman, l do remem-
Der John"
She had folded the letter and was
dressing for the opera, when visitor
was announced.
" What a barbarous hour" she muir
INJURED, not looking at the card. " In a
few moments, Jane"
She was robed in her fleecy dress of
white lace, over pale-blue silk, had
clasped diamonds on throat and wrists,
and in the little ears, when, as she took
the opera cloak from the maids hand,
she looked at the card:
John Furber'
a great heart -throb sent the blood
over her brow and neck; then it faded,
leaving only soft tint upon the fair
cheeks. and in the dark eyes light of
happiness harmonizing well with the
smiling lips.
She looked like some visitant from
another world, in the radiance of her
beauty, as she came across the wide
drawing to the window where he
stood.
He had not heard her light step, but
he turned when she was near, showing
the stamp of his better life in his noble
face.
He held out his hand looking earn
estly into her face, and seeing she only
spoke Il happy truth, as, taking it she
said:
$ | am glad to see you
Leonie," he said, you gave me a
hope three years ago, that has borne me
above temptation and suffering, to po-
sition where am not ashamed to look
any man in the face, Lconie, you bade
me"
Blushing brightly, she took up the
words as he paused:
To be man, John, for my sake"
And | Obeyed YOU. nv love. nv dar-