Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-01-18
The Young Man In Love.

! tesy, ana. II the Other party snOulu ODJect,
it is mean jealousy. When a man thorough
ly loves a woman. he sees in her an attrac.
tion not before noticeable and so conspicu-
Gus becomes these good qualities to him
that he easily imagines they are as plain to
other gentlemen and any favor they may
show her is simply q desperate endeavor to
gain the gem he so fondly hopes to wear. Ii
is this simple misunderstanding which
causes four-fifths of the heart-ournlng and
misery attendant upon loving and being
loved
A lovers quarrel is a formidable affair
while it is in progress. 1t shrouds the two
souls in pail of impenetrable gloom ; but
looked back upon from the changed circum-
stances worked by time, it appears so silly
and ridiculous as to be really eXasperating.
There was such a state of feeling existing
between two of our young folks Sunday eve-
ming. They attended church. In the pew
given them was a young gentleman. who sat
at the opposite end. They entered without
| disturbing him and she was brought next
to him. Theylthree were acquainted. He
nodded TO her and smiled then he
whispered to her and she looked wonder
fully pleased, and whispered back. Her
young man smiled too he knew that he
should do something of the sort. if he didn't
want to appear painfully conspicuous to the
DublC, WHICH WIS TtduN III MI "
divine his jealousy, and gloat over his defeat
But il is a hard matter to smile when you
see nothing to smile at it makes the face
tired in an incredibly short space of time.
The service proceeded. The lover reached
over and spoke to her. He had to speak
twice before she heari. him. She WAS ap-
parently distracted with thought. What
thoughts 1t made him sick. At the giving
out of the hymn, he leaned forward to take
o book from the rack just as :he young man
secured one. He drew back. What was
that young man going to do? Have her sing
with himself, of course. All right he would
not make fool of himself by looking up q
place, offering it TO her, and running the risk
of refusal And so the young man found
the place, and extended the book TO her.
Poor girl She cast furtive glance at her
| lover He had made no provisions for the
emergency. She didn't want to sing with
this young man. She didn't love him. 1t
was not his shoulder she wanted to press.
| She took hold of the book and wondered with
| all her heart what was the matter with hin.
Was he i'll Was he a little bit Jealous !?
Woman intuition had struck it, as was evil
dent in the increased brightness of her eyes,
in the additional flush to her face. She
could not help it any more than she could
ward off the fury of Vesuvius but she was
happy in the thought. 1t was another and q
marked evidence of his love.
And he what of him Well, he sat as
stiff as if he had suddenly been run full of
lead. To add to the pain gnawing at his
heart-strings, he felt that every eye in the
building was bearing upon him. He looked
carefully over the ceiling of the church, star
ing at the most triiing objects thereon, with
| fierce intenseness. If be could only make
the people believe that he was enruptured
with the beautiful and ennobling occupation
of architecture, he would be satisfied. If
success is commensurate with earnestness of
purpose, he was entitled to it. The service
moved along. All the time the pit Of his stom-
nch appeared to be receding away from him.
and yet making itself dreadfully felt. His
mind ran recklessly TO death, hearses and
graveyards He pictured her in the midst Of
gay company, talking. laughing, flirting
with this young man. when the news is sud
denly let in upon her that he is dead. Dead.
cold. stark, stiff-the one who loved her SO
madly There WAS grim pleasure in his
heart as the picture unfolded her in awful
commissions, calling wildly for him and on
the dark background of the CHASTITY spectacle
was written in flame of fire. "1Oo late ! Too
late" over and over again this horrible phan-
tasm was conjured up.
And she sat there, happy in her own con-
ceit, and yet feeling pity for him.
And so the Service went on and the meet
ing closed and they all passed out. He walk
ed stifily. She moved easily, with radiant
face and the young man was as beaming as
a sunfiower. She told him she had not seen
him in dogs age, and wanted to know why
he didn't come up to the house any more
He smiled cheerfully, and said he bad been
very busy of late. but would make all amends
at once. At which she appeared quite
pleased, although she secretly hoped he
would continue TO be too busy to come but
the words were gall and wormwood to the
lover
They got outside finally, and were moving
along alone. these two pledged hearts. His
face WAS like stone, and the pit of his
stomach WAS as faint as traveller in a weary
land. He was rapidly planning his future
course. She was heartless ; that had been
satisfactorily demonstrated. She could not
deny this. and also that there had been no
provocation.
He must leave her. All he would d treat her
indifferently now he would give her little
taste of the pain which he was suffering and
see how she liked it. Ah ! perhaps she
might like it. Oh the psrspiration stood
on his brow in great beads. Heavens !could
it be possible she was already gone out to that
young man He must not be rash and yet
- she must suffer, too yes, yes, she must
suffer, too. He was on the alert for the first
evidence of pain on her part. He hungered
for it He wanted her to droop into a des-
pairing silence. Unfortunately, her sex rarely
meets expectations.
"How did you like the sermon Z" she art
lessly asked
He would have much rather that she asked
him why he was SO still but he crowded
down the disappointment, and determined
to be as Indifferent as she was.
"Oh. pretty well" he said, raising his
voice q trIfle more then was absolutely nee
essary.
81 never enjoyed sermon any better in
my life" she maliciously observed, at the
same time being quite confident she hadn't
been so miserable in a week.
He WINGED, but promptly said,-
That's Just what think about it. shall
go to that church every evening after
this A"
They talked about one thing and ano ther
during the rest the way. the interest droop-
ing more and more as they neared the door.
Would he go in he asked himself hundred
times. And every time he said No-at first
firmly and with vlgor, but at last very family
indeed When they reached the house he
hesitated. She walked up on the stoop,
opened the door. and, turning to him, said,
Amt you coming in -
He wasn't; but she had not vet weaken
ed sufficiently. So he would 20 in but re-
main dark and stiff like n mummy, to show
her what it was TO suffer. But he would not
give i'll to her. She would mutely appeal
to him, and creep up close to him. and tum-
BILE his hair but he would not melt He
would go away in a few minutes as repellant
as he now felt, and she would retire with a
IA her hear tEuz a hrnf oh
picture hc thus conjured 80 bright that he
almost smiled in its radiance.
Then he went in. Had he been hearse
in a city Of two million inhabitants, he could
not have entered that house with more SOL
emn magnlfcenoe. He didn't 90 near the
sofa he dropped into q chair and stared
moodily Mt the carpet. She arranged the
lamp and sank down on the sofa There WAS
an attempt on her part to shake of the gloom
but he did not respond. He only thought of
his suddenly dying, and of her going into
maddening commissions. He sat there and
wanted to die SO as TO see how she would
take on about it although dead men are not
particularly noted for very keenly observing
what takes place about them in this life.
The conversation Jagged. Both of them
were losing their Sunday evening, the dear
est TO them of all the week and she WAS
feeling it keenly. And yet she would persist
in talking about the most foreign subjects
while he would gloomily eye the carpet, and
answer in the most depressing monosylla-
bles. Finally he got up. and said:n con-
strained voice that he guessed he must be
going. He moved for his hat, wishing that
1t was a mile away, and feeling as if he would
give his life If she would only speak
to him. But she took up the light
az If this was the farthest from her in
tentlons, and prepared to see him to the
door. There was gloom resting on both of
OF them now, fearful looking forward to
woe that to come
He reached the door without word being
exchanged, and was turning around in an
awkward way to bid her good night. when a
peculiar look-a half.sorrowiul, half smiling
look IN her eyes caused him to hesitate
aud respond with the same expression.
What is the.natter with you, darling Z" she
asked. getting as close to him as possible.
There is no need of further accompanying
them. In the short space of two minutes
they were squarey posted on the dear fami-