Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-08-21
A MANS STORY.

going down street, with the child cling
ing to her hand. You look at me
wonderingly, for you have probably
come to the same conclusion that most
of my friends have, that [ never loved
any woman. But tell you, Rotherm-
ell, | loved that woman as / shall never
love anyone else in this wide world
So you see [ have my romance hidden
away from curious eyes, as we'll as the
rest of you. [ sometimes wonder if
there can be life SO prosaic that it
does not have touch of romance in it
somewhere. [ think not But this
world does not see it and concludes it
does not exist. -...s.
Let me tell you about my romance,
Rothermel. [ know you well enough
to be quite sure you will not tell it to
anyone. It would not interest them, if
YOU were to do SO, and there is some
thing about it, as there is about our sor-
rows, which prompts me to keep it out
of sight Of all but those who can under
stand me. ..--.-.------.--
[ met Alice Graem at the White
Mountains six years ago, and loved
her from the very first time [ saw her.
There was something about her which
seemed different from any woman I
had ever met before. She is the first
and only woman who ever could set
my heart in a f1utter by her glance or
the touch of her hand. If YOU ever
love a woman as [ loved her, you will
understand what [ mean when tell
you that that summer was the summer
time of life and all the world to me.
The mountains seem to have caught
that" light that never was on land or
sea-" that | heard you reading to Miss
Finlay about last night. The sky was
tender as her eyes. The sunshine
seemed to have new brightness. The
world was a new world to me, and all
because loved Alice Graem.
saw her every day. and was with
her a great deal. We walked down to-
gether in the wild delightful path that
wound about the foot of the mountains;
what we said to each other [ cannot
tell, but [ know that these long hours
spent with her IN the silence and gram
deur Of the old rocks and trees with far
above us the great hills, whose SUBMITS
seemed to pierce heaven itself, were
the sweetest hours | ever knew.
The, summer went by, and [ did not
tell her that [ loved her. [ could not
Often and often the words came to my
lips, but I could not utter them. A
wild, foolish fear would strike me
dumb.
have wondered often, since then,
why [ felt as / did, when [ tried to tell
her the truth. 1t was because [ was
afraid of her froWning on my wooing,
forI was sure that she loved me. I
had read it in her eyes. and in the tell
tale color which would rise to her
cheeks, sometimes at word or look of
mine. But, for all [ had nothing to
fear and everything to encourage me, [
was a pitiful coward, and the love [
had to offer was kept to myself.
But [ told myself that there was no
use IN hurrying matters. [ would see
her by and by, when the winter came,
and that would be time enough.
The winter came and we met again. I
shall never forget that meeting any
more than [ shall forget our parting.
1t was at party. [ saw her standing
apart from the crowd, and went toward
her. She saw me coming, and her
eyes lit up as a morning glory does
when the sun strikes it suddenly. Her
face was radiant for one moment.
Then her eyes wavered and fell, and
she did not look up until was close
by her and held out my hand with a
few words of greeting. My heart was
and | loved her. ...-
After that we met often. Once [
came near showing her my heart, and
would to God [ had done 50,
Rothcrmel! | was very near heaven
the gates were almost open-but |
dared not venture in, and they will
never unclose for me again. Don't &C
cuse me of talking sentiment, fol [ am
not. If you ever love woman you
will find that her love is to yOu.on earth
what heaven will be when youare dead.
| believe that. So will you. e q --
SAID that | came near showing her
my heart. We were alone. i had
been reading some poem to her, and its
story OF love had carried my heart along
on It's tide OF passion, until felt That it
was my own story. [ shut the book
and turned to her with my heart upon
my lips Her eyes were strangely ten
der with the feeling which the poem I
had been reading had awakened in her
breast. She smiled into my 'eyes-I
touched her hand as you might touch a
rose-and was dumb! sAaa
If had only spoken! But the wild
cursed fear was upon me, and the hap
piness of lifetime slipped from my
grasp and was lost forever. asrqaa- sian
| did not see her again for months.
= She had-gone south@to-glslt,- some
friends. - Hsf ff)l1
But L dreamed of her in. my day
dreams, and laid my plans for the flu
ture, and not one plan was woven IN
which she was not the central thought
When she came back aeoulI speak
out. would daily no longer. : -e's
By and by / heard that She had q
lover in that southern city where he,