Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-07-04

Coralic piled her with questions con-
cerning Caryl.
Was he changed, had he grown
older, did he talk of herP'
"No, never" Mabe's eyes
dropped.
"fhat is WE'LL" thought Coralie.
"Men do not talk of things most dear
to thom."
Suddenly she said:
" You have grown very pretty, Mabel,
did you know itP'
Mabel blushod scarlet. "No one
ever told me so," she answered.
That is strange" said Ceralie; "I
wonder Caryl never told you, but |
suppose you are still child TO him.
You must be nearly seventeen, Mabel" "
"Seventeen last month"
Just ten years my junior" said
Coralie, and sighed, she could not have
told why.
One day there came a telegram.
Caryl was coming home.
Coralie arose from the lounge where
she had been lying, and began TO make
her toilet. In all her life she had never
felt so anxious and excited about her
personal appearance.
She chose delicate, pale-blue robe,
one that had been very becoming to
her in her health. She arranged her
beautiful and still plentiful hair in the
manner Caryl had liked of old,-and
then she threw open the blind and let
in a flood of warm, clear sunlight upon
herself as she stood before the mirror.
She used to do that in days gone by,
and glory in the beauty that showed
no flaw. But now-ahl the sunlight
was cruel, cruel. 1t showed the thin
figure, with all its lack of rounded out
lines. 1t showed the wasted cheeks,
the flesh with that gray look of middle
life upon it, the cruel little lines about
the mouth and eyes. All, Godi she
was no longer young; no longer beauti-
full. Would Caryl still love herP
just then she heard cry, and turn
ing toward the window, she saw Caryl
coming through the gate and Mable
running to meet him. He looked but
little older than when she first saw him
but he was handsomer, and his bearing
was more dignifed. Her heart leaped
to her throat, her breath came thick
and fast, as she watched him unseen.
Mabel met him, her cheeks aglow
with the wild-rose bloom of early
youth, her long hair floating in the
summer breeze. As Caryrs eyes rested
upon her, his face seemed transfgured.
Coralie could think of no other word.
He took her outstretched hands in his
and held them silently, as he looked
down into her upturned eyes.
Thnrn x1ya N mi St l., N 1Onlr thA
look of worshiping love. Coralie re-
membered how he had looked at her
one day in that very garden. But
that was the look of a youth mad with
an unreasOning passion; this was a man
glorified with love. She staggered
back to her place before the mirror.
With the memory of Mabel's fresh
beauty in her mind, she looked years
older to herself than she did five min
utes before-old, haggard and unlovely.
Her beauty had been of that rich
type dependent upon her bloom and
roundness. So long as she was we'll
and happy she was beautiful. But
when sickness came and bloom and flesh
and the excess of fine spirits
ebbed away, she looked older than her
years; and now, with this new and ter
rible knowledge that had just come
upon her, it seemed to her she had
leaped suddenly into middle age.
Mabel came bounding into her room,
and ran up behind her and slipped one
arm about her as she stood before the
mirror. Coralie shrank as if she had
been struck, for the contrast of the
radiant face and her own haggard one
was almost more than she could bear.
She waited until Mabel had gone out
into the yard before she went down to
greet Caryl.
She saw his involuntary start of sur
prisO Go his eye fon upon her, ana,
smiling sadly, she said: g. have been
very ill, Caryl, and am much changed.
hope to grow better after a few
weeks"
But she did not grow better. She
.ell ill again of low fever, and could
lot leave her room.
One August day she took to her bed,
and they all despaired of her rising
rom it.
She called Caryl to her side. She
lad been at home six weeks, and no
word had been spoken by either of their
uture.
"Caryl," she said, 81 want to talk
% you of what is in both minds. l |
want to tell you that shall never ask
'ou to fulfill our long-delayed engage
nent."
He was silent.
81 have been very selfish and very
ruel. | did not seem to value your
eve or consult your happiness. l only
hought ofmyself, my beauty, my pleas
Ire.. l thought of these things for
even years, but l was true to you,
)aryl. Never once did my heart waver
n its allegiance. But instead of max
ng your life blest and complete, went
IN gathering the apples of Sodom.
And L cannot blame you, Caryl, that
'ou grew tired of waiting, that your
leart hardened toward me, and that a
lew love crept in, for / have seen it,
love Mabel"
She paused, and his quiet tones broke
he silence.
"Yes," he said, 81 love her."
A great sob rose in her throat, but
he choked it down in silence.
Il think" she said, "that | am not
.oing to get we'll. Before | die | wish
on and Mabel would get married.
Let it be soon here, beside my bed.
ave made you so miserable all these
ears, l would like to be sure of your
appines before die. Could you graf
iy me-"
"Yes," he said, softly; sit shall be
o-morrow, if Mabel loves me. l have
ever spoken one word of love to her."
She loves you better than her life,"
Coralie.
He stopped down and kissed her, and
'ent out and left her alone. She knew
G had gone to Mabel. All the glory
nd triumphs of her life could not bal
nee the pain of that night. She lay
wake through the long hours, her eyes
Laring wide open into the blank dark
ess, thinking clearly. Her beauty was
one, and forever. Premature age had
ONE upon her; henceforth she must
u