The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-01

reliable, discreet. But the barrier
between us is impossible. If ! wor-
SHIPPED him, 1 should not dare marry
him. 1t is no use paining you more than
l am obliged, mamma. l am grieved, as
it is, to disappoint you so much, when it
might have been easy and pleasant, both,
to do what you ask. However, it can't
be helped now."
"And you will see your father carried
to prison in his old age, rather than hold
out hand to help him9''
81 can work for him, mamma, but l
can not sin for him."
"Nonsensew exclaimed Mrs. Beloe,
impatiently. 81 have never asked you to
do what was wrong"
''It would be wrong to marry Mr.. Ro-
per-"
because you don't happen to feel for
him sort Of silly, romantic kind of at
tachment, which even he would not ex-
pect from one of your age. Besides, l
never saw you show any preference for
one man above another, all these years
you have been in society; though,
of course, l can't tell what may have hap
pened when you were staying with your
friend, Mary Walford, as you have
always been particularly mysterious and
silent respecting that one year Of your
life"
Euphemia looked confused, and looked
at her mother with dim eyes of entreaty,
81 have always told you that the bare
recollection of that year sickens and op-
presses me-"
81 can't think what made you stay so
long, if you weren't comfortable. We
kept writing to you to come home, and
you wouldn't"
81 was happy then"
'Gt ought to be pleasant to look back
upon happy days"
"You don't understand" sighed Eu-
phemia. eff you had an open wound,
and some one probed it, wouldn't you
shrink in every nerveT
''But it is so long ago now"
eight years-eight long, weary years.
, said EupIemia family. 'If it were only
a hundred, that might be dead to the
bare memory. Can you tell me, mother
do people ever forget"
"They don't always forget, perhaps, but
they lose all the pain of the recollection
in time. If had only my past troubles
: to dwell upon, l should be happy enough
r at this minute, instead of being the mos
. wretched creature under the sun"
< Poverty is not the worst trouble tha
can happen to any one."
lIlNhnt =, +har fbop ~
can uneasy conscience" replied Eu
= phemia, steadily. GA conscience tina
= calls out, and upbraids you day an(
Y night night and day; Increasingly. Th
: Spartan boy who stole the fox, an(
i felt it gnawing into his heart even willis
he was denying the theft, was not to b.
envied, though he turned such brav
n front to his questioners, and smiled onl.
= because he would not weep"
"Really. Euphemia," said her mother
o anxiously, zone would think you ha'
D committed some dreadful crime, from
>. the way you talk"
n Euphemia burst into loud, gay laugh
n but close observer might have notices
rs that her looks showed troubled mind.
Mrs. Beloe, however, hastened to chang
d the subject; she had something of NOR
4 importance to think about to-day thai
n Euphemia's opinions, and that was Eu
I phemia's intentions. When she remem
r, bered that her elegant house, her com
# Portable carriage, her expensive establish
ment must all be given up, and they re
v tire into miserable obscurity, unless Nj
is Roper's name could be added to her hui
bands as partner, we may be sure sf
if was ready to use all her influence to pr
to vail upon Euphemia to accept MIR. r.
| per with the least possible delay. ST
ne had tried to work upon her daughter
h feelings, but that had not been such
success as she had anticipated.
ut Her only chance, now; was to stim1
re late her pride. Considering that Euph
wv mia had always been distinguished
the world for her coldness and hauteu
" her mother thought it barely possib
u that she might be brought to her sense
after all, and was just clearing her vol
for a second grafton, which was to
m more eloquent than the first, when Il
he door opened, and Mr.. Roper was a
at nounced.
TTo BE CONTINUED