The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1879-12-03
Harry. Iabaye a Ilittle bit of nlonov

Z --~Se-T @,NfeAtr NA@RaNt-bNf JtAclH
enough tObuy your wedding things,
and marry -you decentlys For tho
you are going to make such afool Of
youfself, shall not show the white
feather about it. Tmust pretend to
be happy, whenI am wretched, and
receive congratulations that will
nearly lychoke ne;but such trials are
part and parcel Of a woman's lot; /
dareFsay ! shall get creditably@ thro'
them. ~ si.
Miss Ethel rose with a proud air,
but a pitifully sad face, and attemp-
ted 70 leave the room, but Eloise,
with gentle force and many tender
kisses, made her SIC down again.
s'Auntie,s she said coaxingly, you
have asked me a good many quest
ions, and Ihaye answered them tru-
lyi now l am going to ask you some,
and / know you will be fair with
me about them. First, were you ev-
er in love?"
Half, smiling and half signing,
Miss Ethel sat thinking over the
bold question. AT length she ans
wered, slowly, eyes, Eloise; I once
loved as | do not think you have the
power to love. 1t. was twenty-five
years ago.
II cannot. Yes-I will try; per-
haps it may show you what waste
of life is"
She then left the room, but soon
returned with little tortoise-shell
box in her hand. 1t opened with a
spring, and showed few yellow let
ters, a bunch of withered violets
and the half Of a plain gold ring
She lifted the latter and said:
"This is part of his dead mothers
wedding ring; we broke it in two
and swore solemnly over it to be
faithful to the promise we had made
to each other: Then he sailed away
from me and | never heard from him
again. For two years suffered all
the agonies Of hope deferred and
Sighted love, and at length ] had a
fever that left me the colorless little
ghost that | have been ever since"
Perhaps he was dcad.'
"No."
"Then he was a miserable creature
andI should have putihim4out ofmy
heart and memory II
"Yes, l think you would, ,Eloise.
| think, too, that il is likely you
would have let some other manmake
a fool of you the secondtime. Ihaye
a different nature. / did not cease
to suffer for James Early for FIVE
years, but having conquered that
weakness never permitted myself
to care for any other man."
"But you were rich and handsome.
Did no one else care for you?"
Miss Ethel smiled queerly, and af-
ter slight hesitation said "Yes."
"Who was it, Auntie?'
"Colonel Powell"
sob, Aunt! So you wanted me 10
do a thing you would not do your
self"
eyes, dear. You wanted to mar
ry; l did not. When | was twenty
years of age, if l had wanted to mar
ry at all, l should have married for
wealth and position. Colonel Pow.
ell can give his wife these advanta.
ges."
"Are you still in love with this
Mr.. Early's memory?"
"No, l am not. If l should meet
him to-day, do not think l should
care to speak to him."
SIS he alive?"
"I suppose SO. Iheard of his mar
riage ten years ago"
"Poor Auntiel"
"Don't pity me, child. / am to be
congratulated. If it had not been
for my dear fathers opposition, l
should have married for love, given
my fortune and my life into the
keeping ola selfish tickle man-in
fact, made just such little fool of
myself as you are about to make"
"Aunt, do you really think that
Harry would forget me in few
weeks or months?"
"Of course he would"
II will try him"
"You will act very wisely to do SO.