The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-26
A WOMAN'S SECRET.
Journey, I want to tell you a story:
said my friend Mallam to me one day.


five been the most confounded fool
aad william, without knowing it; and
have injured another even more than my.
self. The sooner I get away from here
the better; but I'd like you to hear about
it first. 1t is six years since I parted
from Cecil Langdon. I had emily known
her fortnight, but I loved her with my
whole heart from the first day we met.
She was like a new revelation to me, and
] believed in her. I know am different
from most men. Idon't believe the gen.
erality care what woman is in herself
so they are in love with her and she with
them. Passion covers everything with
beautiful face to back it; but, unluckily
it wasn't so with me. suppose I'm in
sanely jealous by nature. wanted nv
wife to be all my own, with no memories
even to come between her heart and
mine. I think if I could have chosen I
would have had her locked up in glass
case till the moment saw her. There,
laugh if you like. It was an 1diotic
craze, and own it: but the worst of it
was that, not content with having this
ideal in my mind, I applied 1t to Cecil,
and believed she came up to it. One
thing I know: that, though everyone was
going wild about her beauty, it didn't
seem to make any impression on her.
She never showed grain Of favor to anv
of her numerous admirers, and one of
her greatest charms to me was the glad,
free-heart Wilderness which she carried
about with her. Even i, who loved her
so we'll, couldn't tell if she knew it, or
cared for me. Sometimes thought she
did-a ittln; buc think great love
makes one humble, and oftener feared
was mistaken. I have never known
how it was in reality.
''The day before I was going to ask
her the question we were in the public
drawing-room at the Rashleigh Hotel.
She and her friends were STAYING there.
and we all came in together from the
Bodleain. We were talking of portrait
of Mary, Queen of Scots, there-you
know it--and she said something about
not sympathizing much with the sorrows
of woman Of many loves. It was like
my ideal Of her, and I said so, observ-
ing:
II don't thing you would change ead.
ly if you cared for anyone And she an
sWered:
"'No, once ought to be enough for
any real woman. Not she added that l
can speak from experience
"'Of changing said, 'or carings'
II was looking into her eyes, and was
glad to see them soften and a lovely blush
come into her face; yet she tried to keep
her careless look and answered.:
"'People cannot change if they have
never cared
"'But they might care" I said. Her
friends were leaving the room to put their
things away. I saw she wanted to fol-
low them, and I had only time to add
May come again tomorrow? I want to
ask you-'
sShe was gone before I said what; but,
though she hurried upstairs, there was no
denial in her eyes, and she had not
snatched her hand from me. I think
should have held her by it and asked my
question then, but a waiter passed the
door al the moment and glanced in at us,
and I let her 60 lest I should expose her
to some remark. I was careful enough of
her name. If only others HAD been as
much so!
There was an unused door at one side
of the room. A table covered with books
stood against il, and I was leaning over
it trying to find something in Bradshaw,
when l heard talking going on on the
other side of the door. I supposed there
was pantry there, for they were wait
ers' voices, so I paid no attention till I
heard a name, and it flashed on me that
they we're sneaking of Cecil.
"'Ah, we'll, she's beautiful girl, is
Hundred. and-seven,' said one. we don't
often get stunninger.' And then there
came grunt in answer.
cay, an carryin' on as them stun
ming ones does. It's one O. young COL
lege gents now, see; but she was ERE
two years ago with her pa, an then it
we're an officer. All, remembers them !
He were Capen Lucas. Same name as
my wife afore married her.
''Gurney, can't repeat the words as I
heard them. The gist of them was this :
That while staying at a hotel she had
telegraphed for this Capt. Lucas to Join
her, and affected great surprise when he
walked up to her and her father in the
cofee-room; that their mutual affection
and whispered condolences were patent
even to the walters, as was also the old
gentleman's dislike to him; that the two
men quarreled violently on the second
evening, and that on the following day
this servant met her creeping down
stairs in the early morning before any
one was up, to bid Capt. Lucas good
by, and looking into the coffee-room a
minute or two later saw him holding her
in his arms and kissing her. l did not
wait to hear any more. I should never
have stood there so long only seemed
struck stupid. The moment woke up
to sense Of what I was hearing, I hur-
ried away. Quincy, do believe I went
half mad. I can remember pacing up
and down my room all night, and the