The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-04-17
'Is it serious, Robert?" Her ey

ulOAC IlQub IL AG H1AAAa kuAlAAllk hlENNN9a
ly away. "Men have lived through it
before now, and shall" he added, with
mother laugh. "Don't bother your head
lbOut me, Helen, but enjoy yourself as
best you can"
It was apleasant ride home, in spite of
the thoughts, that would keep coming
into Robert Braith's mind. She was by
his side, and he loved her.
The old summer seemed to come back
again, with its eight which never was
on land or sea- to Robert. The dream
Of his heart was just as sweet as it ha,
been in the vanished days. She had not
changed at all since then, but was the
same winning woman who had won his
heart away, and would keep it forever.
The days passed like charmed ones,
with rows upon the river, and long, de
lightful walks at sunset time; with songs
in the brief, delicious evenings, and quiet
talks about books and the men and
women who wrote them. Robert was
not her inferior in the culture which
comes from reading good books; because
he was a farmer was no reason why he
should be ignorant and UnCulivated.
He had studied, and formed wide acs
quaintances with earnest, thoughtful
men-thrOugh the books they had writ
ten-and in this way lie had educated
himself to q much higher level than
Imost of the young men Helen Hunt met
lin her own circle of society at home.
But, because he lacked their self-esteem
and conceit, Robert always thought Of
himself as lacking something in mind
and manners, which those she came in
contact with in her own sphere of life
ought to have, and did have, for all he
knew to the contrary. Perhaps he was
right-in thinking that they ought to have
it. But she could have told him that
they did not always --
One day Jerome Alstyne came out
! from the city. Robert had heard that
/ he was a lover of Helen's, and he was
sure of it when he saw the mans face at
/ their meeting. But Helen's showed no
such sudden gladness as ought to express
itself in the face of a woman when she
meets the man she loves, and Robert
/ felt satisfied that she did not care for
Alstyne as he did for her, and the
thought brought a sense of exultation to |
him.
Alstyne did not stay long. When he |
went away he carried a face which had
look Of defeat in it. He had striven to
win the woman he loved, and failed. !
From the bottom of his heart Robert !
pitied him. He had not liked the man |
very well before, but when he drove |
down to the station with him, and saw !
how deeply he felt the loss of what he 1
had hoped to win, feeling Of kindness
came over him. Must they not both /
bear, Renceforth, a sorrow which came Of |
loving one neither might possess?
"Braith, you are sorry for me-you |
pity me-" he said. 81 thank you for it.
You understand what there is to pity me 1
for. You can we'll afford to pity me,
since you have won what have lost.
wish you all the happiness I had hoped |
for myself"
'I-I don't understand you" Robert
said, with a strange thrill at his heart.
Il have won nothing you would have
priced"
DO you call Helen Hunts love
nothingF ?" Alstyne cried. 81 would give
the world for it, if had it to give"
"You are mistaken" Robert answered.
HI-"
But Alstyne interrupted him.
81 am not blind" he said. "She loves
you, and you will find it so when the day
comes for you to tell her what you must,
some day"
She loved him! There was world of
rapture in the thought. But-and the
haunting spectre which comes to sit by
your hearth and mine came into his
heart then-their ways in lie were so
wide apart that they could not De
bridged over. He could never ask this
woman to stoOp to his loWly life. And
he could not lift himself to hers. And
yet she loved him He could not for
one moment forget that. And to know
it was so sweet, so unutterably sad!
The days, after that, went by more
like a dream than ever. He tried to
keep away from her, but his hearS {
would not Let him. He tried to school
himself to the thought that, since he
might not have her for his own, he !
ought not to think of her as a man
thinks Of the woman he hopes to win.
But he could not do that. He could only !
love her, and tell himself that his love {
was but a vain one.
But it could not always go on in that
way. Fate took the matter in her own +
hands at last.
Robert was at work in the meadow
one afternoon. The loaded wagon was {
driven away to the barn, and he sat
down to rest until its return. As he sat /
there, Helen came down the lane. She '
saw him, and came across the meadow q
and sat beside him, under the old apple /
tree.
What they talked ebo1t they never /
could tell. He remembered, in a vague l
way, that they saw a darkening sky, but t
hat was al, until the sudden fury of the S
summer shower broke upon them. A t
fash Of binding brightness, q cry from d
her, crash, as if heaven and earth were e
being rent in tWain-and he was by her a
10 rsrsAE, 1,evs hroI II,
he was crying out to her in a wild, inco- a
lerent way, telling her that he loved h
leT. d
"Oh, my darlingn he cried out, in the h
Wild oUtburst of lOng-pent-up passion, v
I love you! love you! and you are (
lead !" il
"Are you sure about that, Robert ?" it
he said, struggling up into sitting pos il
ure; with the color coming back into "
Ter cheeks. Il was stunned a .trifle for II
moment, nothing more" q
81 thought you must be dead, you were
70 pale" he said, "If had Known" n
"Wef, what 2o she said shyly. when az
le paused. e,
4 would not have said what did 2 he p
slowly. Forgive me, Helen.
1t such times we say things we would
lot say in sober momentsp
'Robert," she cried, suddenly, you
aid you loved me. If it is true, why is
hould you not tell me 50? What keeps "
Is apartY" ia
His face was pale with pain at his NJ
leart. The time had come when he di
must speak. OF
"Pll tell you what keeps US apartr' h. It
nsWered. You belong to a sphere q oI
lie so much above mine that love can, is
lot bridge over the distance between al
Robert" she cried, her whole face pa
glow, SIS that the reason why you have ar
ept silent? Because I have lived in a IN
7orld you know but little about, you i'm tn
CINE it would be wong for you to ask We
le to follow my heart Poor, foolish or
.Obert Love is more to me than all co
be world beside, and your life is the be
appiest one I ever knew. should tn
lake no sacrifices in taking it in place co
the old one. +" but she stopped tn
/ sudden, sweet confusion. nc
"My darlingp he cried, and caught WI
er to his breast. "Are you sure you Ell
ire enough for me TO give up all you lily
Ould have to willingly? Think of the :
lange, Helen" tn
"I have thought" she answered. 81 sic
We it up gladly. I tired Of it long ago. trt
want youP an an
There was a sudden breaking Of the III
ouds, and the sun came forth in new esl
.diance. The world was transfgured lul
ith rare and wonderful glory, Robert Wis