The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-01-23

away from here" she said. "Indeed
indeed, Mr.. Hdme-may call You Paul p
"Yes," he replied, but began to grow
pale.
Indeed, you are quito thrown away in
this place. 1t would be so sweet to me to
see you admired and deifed and howed
Gown to, as the world out yonder does to
men like you. They love silver tongue,
do the world. Win you let me manage il
for you3 promise you, If you will, our
parting will he brief. have considerable
influence, which 1 will WELD in your be-
half. You have but to be known to he
appreciated. See the good you might DO,
Paul" she added, coaxingly.
Her face took FIRE rs she uttered his
name, Gnt that of the preacher grew palel
und paIer.
II am grateful to you," he replied,
"nIore grateful THIN can say; but l must
remain here. Believe me, it is better
should remnin.".
/ hAAo' A'O' piNihC bOiJcWuitL lOTthGGu
this refusal. In her exalted estimation of
lis character size could scare ly hope tlltt
our hero would step aside from the path
lie had marked out for himself to enter
to the preferences of woman. She yielded
at once.
! because you are stubborn and proud"
she said; "Decause you cunnot bend to
any weak trivolity; and if you will not
yield 10 MY wishes, there is nothing left to
me but to submit to yours. 1t matters
little where live, and this is winsome
country in its way. think we shall soon
have promise of spring On that big,
stern rock outside the window I saw the
poor moss growing just little green. I
can get some old house, and old houses
can be refurnished. Cold-gray honespun
Can give place to Persian woods, odorous
fires can still glow in old chimney-places
Since it is your will, sir, to remain in this
place, you will not objectif make this vii.
derness to blossom as the rose."
MRS. Delplaine!" he said, crunching
the slim white hand that rested on the arm
Of the chair, close in the quivering muscles
of his own.
MY name is Laura" she interrupted
softly.
Mrs. Delplaine," he repeated, "you
will not remain here, neither will I CO.
You will take with you the only true hap
piness 1 have known. The memory of il
will perhaps serve to make the rest of my
| life endurable. And now let me tell you,
loveliest and most generous of women
why cannot 30 and you cannot stay.
When was but a lad of twenty" said the
preacher, "and still pursuing my studies,
l fell in love with u Young woman who
lived in the neighborhood of the college,
soon learned that her passion was feigned
from the first, and that she only married
m from motives of convenience, but
mine, such as it was, founded upon q de-
lusion, and nurtured by ephemeral vagaries
of the brain, led me into FOOLS paradise;
and even when the bitterness of her mis-
take and my own began to eat into our
lives it sckens me to remember how /
ntrove against it, how meanly and servilely
| shut my eyes and groped blndfold for
the old mockery. But it had long been q
! ghost, and the time came when even the
memory of it was curse. Then the cross
was perhaps heavier for her to bear than
for me, tied to man whose pursuits,
thoughts, ambitions, affections, she could
neither understand nor appreciate, con-
demned to the propriety and soberness al
lotted to the preachers wife, even denied
the comfort of wearing guy trinkets and
apparel, often she has told me that she
envied the freedom of an Indian squaw,
and how glad she'd be to know nothing
but CAoctaw to get rid of the eternal
preaching, preaching"
Poor soul" !" said Mrs. Delplaine, with
nm involuntary shudder ut the life the
parson portrayed. Then she added, with
infinite tenderness, "Ah, but she did not
love you'll"
mo-" said Mr.. Hume; land, God for
give ME, there were times when l was
tempted to put an end to my life, it bred
such misery for US both. At last merci.
ful Providence-I can only think it such
enfeebled her health, and took the corporal
string from her slavery. The powerful
vitality which lent dangerous strength tc
her longings and discomfort WIS broken
and she became content to be amused anG
taken care of in a way that was possible
to me. An old nurse connected with til,
family was induced to take entire charge
of her. The Incidence of Southern eli
mate suited her desires and capacities
AS for me, the rigor and sterility of thi
region held charm for me. Its loneli
ness, its isolation soothed and consolet
me; and so the years went by, till yo,