The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-07-16


But, Shelah, will you not"
"No, once for all L must forbid your
ever mentioning this subject to me
again"
One word more, Shelah. /"
"You need not plead, I'll never alter;
III go my way, for the dream is done,"
Shelah repeated the two lines of poe
try in n calm, even voice, without
shade of pity for the proud man who
stood before her-who, for the first time
in his lazy, indolent life, was humil-
lated. He stood for few moments ir-
resolute, and then again essayed to
speak:
"Shelah, L had hoped"
But she interrupted him with an i'm
patient gesture:
CT see you will insist on talking on
that disagreeable topic SO L will bid
you an reUOir," and, with naughty in
clination of her head, she walked away.
He stood looking after her until she
disappeared among the trees, and it
seemed to him that all the light and
happiness of his life had gone with her.
Until this moment he had never known
what it was to suffer; until this his
languid creeds had held that no wise
man feels strongly, and to glide through
life untroubled and unmoved is as pos
sible as it is polite. But now he suf-
fered he suffered dumbly as dog,
passionately as barbarian now he
was met by that which, III a moment,
pierced his panoplies of Indifference and
escaped his light PHILOSOPHERS.
"Oh, God," he thought, IF it were
anything but this 1 love
her wildly, madly, and yet must give up
all hope of ever winning her. Can this
be the punishment for my past thought
less, giddy career. If SO, the penalty is
tar greater than is merited by the crime.
But, if she had only given me the small
est ray of hope, how different my future
would have been-how bravely | would
have struggled to overcome those habits,
which are more the result of circum-
stances than of inclination. And l would
have succeeded for, with her love as n
beacon to guide me, l would have found
no task too difficult nor any oh stacle III
sllrmoumtable. But nOw-well, I'll only
live for pleasure, if there is such a thing
for me. Henceforth L will worship at
no shrine but that of forgetfulness, know
no time but the present and have no
friend but self. And, rs the poet says,
- II may be true, and hope il is,
That death will end this pain,
That on the shores of another world
will be happy again;
And feel, with the fullest love and pride,
The olden, golden joy,
That came of trusting in women-and God,
Ere love was broken toy"
And he went forth into the world
again unchanged in outward appear
ance, except that he was colder, prouder
and more cynical than before. And he
plunged into all the pleasures and dissi-
pations with recklessness that bor-
dered on desperation. Elmer Royston
had always been great believer-if the
words are not too sonorous and too ear
nest to be applied to his very inconse-
quent views upon any and every subject
i'll the philosophy of LET us live in
the present, and to this was added
firm belief i'll destiny or fate, as he usll-
ally called it, He believed that per-
sons life was marked out for them upon
their entrance into this world, and moth
ing could change or deviate them from
the course. He was reckless to the ut
most stretch of recklessness, all serious
and quiet though his daily manner,
and, though he forced himself by
strong will to subdued and dull languor
in keeping with his former life, the pent-
up passion within would break out occa-
sionally in a sudden burst of anger,
midnight debauch, or, worse still, not
infrequent sitting at the gaming-table
He had gained the reputation among
the " boys OF his set as being the most
daredevil of the lot. His word was law
among them when it was upon any par
ticular style of dress or question of
etiquette. He had but to commend
new kind of wine or smoke new brand
OF cigars to make them popular, and had
only to adopt peculiar style or color of
cravat to make it the "agony."
But was he happy-had he found in
this life the happiness without which
there can be nocontentment No never
since that evening when he parted with
Shelah Fortescue had he known the
true meaning of that word. Her face
was before him ever; her voice came to
INN even when surrounded by gay COM
panions, and when tossing upon his bed,
and in vain trying to compose himself
to sleep; it was there always. He
cursed himself for his folly, and tried to |
believe that she spoke truly when she
said, "The dream is done ;" but at that
very moment knew that one kind word
from her would still the troubled waters
of his soul.
If death should overtake You
Ere you hear my last God-speed,
And friends should all forsake you
In your darkest hour of need
You know III never chide you,
All, i will never blame
Though other tongues deride you.
I'll think kindly of your name.
When friendly tears cease flowing
And your requiem has been said;
And when the grass il growing
On your cold and silent bed:
When dearest friends forget you
The ones yOu held most dear
Declare they never met you,
will shed for you one tear
We will avail ourselves of the privi-
lege accorded to authors and ask our
readers to step with us across the inter-
vening space of three years, which
elapsed between the parting of Shelah
Fortescue and Elmer Royston and the
present time.
IL is an understanding little cottaoa