Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-07-01
sTELLA's LOVER.

STELLA'S LOVER.
Who is he?" asked Stella. She and
Felicia Martin were idly looking out
upon the driveway of Mr.. Martins
country seat through the narrow latticed
windows.
'sThat is Colonel Audenreid," an
swered Felicia, adjusting her eyeglasses.
Papa is bringing him here to dine. He
is a widower; he's lived abroad for
years. Seems to me I've heard that his
course of true love didn't run smooth.
He has the most bewitching melancholy
eyes, and such a mannerl You can't
help wishing he was in love with you !"
That night, while the girls com bed
out their braids and curls, in the low
wainscoted chamber, Felicia suddenly
remarked: 81 believe there will be a
second Mrs. Audenreid"
Stella gave start, and returned from
an excursion into the past
Do you know" continued Felicia,
l caught him looking at your refec
tion in the mirror, with his heart in his
eyes. wonder the first Mrs. Audenreid
didn't turn in her grave.''
g Felicia, don't! you make me shud-
b der," cried Stella. . Your Imagination
Wits better than your eyesight; you are al
ways seeing somebody devouring some
body else with their glances. I'm sure
l thought Colonel Audenreid was as in
different as a star in heaven"
6 Modest creaturel He had ears for
nobody out yourself, as well as eyes. 1t
is Kismet. Why was not born under
some lucky planetpn
From that date Colonel Audenreid be-
came a frequent guest at Mr. Martins
suburban retreat. He rode with Stella
and Felicia over the hills; he picnicked
with them at the edge of the pine
woods; he drifted on the lake at sunset
by their side, and filed the boat with
water lilies and spicy branches of the
wild azalea; he amused them with
glimpses of his continental life; with
stories OF The war, in which he had led
forlorn hope; of camp and hospital
regimen. Sometimes they took the
train to the city, and. laughed together
over some comedy, or hung entranced
upon some famous singers tones; OF
they Joined pleasure party to the Isles
of Shoals, or down the harbor, return
ing In the dewy evening, with the stars
leaning out of heaven, and the whip
poorwil making the night melancholy
u Once they paused at the gate to listen
to his plaintlve voice. Felicia had
passed on to the piazza; the pines stood
out tall and dusky against the heavens;
the roses shook out an odorous breath
whenever the wind touched them.
You should hear the nightingales
tluting about my home in Surrey, when
the night falls; it is like the refrain of
some sad poem," said Colonel Auden-
reid.
You must have been very happy
there in that beautiful country" re-
turned Stella.
Colonel Audenreid opened the gate
for her to pass on, without replying,
with distraught air, as if he were al
ready miles away from the subject.
{. / think he did not like me to speak
of that time,n she confessed to Felicia.
Fiddlesticks," returned that young
person.
$ Perhaps it was too sacred"
Pshaw! Are you blind, Stella? None
SO blind as those who won't see, I've
heard. | fastened into the house on
purpose to give him chance to speak
to you. / saw it in his eyes,
l never knew such sight as yours,
though I've always understood near
sighted people could see in the dark.
He has nothing special to say to me-"
Then he is the greatest humbug ex-
tant. He leaves us next month. If he
l.
believe in signs and omens again.n
Nor i'll your own eyesight? Poor
Eel cia, I'm afraid you're doomed to dis
appointment.
I've set my heart upon the match y
The next day Mr.. Martin and his
family set off to the nearest beach for 3
weeks camping out" A little taste of
gypsy life," he said; and Colonel Au-
denreid, confessing that camp was
quite home-like and irresistible, fol-
lowed, bearing his part in pitching the
tents, in baking, and hewing, and
gathering the drift wood to boil the
kettle. They sat late on the beach at
night, within view of the smoldering
drift-wood fire, waiting the sails that
glimmered in the starlight an instant,
like ghosts, and were gone, the reyolv-
ing lights like great glow-worms, lilt-
ing sea-songs, repeating allthe love and
romance of the melancholy main.n
Colonel Audenreid's artic expedition
as well as his Indian voyages furnished
u material for conversation, even had he
z not been once shipwrecked, and once in
~ peril from mutiny; but he seemed the
! merest dilettante while he lounged upon
kn the sand, quoting poetry and carofing
on.snasches Of ballads to two pretty girls.
~ The sea hath its perils,
10y The heaven hath its stars
isS4 But my heart, my heart,
My heart hath its love-"
'', repeated one night, as he gave his
ind to Stella to rise.
-..s,> Did you notice2 2n said Felicia, later
ne spoke ii the 7resent tense. he
-roTad the o4nf p = III