Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-29
MAINE oCru1He enso No2a
Gales ano Sketebes.
THE DAY YOU'LL 10 WITHOUT ME.

For her, there was no compensation,
either in the present or in the future.
Lionel was going away. With the bash
fulnesS cfa girls first love. she never
once thought of ceusuring him ever SO
slightly for not feeling this approaching
separation painfully. as she felt 1t. II was
natural, she told herself, that boys should
| long for and revel in the commencement
OF their boyhood. Especially Vas it nat
ural that Lionel should do so. Light as
her fther's rule over the lad was. still it
was rule. and Lionel was born to.be'tree."
| il ever human being was so. Thus she
reasoned and argued against he. regret at
his going, and went on regretting 1t Just
the same. The positive difference which
would be necessitated in the household
arrangements by the loss of that sum
which Lionel represented TO har mother
never occurred to her. She was much too
Young and loving and thoughtle.ss to cum
Der herself with domestic cares, or to take
| thought for the morrow of domestic life
1t did not occur TO Lionel that he ought
to say something more definite than he
had said to the girl. whose whole horizon
was darkened by the thoughts of the de-
parturc lie had meant Loyalty and low
mgly and so, when he kissed her on the
lips. and put little gold ring ~ her fin
ger, he thought he had done all: that was
needful. When the time came 3or him to
marry-fellows of his "order'' marrying
early-he should marry May. sofcourse.
Meantime it was useless to talk: about it.
And May relied unconsciously upon the
fidelity he did not plead; but still thought
far more impatientiy abont that ''mean-
while" than he did.
At last the day came for them to say
good-by. and the boy went out into the
world, where a thousand fresh interests
sprang up like flowers in his path, making
it beautiful. And May went about the
old vicarage house and grounds, as of old,
and found the days very long and event.
less now that there was no Lionel to
brighten them.
Lady Hastings wrote a courteous letter
to Mr. Baron, thanking him for the care
and attention he had bestowed upon her
SON And Lionel himself wrose nice
note TO May during his first terni-a note
which May priced next to her twisted gold
ring; though there was little in it save
his feais on the river, and of the prowess
of Il certain well-pedigreed bulldog pup.
She answered it with all the frank conf
d'ance of chid-all the hearty, loving
,mpathy of woman. And then 1t
ended.
Gradually the old vicarage house and
all the occupants OF it faded from his
mind. Life was full Of bright promise for
him, and he had no time to look back.
He finished his college career with more
than credit He was touch more than
clever, and his impctnosity stood him in-
stead of perseverance. and carried him
well on the road he had chosen. by the
time he was ve-and-twenty he had done
such good service to government by the
subtlety, skill and energy with which he
had carried through II delicate negotiation
abroad, that government recognized his
claims magniiicently, and gave him an
important and highly salaried home ap--
pointment In fact, Lionel Hastings had
made his mark, and the mothers and
daughters regarded him kindly.
The years had flown with him, the
eight years that had passed since he had
said goodbye to May Baron. and prom
ised never to forget her But they had
not flown with her.