Daily globe., 1880-03-28

| StiuoO ID iiopSASoo' btS ny SySS "OA>~
they betray me. 1 imagine the philoso-
| pliers were right who said that they were
the true windows of the soul. and knew
neither curtain, blind nor shutter.
To quiet my intense love, the moro in
tense as it felt the curb, dashed violently
into hunting, riding and fishing. plunged
desperately into billiards with my ex-
cellent uncle, studied (or thought 1 did)
and read furiously everything that came
to hand without being able to answer a sim
gle question about it. But what did it all
amount to. When has the love-god feared
the effects of amusemeuts, or temporary
distractions?
The expression of Grace Montgomery
would rise unbidden before me at every
beat os my heart, and smile at my ineffect-
ual efforts to wear out my delightful
chains.
Eut it seems that L partially succeeded
in the effort to conceal my love from the
knowledge of outsiders.
My aunt ard uncle were wholly blinded.
After they had carefully watched and
scrutinized my manner toward Oracle in the
earlier days of my stay had observed my
joviality in general company and my some
what cold and restrained bearing with
Oracle herself, they put themselves gradu-
ally "off-guard' and at last became wholly
unsuspicious of my ardent affection.
Ny uncle, indeed, feeling sure that l
made no effort to appear as pretendant to
the hand of his daughter, finished by prac-
tically adopting me, for the time being.
He lent me his best horse to ride, his
most reliable gun and his most faithful
hound; he placed his best wines at my dis
posal, poked he in the ribs after his own
jokes, and slapped me on the back at an
unusually brilliant one of mine, and in
fact treated me in way which would have
made me extremely happy, if
As for my aunt, she was no doubt firmly
persuaded that I must have some sweet
heart somewhere, and so satisfied was she
of her own perspicacity and OF the fact that
neither her own nor Gracie's tranquility
would be r,lffled by me in any matter of
this kind, that she no longer feared to leave
US alone together, thus giving us those very
opportunities, which, had abused them
might have brought on crisis, which I
was still determined, as before limited, to
leave to the chapter of accidents or mer-
ciful Providence.
Well though we did not talk of love
when thus left alone together, these were
my soul moments of happiness.
After time however, despite the re-
straint had placed upon myself, despite
all the reason and reflection l had brought
to bear upon the matter, was profoundly
and intensely, wholly in love with my cous-
in 1t was not the passion of a day. In
fact it scarcely seemed u passion, so deep
and full and true it felt to me. 1t gained
its strength not through impetuosity or
impatience, but by seeming engrossment
of my whole nature. Was woman ever so
deeply loved 1 thought?
Was it returned ?
And l could not ask.
was twenty-eight and it was the first
time 1 had felt the pure, the holy, the
sacred movement of true love.
Could she understand and follow it?
But still succeeded in keeping silent.
It seemed to me that I would cut my ton
que rather than breathe word, and bring
the suffering that that one word which
never could be unsaid, would cause my
best beloved. And then, to do so would be
to remove me from her-perhaps forever.
I admired, adored her tacitly, 1 devoured
her with eyes and heart. 1 imagined my
self blessed with the wings of Gabriel, that
I could wind around her and save her from
all harm, and from all contact with base
things, or that would open wide to efful-
gence of the morning and bear her to some
heavenly abode. O.! happy and sorrowful
dreams that were my portion o! love,
dear and sweet mystery; melody without
words; unwritten and unspoken poem;
what chaste and yet inexplicable sensa-
tons; what poignant delights!
And to say that partial poverty, with
honor, made it an absolute duty that I
should never say to this angel Of youth and
beauty, this heart of love and faith, this
soul OF truth and purity, this ideal of my
manhood, be always as you now ARE, the
guardian spirit of my whole life. at is
long way to go with me,'' would say to
her, in Imagination, "the journey is long
and in parts it will be rugged" And to
hear her say, 81 will go with you. Must it
be denied me?'
One day our eyes met, I forgot myself in
the contemplation of those expressive win.
dows of the soul which could say so much,
"and if they would" regard, were almost
seraphic; the light from her eyes seemed
chastely shaded like those of the Madonnas
of Raphael. 1t was after all only light
ming glance, but how much it expressed.
Oracle lowered them; and her color chang
ed to slight rose, as she took up again the
delicate embroidery which had fallen from