The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-09-30

days rest. L wondered II he was hOl-
lowed eyed, dirty-ingered and toothless;
If, in his youth, he too had loved and
been loved-and seeing at that moment
berg, l ran down, and, taking posses
sion of it, brought myself shortly to the
| island, and forthwith entered the her.
mit's deserted cell.
On rock near The entrance lay a
dainty, ace.trimmed parasol, a pair of
gloves, some wild flowers and sketch
book-queer things for hermit to leave
behind aim, indeed; and, as 1 stood !
smiling at the odd contrasting ideas |
called up, cry for help reached me on |
the breeze.
"Please, sir, could you come to mep |
have lost my oar" repeated the voice, !
as l emerged, and at distance in |
boat sat little girl l recognized at |
once.
She was drifting slowly further and |
further off into the lake, and her situa- |
tion, although by no means dangerous, |
was embarrassing enough.
am quite ashamed of myself" she |
said, as my last strokes brought me near
her. cit was very stupid of me to lose |
my oar, and the thought of drifting |
not cheerful one."
"You might have drifted for weeks, |
as this is an out-of-the-way place, and |
am very glad to have been the fortunate |
person who spared you great deal of
possible discomfort"
"And 1 am glad" she replied, "that
it has been you who rescued me-"
The slight and graceful accent on the |
YOU was indescribably pleasing to me.
Our chat that day was but the beginning
of friendship that quickly ripened; !;
circumstances favored it. We were
| both Americans in foreign land, both |
intel ested in the same studies, and our
pursuits threw us constantly together
| 1t was not long before [ acknowledged |
| myself to be deeply in love with Nina
Wallingford. How much brighter the
world looked to me at that time! My
everyday occupations seemed one round
of delight, and study was play; even my
re icent teacher complimented me often
on my progress. l made great strides in
a concerto l was composing, and when
it was finished and played before the
arbiters of he conservatory, a prize was
unanimously awarded me.
A glare of sh;mmering lights, per-
fume of flowers, the g,eam of statues
from their leafy bowers. In honor Of
the birthday of her majesty, the queen,
a special musical performance was be-
ing conducted, ana my concerto was the
original feature of the evening. felt
pale from suspense, while each familiar
note sounded through the hall, and at
last it was over. Royalty itself con-
descended to applaud warmly, connoi:-
seurs shook me by the hand, and, giddy
from triumph, / went out into the nj ght
to lake deep draughts of the calming air.
| Everything Sc med possible to me in
this iha first flu II of my youthful sue
cess-and Nina Walling giol d had looked
down from her tox at me and smiled
Tomorrow / would go to her and Ii
her that my triumph was nothing with
out her love.
Walter Griffith's friendly voice almost
Jared upon me.
Halo! old fellow!" he called out
| linking his arm in mine. "You are
ahead of us all! By jove, am proud of
you! How | used to deride all our
dreams OF ambition when you and and
poor Harry talked of the future; all the
poor old chap prophesied of you has
come true. Do you remember he al
wavs said you would be a great successp
How thoror ghly the dear boy believed
in your
share of to-night's triumph to bring
Archer back again" And we talked of
him as we sauntered homeward. He
had been almost brother to me, and
the thought of his generous, trusting
nature, and the loss he had been to US,
brought tears to my eyes. He had had
genius, but an cratic and unstable will;
he worked only by fits and starts, and
seemed at the last to have some deep
trouble that took all ambition from
him. Busy myself, l have often re-
preached myself since that l did not
urge him to speak openly to me about
it. Then one day found him in an
alley of the royal park with the cruel
sun glaring down on his dead face. He
had shot himself, and l never knew the
his sole mourner, and he lay in the little
English cemetery among strangers.
He had had great faith in me, and had
cheered many lagging moment in my
musical career. yes" said, "Archer
would have rejoiced tonight"
GAS usual" said Walter, lightly, ga
woman was at the bottom of his de-
"A womanP" 1 said. Course her!
But, Walter, how did you know of
thispn
"Why, Archer wrote it to me when 1
wasin Leipzig-wrote me of his despair
| Wutu blC Slll lllu lOfSu OO 1OhS JilIC0
him. To tell the truth, old friend,
have often wondered at your intimacy
with that girl. Can it be possible you
are trying to avenge ArcherP"
"Walter Griffith, what in heavens
name do you meanP' my agitation mas
tering me-" whom are you speak
NINA Wallingford, was the fatal
answer.
Goodnight" said, abruptly, and,
turning up dark side street, stumbled
on and on, never knew where or how
long. l only remember to have reached
the country, and to have felt the cold
dawn creeping over a hazy earth, and
the smell of grass and trees, and the
sounds of morning. i fell asleep from
sheer WEAKNESS of the flesh, and awoke
late in the day stiff and wretched.
When had dragged myself back to my
rooms, the familiar sights brought all
my grief more keenly to my mind there
lay Nina Walling ngford's photograph, and
on the wall above it hung Harry Arch
er's dainty, embroidered students cap
pair of Nina's gloves, the very pair 1
had seen in the hermit's cell, and had
stolen as souvenir of our first meeting,
the pistol Harry's trembling hand had
raised to the true, loving heart, lay side
by side in my cabinet.
There must be some terrible mistake
some explanation that Nina can give III
determined to ask, and as soon as could
collect nv thoughts, | went to her.