The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-12-23

several things. | might ask how you coul,
allow yourself To to treat with such disre
spect the woman you have chosen for you,
wife, and have professed to love; l nigh
ask how you, as n gentleman, could hay.
met me that morning, trying with my girl'l
strength to support and help poor mar
who had fallen in the street. and was fain
with pain, and not only pass without offer.
ing assistance, but without .even.a word, {
look"
1T was Phil Blountsf' stammered Mr.
Boone. "How should ] know he had hurt
himself?" ,.s 'r .
How should you know, indeed? Yes. il
was Philip Blount. hope il it had beer
any other MANI stranger, beggr-l
should have tried to help him rs best
might. Perhaps i'll that case you wouldn't
even have vouchsafed to bow to me-"
II certainly don't SEQ" he replied, super
ciliously, ANY necessity for young ladies
to support beggars in the street. But IL Phi
Biount had hurt himself the case is differ.
ent; accept the explanation"
He evidently prepared to unbend, but she
moved closer into the corner OF her sofa
and said; No, Fred, the case is not different
l am the ono to whom explanation and
apology are due, and apparently you have
none 10 give. But, as said before, lot III
have 10 fencing. am not speaking in an.
gGr, but III intense conviction. Could l bt
80 treated before marriage by a man. without
having full timo during his absence and 81.
lSuco TO think what his real disposition must
be, what his professed love must amount to
what sort of married life must expect to
lead with him? And l have thought Of it all,
with pain aud regret for the dissolving of
my dream, but gratitude that have walked
in time. ! have TO say good-by to you,
Fred-dcar Fred / shall never call You by
your name again, but wish you'would be-
lieve that speak with every kind and friendly
feeling But We must not spoil each Others
life. We don't salt. You do not love me-
"You ara entirely mistaken" no inter-
rupted with some heat. Il do love you. /
often told you So"
Yes, SO you have. Perhaps you did a
little-perhaps you do just now; but it won I
hurt you. Say goodbye and part friends,
for indeed We can never be anything more, "
And at the same hour of the same day
Philip Blount was saying to his beautiful
fiancee; mo, Mabel, You don't love me;
know it now. You allowed me to love you,
and for time that was happiness enough
but il IL so no longer. Your GOODNESS makes
me miserable. For all these long days ]
have lain on my sofa, vainly hoping for
something more than the commonplace card
of inquiry you might have sent to any Or
binary friend-some flower, some comfort
ing. loving words. Even visit many q
girl would not have thought too much for
the man whom she intended TO marry"
1t would not have been at oil convenable,"
replied Mabel, coldly--"h hardly proper.
You arc too restless, too exigeant. / have
distinctly assured. you. once for all, OF my
regard-have given you my promise; what
more can you ask?" - .s."'
II ask to have it recalled. beautiful icicle,"
said Philip, bitterly. The suffering will
be all mine, tho blame all mine; the eclut of
the rupture, il there be such thing, shall
be yours. Dismiss me on any plea you
choose: will never contradict you; but do
not let us 60 on in this terrible mistake.
You cannot love me-perhaps you cannot
love ut all. And am maddened between
my alteration for your beauty and my mis-
cry at your GOODNESS. Let us each be free. I"
YES" said Mabel with abitter look,
free to send flowers to other girls, to offer
your arm in the street to ladies who may
choose to accept so conspicuous an alton
ton" N,..f
Philip looked at her earnestly. You are
speaking Of Miss Vane," he said: "Yes she
was most kind and helpful that morning.
bel dearest, is it possible that any Jealous
feeling about her is at the root of your cold
manner to me2 For Heavens sake, be frank
and true. Let us have no mistake in this
matter. You know that I have belonged
wholly to you in heart and In act. IfIhaye
done you injustice in complaining of your
want OF love, tell me 80, and will ask your
forgiveness on my knees.
"No, Philip" she said, decidedly, after q
moments struggle. II may have felt dis
pleased at rlmors that have reached me as
TO Rosamond Vane. may not have done
you entire justice in that matter. But US to
the rest, you are right. 1t is not In mo to
satisfy such nature as yours. You are too
impulsive, too ardent. You annoy and
alarm inc by your demands. We had better
part.
Rosamond read in the newspaper tho do
paiture for Europe OF both her own and
Alabers lover. and smiled and sighed over
tho changes Of the past month. Gradually
rumors reached her of tho rupture Of Phil
ip's engagement. She was far from guess
ing her own share In the transaction, nor
dreamed that in tho sudden revulsion from
conyentiCnality and GOODNESS which Phil.
Blount was feeling on that eventual morn
ing, the contrast Of her own charming smile
and warm cordial helpfulness dia more than
any ono thing to mako him burst the letters
which chained him. Their acquaintance
had been slight, though friendly, but now
certain amused sympathy grow up in her
mind--the feeling thatthe had unconcious-
ly acted upon each others fates, and had,
so TO speak, been in tho same scnpe." She
felt as well as IL she could SEQ it the sense
of freedom with which he had quilted his
native country. Soreness, modification,
even regret, he might feel, but through all,
and overmastering all, that realization OF
escape from what would in time have been
intoierable. Did she not know Were not
her own heart and life expanding under the
same infuence2
You Will never marry now, her mother
said half impatient Of Rosamond's decis.
ion. And she replied blithely: "Do you
really think SO, dear mamma? Il am so
gladl"
Without love or romance life may pass
happily; and months Of busy spring, sof;
Summer holidays, and autumn lingerings at
tho see. tide passed over Rosainond's bright
head, and each season found her happier.
She had youth and health, vivid interests
and ssteadya industry. SO that every thing
that presented itself, work or leisure, study
or exercise, nature or art, found her re-
sponsive TO its call. limo flow on rapid
wings, and brought onco moro the white
pail of winter and tho icy blast-that outer
desolation which only makes warm fires
glow tho brighter, and young pulses beat
tha ,nucker in tha contrast hatwaan fha