Iron County register., 1880-04-22


could have loved such as me-"
.'Far from it, Marion; my wonder is
how he could tear himself away from
YOU, even for a season."
That was duty"
'.But what kind of duty? He had no
ties-no cares of any calling; you say he
had no relatives to dictate to him; how
could he explain necessity where there
was no pressure?"
"What he said was enough for me.
And" added she, after a pause, ''it would
have been bolder than either you or me
would have dared to question him."
This chance speech explained in full
the ascendancy that his more powerful
nature had gained over her, and how it
was easier to her to believe than to dis
trust him.
"Does he write to youP"
mo-
"Nor you to him?''
"No; he did not ask itr'
"And still you know he will come
backp''
II know it," and she nodded twice with
little smile that seemed to say how sure
she felt in the avowal.
If there seems scant delicacy in the
way dared to question her, let me hasten
to say that our intimacy warranted the
freedom, which her manner besides in
vited; for have not given here the de-
tails of those conversations that occurred
between us, nor told how we were led on
from word to word to closest confessions.
Strange girl in every way! she would
suffer me to walk with my arm around
her waist, and yet would fire Indignantly
if dared to call her Marion mou,' as
in Greek phrase Hope had called her.
Anything more hopeless than the at
tempt to gain her affections / could not
imagine; but the conviction, strong as it
was, did not save me from feeling des-
perately in love with her. In honest
fact, the glimpses had caught of her
nature, when revealing to me her love
for another, had completely enraptured
me; her warm fidelity, her answering
faith, and her sustaining pride in the
man she loved, needed less loveliness
than hers to make prize to be striven for.
And so it was, 1 did love her, dreamed
of her by night, and canvassed in my
mind by day what way to win her. There
was not living a man who had less count
to render to his fellows than myself; l
was actually without Eth or kin or be-
| longings of any kind. That I should
marry girl in the humblest condition
was purely my own affair. There was
| not one to question me; but, above all
this and beyond it, owned the one
great difficulty, how should / gain her
love? The very mode in which my in
| timacy with her had been effected would
make it sort of treason were 1 to try
| to win her affections; and could fancy
| that scornful banter in which she would
meet my addresses, and ask me what
sort of memory was miner / could pict-
ure her raillery too on the nature that
could deliberately raise its hopes on the
foundation of affection laid by another,
| and make what, to an honest mind, would
be jealousy, minister to his own passion.
1t was all true, and except some ad-
| vantages of a purely worldly kind, and
for which knew she would have little
value, had nothing in my favor. The
| only question then that remained was,
should better break the spell that was
on me by incurring distinct refusal; or
should I fly at once and leave the place
| forever?
The latter seemed the wiser resolve,
and / came to it as / slowly walked
homeward to my inn at night. Instead
of going to bed sent for the landlord,
and engaged with him to furnish me
horses and guide to anywhere on the
coast by which might take shipping for
Italy or the shores of the Adriatic.
IThere was a return caravan with strong
armed party bound for Salonica to start
at midnight. I made my bargain and
within two hours afterward was on the
road.
I have little more to add. We were
nearly three weeks on the way, and /
was thoroughly exhausted, weather-worn
and very ragged, when I entered at
nightfall that dirty seaport which i am
now told is to become the greatest COM
mercial mart of the Levant. One of the
first sights that struck me as came in
was a party of yacht sailors with the
word :. Marmion " on their glazed habits.
The Marmion was the crack yacht of
Cowes-the fastest cutter It was sup
posed, ever built, and lately bought by
the Duke of R, whom had known
intimately at All Souls. Having learned
that he was bound for the Pireus, sent
off few lines, asking, if not utterly in
convenient, that he would give me o
passage to Greece.
A letter from the Duke with most
cordial invitation, answered me within
an hour. He was on his wedding-tou
and had . small party of friends, but
ample room and q hearty welcome for me.
FL were painting picture de genre, I
might inger to sketch some of the scenes,
and one or two of the characters Of that
yacht party; but though there was very
pretty and attractive bride, and more
than one bridesmaid Of striking beauty,
and some hah-dozen very assiduous
young men of great fascination and fault
less costume, I was too much under the
shadow of my late discontinue to emerge
into the broad sunlight of their gay con-
verse.
"What is the matter with your" said
R to me one night, as we walked the
deck alone; II never saw you before in
such low spirits"
made some pretext Of health, and
changed the theme, when he asked me
where had been, and how I had come
to that little-visited spot-Salonica.