The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-02
MABEL.

: There comes Mabel now" said Chal
ley Hasley.
"And who is that with herT I in
, quired.
"That," said Charley, ''is Flor
Allen"
"Oh," I replied, "la petite blonde,
suppose, that you have raved about il
your letters for the past two weeks"
"The same" he answered. us she no
lovely~
"Well, Charles" said I, "if you wan
my true opinion, l must say no."
"Not lovely" exclaimed Charles
"Why. where are your eyes? Look at hel
complexion-wha lily or rose can riva
|it9 Look at her golden hair, her ruby
1 lips, her azure eyes!"
II grant you," answered, "the color
ing is fine; but her face has about a,
mnch expression rs bowl of milk, and
she is no more to be compared to Mabel
Lung than chalk is to cheese"
"You are very choice in your compar,
isons," said Charles, seornfully; "and |
am quite sure that Mabelhas 100 much
sense to wish any one to attempt to pass
her off as beauty"
Nevertheless, Charles, I should call
her far more beautiful than Miss Allen.
Watch her now," | sud, "as she comes
up the road. Could any one move more
graceful ly?
"Look at her clear-cut face her firm
mouth, her decided chin; more than all,
notice her earnest, soul-lit eyes-so un-
fathomabie, and yet so tender.
81 tell you, Charles, you are mad to
give that strlw-colored-haired blonde a
thought, when that matchless woman
loves youW
"Well," he said carelessly "that
'matchless woman as you term her, sees
you now; so perhaps you had better go
and pay your respects to her."
| | had known Mabel many years, and,
as perhaps you have guessed, loved her.
Once | had hoped to win her love in
return, bnt Charles Halsey's handsome
face proved mighter than my love.
! Mabel greeted me with outstretched
hand and a glad smile, which soon died
out, however, and l noticed wistful,
troubled look in her eyes that I had
never ell there before.
Charley was talking to Flora, and his
face and manner showed me the cause of
her grief.
"Come, Frank" said Mabel presently,
laying her slender hand upon my arm,
II want to show you our beach; it is the
incest place for bathing in the world"
l drew her dear hand tighter through
my arm, and we sauntered off toward
the sea.
Yes, the beach was nice, as she had
said-a triAe dangerous fer bathing, per-
haps, as there seemed strong underfow,
but Mabel explained that none of them
ventured beyond their depth excepting
herself, and she added laughingly:
81 shall never be afraid of drowning
while you are near, Frank, for | feel
sure you would save me-"
"God grant it," said I, so earnestly
that she looked in my face surprised.
l will pass over the next few weeks;
they were scarcely pleasant ones to me,
to Mabel l am sure they were painfuL
Charles still carried on his Irritation
with Flora, and Mabel and 1 were left
much together.
This would have made me happy, had
I not seen that Charley's behavior was
cutting her to the heart.
And when spoke to her about it, she
said:
Crank, you are an old friend and it
would be foolish in me to attempt to de-
ceive you. Charley's conduct pains me
deeply, and am angry at myself for
feeling panied, because l think l ought
to have faith in his love for me, and
trust him fully.
"Tnere is no happy love without this
faith, Frank, and no woman has ri!ht
to marry without it, yet we can not COM
pei it to exist. Had this been possible,
j l should have faith in Charles now, in
stead of this unsatisfied longing, this
disappointed feeling which has no name.
"The fault may be in myself. 1t may
be that am su 'picious and jealous by
nature; and if this is SO, it is well l
should learn it now, and strive with all
my might to conquer these despicable
traits, which not only bring misery upon
a woman herself, but also upon all those
whom she loves and who love her.
il l could not answer her.
| To have said what was in my thoughts
that it was no jealousy, no suspicion,
that had caused her to doubt-seemed
dishonorable, for l loved the woman,
Charley's promised wife.
One morning Mabel came to .me-it
was near their bathing time, and ! was
surprised at her seeking me at that hour.
Frank" she said sitting down near
me, "it has ended at last; my engage
ment with Charley is broken"
"Was it your own doing, MabelT lin
quired.
"N4" she replied, quietly; "it was his
wish. And since he had the wish in bis
heart, L am glad he was brave and candid
enough to come and tell me of 1t. 1t is
best for us both that we learned the
truth before it was too Late"
i eyes," I said; "it is the best"
i She leaned her arms on the table be-
fore her, and bowed her head down upon
them.
Il ga verv woman after all !" I thought