Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-27
HALSEY'S STORY.

"You are a jolly fellow, Halsey, al
most always jolly" said bright-eyed
Mrs. Steele. Sometimes, though, I
fancy that 1 detect an expression of
panied sadness about you. But you are
such peculiar fellow that I have been
afraid to say anything about it.
Mrs. Steele eyed the "jolly fellow
sharply, and then took up her crotchet-
ing again, while he gave two or three
quiet whiffs at his cigar.
Pretty Mrs. Steele knew how to man
age this man. Some ladies have a
peculiar tact for managing old bache-
lors; Mrs. Steele was one of that kind.
She was one OF those lively, kind-heart-
ed, middle-aged ladies, blessing in her
home, a dutitpl wife, with some pretty
ways lett for her gentlemen friends, q
good mother, with little Of her youth
ful coquettishness still ciinging to her.
A particular, good-natured bit OF s body,
whose smile brings sunlight iuto q
gloomy day, and whose soothing touch
and spicy talk is a good panacea for all
the Ills of life. A woman who can cry
with you if she finds you in trouble, or
laugh Will YOU .1OilI Wv II ul1SlOIJGIcS.
A blessing to mankind in general, out
side Of her home as well as within it.
Halsey, as she addressed him-more
properly, Dick Halsey-was fine, broad
shouldered fellow, a bachelor-or, at
least, in his thirties, getting little bald
just where his long, sloping forehead be-
gan to curve backward before gradually
ascending to form the bump of self-es-
TEEN. A large, clear, blue eye, that
looked you deliberately and squarely in
the face, and turned to a sparkling vio-
let when he became excited or spoke
with more than usual animation;
broad chin, shaved smooth n hazel
colored mustache, firm, decided mouth
a striking, robust type of manhood.
Halsey always spoke deliberately, and
generally paused before making any re-
mark, after another had done speaking,
long enough to make it seem probable
that what had been said was being
weighed in his mind After such halt
he remarked slowly, in reply to Mrs.
Steele: cit is So l am sometimes
painfully sad"
He gave two or three quick puffs, and
then threw his cigar out of the open
window, and turned his chair so as to
face his friend.
clean see it all again at times, and
all the old heartache comes back. L see
the soft moonlight, which filled our
hearts with an awful stiffness, desolate,
singing pain. [ see beautiful, sober
faced young girl, crushed in her young
hearts best offering of love. Did love
her? Yes, with that rich, unbounded
love which can fill our hearts completely
but once; with that sort of love which
leaves no longing of the affections IN
filled with such love as makes prosper
ity and adversely welcomed by young
hearts with mutual hope or care.
"What was her name? Menard-
Daisy Menard. This little miniature
will give you some notion of her appear
ance. Dark hair, soft dark-blue eyes
sober, lovable light in them-a small,
shapely hand, dignifed, graceful APP
pearance. She was little bit of a
body, quiet and unassuming, but full OF
pluck.
"F'or two years we were friends at
school. 1 came to love her, but was IN
willing to disturb our friendship by let
ting her know it. [ hid the deeper af-
fection within me, and we were friends.
A beautiful friendship, frank and help
ful, held US just so near during the two
years of our school life. Day by day I
felt that she was becoming more part
Of my life; that I was happy when she
was near and miserable when she was
away; that she brought out in me what
was good; that my tastes were nodded
into better form by hers; and that [ was
nerved to greater exertions, higher as
puatlons, by her queenly nature.
d" It seemed to me that everything was
against any declaration, or even appear
ance, of deeper affection than that
helpful friendship. was poor; must
finish my law course, or 'woe was me,
[ felt; everything was against my getting
myself in any position where l would
feel hampered. 1 must have plenty of
time. l must work patiently and INDUS
triously. Even with my most sangulne
hopes, some years must elapse before I
would be independent in my profession.
We were young, too-scarcely at our
twenties yet. No, no I must not let
her see that she was more than friend
in my thoughts! Then I stood some
what in awe of this quiet little woman.
There was behind her frankness, her
exquisite naiUete, refined dignity
which seemed to make friendship easy,
but made me question with myself
whether any appearance of deeper
feeling would have been received at tina:
time.
"But, during the last month of our
school days, l sometimes thought dis
cerned a very marked change in her
something different from the old nGive
friendship. She was rounding out into
a prouder, more-dignifed womanhood.
She became more coquettish, and l b =
gan to fear that our friendship might
not always last.
"My last term was finished. I grad
mated with honors and debts. I wa:
determined to follow Bractan and Black
stone, and, in few days, with the hell
of friends, had secured place under al
attorney well-up in the profession, ans
began my reading at once. 1 earned
something III the Office copying, and
added enough to my slender purse to be
able to live and prosecute my studio!