The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-09-16
Mans Constancy.
Burlington Hdtckeue.

The tremulous moonbeams toyed with the
restless leaves, and the whispering winds Of
the August night, like the sigh of some pass
ing spirit, seemed the kind of sort ef-like it
was-or something like that.
As he held her for one moment in his pas
sionate embrace, holding her to his breast as
though he would concentrate all the wild,
burning love Of his life in that one caress,
there was sound like hawser par ting in a
gale, and she gently stopped him.
Darling" she said, tenderly, ait is sweet
to be loved, but corsets are cash this sum-
mer, and there goes the third rod since Sum
day"
The ardent boy held her off with both
hands-he was only a child of 42-and look
ed at her face as though he was examining a
suspicious treasury note.
"My own," he said, " how we'll love you
your heart can tell. What have / not en-
dured for your own dear sake? Twice last
week your father kicked me off the nAoonlit
stoop; on Tuesday last your brother licked
me in the public street; the taste of my
blood is yet fresh on the fangs Of your sleep
ing hound, and should your mother find me
here to-night-oh, help me, immortal gods I!
But will die, if they should find me, will
die at your feet! This it is, my own hearts
darling, this 1t is to love fondly, eternally,
and unselfshly. Fly with me now; we will
to yonder isle"
"But there is such a difference in our age,
dear" she sighed, smoothing the rumpled
ribbon at her waist; "the days of the years
of your pilgrimage are forty y-and-two, and l
but q little girl of nineteen brief but happy
summers. And OH"
"Think you," exclaimed the gray
boy, impetuously-" think you that am
proud beyond my love, and would spurn you
because the world may taunt you with your
youthP Oh, no; in my arms would shield
you from Its cruel sneers, and for your sake
l would forget how young you are. Besides,
Is not my ripe experience old enough for
both Of us?"
"And you are poor" she said, once more
nesting in his arms; "you are poor, they
say"
"Poor!" he exclaimed rapturously; "and
they who say it do not know how poor am,
sweetheart; by yon bright moon swear that
I am poor enough for ten men. With me,
you could not ask for more poverty and fewer
clothes than would bring you"
"And am rich," she said, turning her
face so that she could look into her lovers
DE- tI~at, Lax l,,
have $298, 8,0OO."
But these was no shade of sadness, no
passing shadow Of remuneration in his stead
fast eyes. Twining his arms around her yet
more closely, he said more earnestly than he
had spoken yet:
"And am base enough to give you up for
that? Think you will tear you from my
arms for that? Fairest and best, believe me,
l do love you we'll enough to overlook your
wealth, and II you will but come to these
arms of mine, bring 1t all with you-nay, do
not start, believe me, for my heart is In the
words; bring it with you, every whit, and
see If to my constant heart it will not make
you even doubly dear"
The sound Of an old man was heard in
the shadowy distance, and with one lingering
embrace the proud youth fed. And OIL her
pillow that night long hours the maiden
brooded over his constsncy and the exceed
ing faithfulness of his love. And murmur-
ing He loves me for myself and all have;
am indeed his very own," she fell asleep to
dream of him.
And how did she reward his constancy
Oh, faithlessness of woman's fckie vows,
Oh, bleeding ruin Of mans loving constancy!
1t has ever been 50. Within three months
that girl marries young fellow from Arizo-
ma, son of a bank president and himself
big operator in mines, worth about $500, ,O0o
in clear money and more mining claims than
he could count In three weeks.
And the discarded lover, loving his false
one no less dearly than before, went out to
Arizana and got confidential clerkship un-
der the husband, because he was an old
friend of his wife's, and he is now robbing
his employer at daily rate that shows how
his heart still fondly clings to the love Of
other days.