Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-09-01
ONLY A NAME.

HernapS because personal beauty mao
always possessed for me q singular fas-
cination, perhaps because of the strange
magnetic current is oft more potent
than reason or judgement, perhaps be-
cause of the sim pie law of affinities-it
was that when my friend, john How
ard, babe me hospitable welcome to
his home in England, presenting me to
his wife and daughters as the son of an
old college friend, | felt, looking into
May HUward's eyes, even IN that first
hour the magic power OflOve's awaken
ing.
She was the younge4 # the two sisters,
and very beautiful. The elder, though
but two years the senior, had q quiet,
dignified manner, which made her
seem much older. May was the pet
Of the family. They waited on her as
though she were q little queen among
them, and she received their homage
rs though it were her due. That there
was any 5eltishness in this recipiency,
never entered my mind to conceive,
as | added myself to her list of adOrn-
ing subjects.
In three days my case was hopeless;
yet during that time | had talked but
little with my divinity. Strange to say
it was from her sister / learned how
dear she was to them all-her sister,
with whom | spent long hours, while
she told me of their quiet uneventful
daily life. | dared not talk much with
May herself lest | should betray my
self; and betrayal, [ told myself, would
drawn down only ridicule upon what /
held SO sacred-tLis sudden new birth
in my soul, which | could neither ex-
plain nor Danish. Yet | was quiet
content that we shared the same at
mosphere; to hear now and then her
little, ripping laugh; to see her array
ed like some lily of the field, and con-
sumo my very heart in longing that /
might pluck ii for my own.
At the end of week business com
PEELED me to make my farewell. l was
going to the Far West of America, on a
mission which would bring me fortune
or reduce me to penurv. Aside from
every other reason, until the experiment
had written itself success, honor must
keep me silent.
IN vain | searched Mays eyes for a
glance of sorrow or regret, as | pressed
her little hand in uttering my gOod-by.
They were bright and dry. True, in
her sisters darker OIhs, | read sym pathy
and sadness. Had she guessed my Sc
cret? | felt that she had, and it was
this which induced me to hold her hand
more closely, as | whispered:
Pray for my return. Pray for my
success. You know what both mean
TO me"
A color, which made her almost beau
tiful, crept into her cheek at my words
True, she loved her sister SO well that
she even blushed for her happiness.
A year passed, and I had succeeded
beyond my hopes. Wealth was in fair
way of pouring into my Golfers, and
though | dared not leave the grounds
for nonths-perhaps years-to come
though my manner of living must be
in measure rude and unciviized, il
yet was not destitute of comfort and to
a woman who loved me it might have
its charms.
| do not know when the idea entered
my brain, or how 1t grew and grew until
| felt to realize it would sacrifice even
my expectant fortune. 1t was this:
Had | gained Mays love2 Had
wakened one answering echo in hel
heart to the wild cry of mine? And i
so-if she indeed loved me-wOuld she
not rather, as it was impossible for me
to 90 to her, come to me? We would
be married instantly on her arrival
Her father knew and trusted me. Such
things had been done. Why not, then
with me? Was it not better than vast
ing the best years of our life apart?
Something of all this, and more,
put down on the sheet of paper tC
which l at last intrusted my hopes
| addressed it to er father. | felt tha
it was better to give him time first tt
reason and approve, then to lend it The
seal of his authority.
II do not know whether I betrayed
my secret to you all, / wrote, "hut asl
your daughter. She, think, divineC
it. If not, recall to her my words a
parting. Ask er to intercede for me.
Then | went on to state at what poin
/ would meet her, how Immediately tn,
marriage ceremony might be perform
ed, and concluded by earnestly entreat
ing one whom [ loved So we'll to la,
aside false scruples, and to overcom,
the natural deiicacy and reserve which
must arise, for which effort my Who'll,
future life should endeavor to repa,
her