The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-03-03
TIT FOR TAT.

They were coming back from Obser-
yatory Rock. The setting sun was cast
ing long shadows athwart the waving
field Of grain and stealing slowly down
the rocky hillsides.
She was q facinating woman. Her
face was beautiful beyond description,
and her voice had . subtitle power, . ca
ressing undertone that sent . thrill
through every fiber Of her companions
being.
She and her widowed mother were
staying at q spacious farmhouse il 4
lovely Connecticut valley. She had
come there to recuperate from her social
designations Of the past winter in New
York, and to gain strength for new dissi-
pations and triumphs in the fast APP
preaching autums.
It was rumored that she had broken
many hearts and ruined moro mems lives
than she cared to count; but then rumor
often lies.
He was : tall, sunburnt man, with
dark blue eyes, aud . mass of waving
blonde hair. He was clad in the garb Of
a simple farmer, but he did not look
wholly like tiller of the soil. His brown
hands were too shapely and his carriage
too elegant for man country-born and
country-bred.
Still, he had been working on the
Meadow farm during the summer, and
in all his leisure moments had been the
constant shadow Of the woman ct his
side.
He waS man Of passionate impulse,
and his neart was capable Of an all-ab-
sorbing love or an All-devouring hate.
AS they walked slowly down the hill
side in the rich evening light, tho lady
chatted half Familiarity, half condescend-
ingly with her companion, while he
listened with the partly eager, partly alb
stracted mir Of man plunged in some
deeply interesting experiment.
She talked with an air Of conscious
social superiority, and he listened or re.
piled like man with hidden purpose
nnd hidden strength.
As they came to low stone wall he
took her hand to assist her in surmount-
ing it. Upon the other side Of the wall
he still retained her hand. She turned
upon him with look full Of astonish-
HNent
.'Thank you for the assistance, NJ
Chapman" she said coldly, striving to
withdraw her hand from his. II am
quite able to proceed alone now"
He made no answer, but still held The
little hand in his strong grasp, while
with his eyes he seemed trying to search
the innermost depths Of her heart.
A crimson flood illuminated her face.
"Mr. Chapman, you will be kind
enough to release my hand at once. =
This with freezing hauteur.
s'But suppose l want it." he said
quietly, with Q look full Of meaning
suppose tell you that want you for
my wife; suppose / declare that love
YOU, that your beautiful face enslaves
me, that your soft voice sets my heart on
fire, that can not, will not live with.
out YOU"
His eyes were glowing like living
GOALS, and his face appeared transfigured
with the passion Of the moment Then
losing all his cool self-control, he bnrs,
forth iii the full tide Of his overmaster.
ing love.
''Ah, Christine my darling, my queen,
my life,' he cried passionately, ''let me
claim you as my own, let me take you K
my heart, let me make you my wife.
am starving, Christine, actually starving
for little love from you. Say you low
me, darling, Or" he added hastily, 81
you do not now love me, say you will try
to. Give me fragment Of hope, dear
little crumb with which to appease th.
terrible hunger ut my heart.
He had dropped on his knees at hel
feet and was looking eagerly, longingl.
into her fair flushed face.
hand free. Then with cleaning eye,
and tone that cut him like knife, sh,
said:
'.You could have hardly chosen NOR,
fitting opportunity or better place II
which to insult me, sir. Whether 20,
are brute or driveling fool I canno
tell. hardly know whether to feel pit,
for your ignorance or anger OF your au
dacity. You marry me, your she ex
claimed with an insulting laugh. ID
we mate cows with canaries, or iackal
with lambs? Come, sir, will slow tha
your speech is little better than tn,
average country clod; win acknowledg'
that your manners bear some degree o
refinement: in short, that you are littl,
above your station in life; but 10 MARI,
you. to live on carrots and turnips Will
Won, to contemplate life Of patchwork
quilts and rag carpets, why surely 20,
are insane, raying mad!"
She burst into cruel laughter ct tn,
picture she had drawn, and then, no
even deigning to glance ut the bowed
head of the man beside her, she turned
upon her heel and moved slowly away.
With bound he was before her again
Miss Cannell, Christine, hear me,
he cried eagerly, "you wrong me, 70,
do me cruel injustice. I am q gentle
man, every inch your peer" he adde.
proudly, ''and am rich. very rich.
can crafty your every wish, / can sur
round you with every luxury. l."
She cut him short.
Enough. / thought you were Graz
before, now / know il. You Q wealth,
man! Do mon Of means masquerade Ii
homepun, in cotton jeans? Do men O
means toll day after day in the broilinl
sun for mere pleasure9 An inspiring
pastime truly for rich man"
But let me explain my position b
you, Miss Cannell," he cried a. las
resort. II came to this place"
To work; that is obvious Do no
prevaricate further, Mr.. Chapman, wit
scordful accent upon the title, q
makes no difference to me what yo
say, for ! will not believe you. I tel
gold by its glitter. You have served /
amuse me in my idle hours, and for tina
/ thank you; but now see I was wron
to be 80 familiar with one below m,
station in life / cast you from my min,
as | do this glove, and will forget you a
soon" Without another word she lef
him.
Chapman watched her till she game.
the house, world Of misery shining il
his eyes. Then he mechanically stoope.
and recovered the glove from its hiding
place in the grass, and placed it in
pocket next to his heart.
The following day Miss CAMEL an,
her mother departed for Now York.
A brilliant evening reception was il
vrnnroao - Mr. Hal5r,C.p. <o.I>:o.l1