Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-25

looking at her with his placid blue eyes which
certainly were not dimmed by want of sleep
yes" said Persis with sad emphasis. 81
Rave spent the whole night in thinking. l do
not blame you for being what you are: but I
shall not give up my crutch. Stanley, and so
| can never keep pace with you. For the future
you and l must go separate ways. my friend"
MY sweet Perss. you have never so much
as limited at this before. Your nerves are
shaken. Let us walk in the fresh air end talk
this over little"
|. The tone was kind but there was lust enough
patronage in it to iTTitate PersS and confirm her
in her new resolve.
my nerves are as firm as steel. Oh, Stanley,
it is not that 1t is that you willing to let
me do it! Don't you talk to me of love.
have had vision Of what real love is. and it is
something quite. quite different from yOurs."
Perss' voice quivered, and words came with
difficulty.
"Poor child" replied Mr.. Warner. indulgent-
ly; ''as if had ever advised. as if wished
But the girl had fed. Out Of the ROOM out of
the house, anywhere just then, to escape the
presence Of the man she had determined to
thrust from her heart. Gasping little for
BREATH but otherwise composed and quiet, she
stopped at the end of the corridor, near an open
door, and casually glanced out at the street. In
doing so her eye fell upon a familiar face. and
she turned suddenly away, but not before she
had been observed.
"Persis Miss Persist" criei an eager voice.
and Ephraim Zelie rushed up the stairs with both
hands extended.
She had not thought of seeing friend from
home, and when he came forward and greeted
her with such unusual warmth of manner. a re-
vulsion OF feeling swept over her. the fearful
calmness gave way. and she sobbed like child.
''Dear Perss, if l could only do ANYTHING for
| you" said Ephraim, hanging over her tenderlv,
and in his earnestness forgetting to be awk-
| ward
He never doubted she was weeping at thought
of the outrageous suffering before her and he
could have fought his dastardy rival with a good
will. He did not tell her that he had come to
Boston for her sake, Just to learn how it Jared
with her; much less would he have had her know
that he slept as little last night as herself and
was now on his way to the surgeons on fools
GRAND; to beg him to have pity and stay his knife
IF there were only something l could do for
you, repeated Mr.. Zelie in an agony not daring
to speak more explicitly, for he was supposed
to be profoundly ignorant of the whole affair
lyon can't help me. you can't help me-" said
poor Perss, sitting the sudden wish to confde
in him. At that moment their old friendship
asserted its half-forgOtten sway; she was car
ried back in feeling to the years when she had
gone with all her childish griefs to this awk-
ward, worthy" sympathetic Ephraim, But no,
it would never do to tell him what she was
suffering now; pride forbade. She only said:
1--WE haye been here at Boston-father,
mother and for few days. We are going
cannot tell you what-which makes me un-
happy; but it is all for the best Ephram, and
one of these days l shall see it So"
God grant it," calculated Mr.. Zelie, having
ant that she was going home, and the object of
the journey had not been accomplished
The days and weeks which followed were
dreary ones for Persis. She could far better
have borne the surgeons knife than the luke
warm regrets of Stanley, who felt that gallantry
demanded him to pursue her for certain length
OF time with prOtcStatiOns of his undiminished
| regard.
NO" replied Persis firmly, and feeling more
and more that she was in the right. Il will not
make 1t possible fOryOu tOrepent and be ashamed
of me-"
At last Stanley made final bow and with
drew, little relieved, perhaps, to find his per-
Sstence all in vain. Perss was certainly
charming creature, but he had all along been
conscious that his feelings had BETRAYED him
into rash engagement. lame wife would be
| rather milestone around mans neck as she
had the good sense to perceive. He married
SIX months afterward fair girl with 'little feet
like mice" which could trip faultlessly through
| quadrille.
THAT was the way he loved me-" said Persis,
bitterly; and she caressed the worn gold at the
top of her crutch as if that enchanted wand had
saved her from broken heart.
Time brought back the lost roses to her cheek
and more than one lover came to sue; but '.she
did not care for love-" she said.
Mrs. Talbot watched her daughter anxiouslv
She was surprised one day to see her face light
up as EpnIdim LeHe DONeu I'D passing.
'Ephraim is rising young man; he VIII make
his mark in the world" said she slyly; but look
Pers!S, how awkward he is
Yes, mamma" was the quick reply; ''but for
my part am tired of elegance; consider awk-
wardness SO refreshing"
''Ah ha! Blows the wind in that quarter?'
thought mamma, and went on demureiy with
her knitting,
Pcrss and Mr.. Zelie had grown TO be fast
! friends again; but it was long time before
Persis understood the nature of their friendship
or came to any knowledge of the deep love
| which lay concealed beneath Ephraim's rough
exterior, like pure fountain underground.
She had grown little distrustful. Men were
all alike" she said.
But somehow when Ephraim spoke she lis
tined and rejoiced. She believed in him; and
so at last the worthy young man. was re-
warded for his years of hopeless constancy.
ut took bitter experience to teach me the
difference between gold and tinsel," said the
happy bride, hopping up to her husbands chair
one day and stroking his rugged eyebrows with
her slender hand; but nowadays must say.
Ephraim, lump Of the genuine ore looks good
to me even if it is half buried in quartz"
THANK you" laughed Ephraim, IF you mean
mel"