Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-03-26
RG AIIEGANY COUNTY, Maryland SATURDAY, MARCH 2e, 1881

ever it may have happened, there I
was, forgotten in the waiting-rooml
"Could I intrude myself ION private
conversation, perhaps) las an unan-
nounced and unwelcome visitor? And
could help it, if the talk found its
way to me through the ventilator along
with the air that / breathed our
Reverend Fathers think was W Dlame,
bow to any reproof which their strict
sense of propriety may inAict on me.
In the meantime beg to repeat the in
teresting passages in the conversation,
as nearly word for word as / can remem-
ber them. i5st af E
"His lordship, as the principal per.
sonage in social rank, shall be reported
first. He said. More than a week
has passed, Romayne, and we have
neither seen you nor heard from you.
Why have you neglected usg
"Here, judging by certain sounds
that followed, Penrose got up dis
creetly. and left the room. Lord Lor-
ing went on. a1ea .U
"He said to Romayne: Now we are
alone, I may speak to you more freely.
You and Stella seemed TO get on to-
gether admirably that evening when
you dined with us. Have you forgotten
what you told me of her influence over
you, or have you altered your opinion
and is that the reason Why you keep
away from us?' ~
"Romayne answered "A vinuion
remains unchanged. All that L said to
to- you of Miss Eyrecourt, I believe as
firmly as ever
ellis lordship demonstrated, natur-
ally enough. Then why remain away
from the good influence? Why-if il
really can be controlled anothe,
return of that dreadful nervous delu-
sion 2 ,--,
"I have had another return.
Which, as you yourself believe,
might have been prevented Romayne,
you astonish me-
"There was time of silence before
Romayne answered this. He was lit
tie mysterious when he did reply. 'You
know the old saying, my good friend
Of two evils, choose the least. I bear
my sufferings as one of two evils, and
the least of the two -. s-..
"Lord Loring appeared to feel the
necessity of touching delicate subject
with light hand. He said, in his
pleasant way, Stella isn't the other
evil, I supposeY v
"Most assuredly not 7 4No
"'Then what is 1t p ars e01
"Romayne answered, almost passion
stely, my own weakness and selfish
ness Faults which I must resist, or
become mean and heartless man. For
me the worst Of the two evils is there. I
respect and admire Miss Eyrecourt---I i
believe her to be woman in a thous-
and don't ask me to see her again
Where is Penrose? Let us talk of some
thing else %
Whether this wild way of speaking
offended Lord Loring, or only discour-
aged him, I cannot say. I heard him
take his leave in these words: 'You
have disappointed me. fRomayne. We
will talk of something else the next
time we meet The study door was
opened and closed. Romayne Was left
by himself.
"Solitude was apparently not to his
taste, just then. I heard him call to
Penrcse. 1 heard Penrose ask: Do
you want meY o
Romayne answered: God knows I
want friend-and I have no friend
near me but you? Major Hynd is away,
and Lord Loring is offended with me-
"Penrose asked why. a
"Romayne, thereupon, entered on
the necessary explanation. As priest,
writing to priests, / pass over details
utterly uninteresting to us. The sub
stance OF what he said amounted to this:
Miss Eyrecourt had produced an i'm
preston on him which was new to him
in his experience of women. If he saw
more of her, it might end-I ask your
pardon for repeating the ridiculous ex-
pression-in his failing in love with
her. In this condition of mind or body,
whichever it may be, he would probably
be incapable Of the self control which
he had hitherto practiced. If she con-
sented to devote her life to him, he
might accept the cruel sacrifice. Rather
than do this, he would keep away from
her for her dear sake-no matter what
he might suffer or whom he might Of
fend. 6a si4s-
Imagine any human being, out of a
lunatic asylum, talking in this way.
Shall I own to you, my reverend col
league, how this curious self exposure
struck me ? As / listened to Romayne,
I felt grate'u to the famous council,
which definitely forbade the priests Of
the Catholic Church to marry. We
might otherwise have been morally en-.
ervated by the weakness which degrades