Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1881-02-03

Nonsense. Are YOU sQit child,
you are happyl / somelimft erieye
over ibis, and fear you have sna.'e ms.
take."
aTtis impossible, said, haughiily,
t0rning my head away. ~ ~ love
him; let as read together so-niei|l. Roe.
Tomorrow will be Christmas. day /
never like because / am expected 70 en-
JOY i; so let US be happy il pr way
now"
"a am willing. Have yoa anything
Nothing new; have - rk e
my old books and iind nv coinnrs hen
sion vary limIied, sol .waal your assis-
lance. think your idea OF OPENING nv
skull and silowing my brain y expand
would be excellent. On, that6o were
only doctor ~ Roe laughed.
"We al feel so: there are Il mes when
our ideas seem Toe crampedi 10 unfold
and develop themselves il theil corpo-
real rasiag2. think II u the. yesraing
ofthe infinite 10 ire ITSELF"
"Do your That " juKs what think.
Well, Roe shall We begin ~ And the
bells peaIed midnight before we laid
aside our books and aid good night.
awoke early The next morning and lay
staring II the blank, white wall in :
stupid way, with no thought afthe pre-.
sent, past or future, GraduallS ! reused
10 q sense Of loneliness aud despair. I
would willingly lie IN that bed aud new.
er rise again. Allihe loses and smbi.
ton Of ssIe had died out, and len the
pale, crumbling ashes from Ne FIRE u
my love. reasoned with myself and
6nally decided that did love him still.
u would be absurd. | said, yesterday I
knew loved him; to-day, { am doubt.
ful. oh. shame You coward 10 shrink
rom contemplation Of your inward life.
Some day The knewledge ollsoVf neg.
lect to perform this unpleasant M i'm
porlant duty will rise 10 your way and
wiih the thFestrai1g Bolseaso ihe Sy.
bill viii eonagn The remaining volumes
Of your life 10 the aaiee. With I'M
ward pity for myself aud agony. !
wriIhed away trom the question, and
said would be 70 lonely without him,
hardly daring 10 confess 10 myself that
I feared TO dwell on The subject. When
the rising bell rang. Roe called me into
her room.
Come see what is IN this bundle
"Whst is IL. Roe You did not get
me this !" depfeesiingly.
~ No; IL was handed me 20 give
sou; open the weighiy parcel and see
what Il contains. DO YOU know what
is inside 20
mo, have no idea what il conssinr;
| am rather curious a. to The contents. =
With a little pelulanee | tore OF The
wrappings. and there Law al exquisite
but horrible little marble copy Of the
LAGOON. | drew back with an inyol-
unlsIy dread, aud something struggled
up and found expression in my iace as
! lost conlrol OF myself. Was the group
prophetic uiterance, or vas growing
childish and rupeFslitous Why did
NO many occurrences 10 connection with
our love strike me ~ strange and omi.
nous The corded snakes seemed 10
leer on me. and say with mule Ian
guage of their own, you next" A
curse is on me, mutiefed, as gazed
Al the appealing, the helpless agoniEed
distortion Of those faces which were
doomed; no help could save them.
Concealing my emotion as we'll az
could, glanced carelessly at the card
attached, and read, 'lor Miss Earl:
compliments Of r. r." crushed the
card ~ my hand, aud laughing nervous.
ly, said:
"A CHASTITY present, Is il not, Roe p
I'll Is very beautiful, SAID Roe, ex.
aiming Il critically. 1.-THE group is
small but exqUisitely executed. have
no doubt he thought that he had secured
for you q treasure that would awake in
you the enthusiasm Of true artist.
am sorry he has been so unfortunate as
not TO please YOU
AS work Of art, am not insensi.
BILE 10 its braalies, or merits rather, bui
as present from an ardent lover 10 The
lady OF hts choice, must repeat, Il Is q
CHASTITY gift. ! am getting silly, cousin;
my head is crowded with mystical no.
tons. ! csn'tthiow them OF. I'll had
lived in ancient times, | have no doubt
| should have watched the flight oil
birds, consulted the nracles and plunged
into the depths Of heather mysteries. z
''You are foolish 10 talk 10; this is 4
Christmas present OF a famous group OIL
statuary; you are highly favored 10 ne
the recipient. But instead of accepting
il gracefully, you survey il coldly and
cayil about retaining this delicate Offer.
ing. | know | have read your eve.
Alright: you wish TO return il promptly,
1 decidedly object; Tor one thing, Il
would places me in an embarrassing 20.
sition alter conserving TO receive Il fol
you. What should | say That whim
Of yours would not suffer you TO accept
his present /"
II understand" said, bitterly. a
am trapped. | can move no farther
thar the limits Of the trap Endeavol
10 poke my head through The bars, an,
run the danger Of having il caught be.
tween them, and more certainty Of i'm
prisonment is NINE"
"What do you mean, Breta ~
Nothing; ! was thinking aloud; II ii
r.d.~s.lous for a. q 10 oak - H. .....a.