Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-02-19

/ otelAin. kounA oit W Ious ouo o"Au'
| "Close by me. You spoke of our
school days Just now, Adelaide. There
was some difference between us. OF all
the girls, was the youngest and you
we're the eldest, ornearly1the eldest, I
think 2" si I'D d
"Quite the eldest, my dear. There
Is difference of ten years between us.
But why do you go back to that p "a,
It's only q recollection. MY father
was alive then. was at first homesick
and frightened in the strange place,
among the big girls. You used to let
me Hide my face on your shoulder and
tell me stories. May I hide in the old
way and tell my story%
She was now the calmest OF the two.
The elder woman turned a little pale,
and looked down in silent anxiety at
the darkly beautiful head that rested ON
her shoulder. .a
"After such on experience as mine has
been" said Stella, would you think it
possible that could ever again feel my
heart troubled by man-and that man
stranger?" + ''' '. tt. l'
"My deari I think il quite possible.
You are only now in your twenty-third
year! You were innocent of all blame,
at that wretched bygone time which
you ought never to speak Of again. Love
and be happy, Stella-if you can only
find the man who is worthy of you. But
you frighten me when you speak of
stranger. Where did you meet him.P'
"On our way back from Paris" Gl
Travelling in the same carriage with
you"
"No-it was in crossing the channel.
There were very few travellers in the
steamboat or Knight never have noticed
him."
"Did he speak to you2"
ale never even looked at me"
"That doesn't say much for his taste,
Stella" 9r.m
"You don't understand mean I
have not explained myself properly.
He was leaning on the arm Of friend !;
weak and worn and wasted, as I sup
posed, by some long and dreadful i'll
ness. There was an angelic sweetness
in his face-such patience such resig-
nation For heavens sake keep my
secret. One hears OF men falling in love
with women at first sight. But o woman
who looks at man, and feels-oh, it's
shameful I could scarcely take my eyes
of him. If he had looked at me in re-
turn, I don't know what I should have
done-I burn when think of it. He
was absorbed in his suffering and his
sorrow. My last look at his beautiful
face was on the pier, before they took
me away. The perfect image of him
has been in my heart eversince. In my
dreams. I see him az plainly as I see you
now. Don't despise me, AdelaideI"
"My dear, you interest me indescrib-
ably. Do you suppose he was in our
rank Of lifep I mean, of course, did +,
look like gentleman ?" -.
"There could be no doubt of it,
"Do try to describe him, Stella
Was he tall and we'll dressed?"
"Neither tall nor short rather thin
quiet and graceful in all his movements
dressed plainly, in perfect taste.
How can I describe him? When his
friend brought him on board, he stood
at the side of the vessel looking out
thoughtfully toward the sea. Such
eyes never saw before, Adelaide, in any
human faoe--so divinely tender and sad
and the color of them that dark violet
blue SO uncommon and so beautiful-too
beautiful for man. I may say the
same of his hair. I saw it completely
For minute or two he removed his hat
his head was fevered I think, and he
let the sea breeze blow over it. The
pure light-brown Of his hair was just
warmed by a lovely reddish tinge. His
4 DchTu Whb VI buo bdtll6 COlOI oIOIb uui
curling, like the boards of the Roman
heroes one sees in pictures. I shall
never see him again, and it is best for
me that I shall not. What can hope
from man who never once noticed me?
But should like to hear that he had re-
covered his health and his tranquility,
and that his life was happy one. 1t
has been q comfort to me, Adelaide, to
open my heart to you. I am getting
bold enough to confess everything.
Would you laugh at me, I wonder,
IL L"
She stopped. Her pale complexion
softly glowed into color; her grand
dark eyes brightened-she looked her
loveliest at that moment.
81 am far more inclined, Stella, to cry
over you than to laugh at you," said
Lady Loring. "There is something to
my mind very sad about this adventure
Of yours. Iwish could find out who
: the man is. Even the best description
of person falls SO short of the reality"
81 thought of showing you some-
thing" Stella continued, (which might
help you to see him as I saw him. It's
only making one more acknowledgment