Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-09-24

1
! ty."
Upon his return to the house, aftel
a morning ramble, his aunt me-
him upon the veranda, and con
Quoted him to the parIor, where q
fairy-like form arose, whom Mrs
Blondaugh introduced as "Miss
Bowers, my companion" She did
not prove very talkative, answer.
ing very indifferently, as she
wished him TO understand that she
did not intend to like him, but DIR.
Mortimer saw profound wisdom
deeply depicted upon her counten-
ance, and in those eyes he could
read volume of mystery. Time
wore ON, and he was daily found
seeking her company, although she
was always Indifferent, reserved,
but courteous, and often to Myrtle's
displeasure and Jasper's comfort
Aunt Bess would leave her to en-
terrain him alone. He often asked
her to play for him, and sometimes
he would sing with her. One day
he asked her to play and sing
"Sunshine After Clouds" He
watched her noble brow as the
bushes came and went and
thought Of the clouds in his life,
and wondered would sunshine ever
come.
The one month had gone and al
most two, and then he reluctantly
obeyed duty.
The day previous TO his departure
he asked Myrtle to take stroll
with him in the garden. She
guessed what was coming, and tried
to refuse, but he would not be; he
wished to gather specimens of IA
vorite flowers, and desired her as
sistance. She had several times
avoided his addresses and adroitly
changed the theme of conversation
when he bordered upon "Love,"
but now there was no alternative,
and she must nerve herself and hear
his wooing, which she had deter
mined not to receive. He arranged
bouquet of mignonette, white jas
mine and white rose-buds, and
asked her:
''Will you receive them emblem
atically?"
''Thanks," she softly replied, SIS
he stopped in front of her, and look
ing down into her dark eyes ex-
claimed "Miss Myrtle will you
listen to my secret ?'
"If tits interesting / will"
spray torture me no longer by
jests tits this: Il love you. May
hope p"
mo, sir; 1 do not love you. No,
not the least" was her calm reply.
"Could you not learn to love
me?"
81 think not" But it was with
an effort which she could not hide
that she pronounced these last
words. Ja9per noticed ii, and
silver-winged Hope urged him to
follow as she turned to go.
We can be friends ?" he plead
ed.
81 suppose So" replied Myrtle,
Jasper Mortimer left the next
for Shirport, but he left
his heart in the care of Myrtle Bow
ers. Hope, that lovely goddess of
nature, had deserted him, but foIti-
tude stood his noble friend, and he
to himself: "I'll not de-
spair, faint heart never won fair
lady," and he determined to pay
Aunt Bess another visit, as he had
the following Christmas.
When Nellie went to practice
next morning she found, lying on
the piano, a note addressed to Miss
Myrtle Bowers. She carried it to
her. Upon receiving it Myrtle
opened and read the following:
If friend who appeared in eventide's glow,
With scoft for each joy and smile for
should scorn thee, when hopes like clouds
sllsaa aYrYsOx xyad
that once your own friendship
did fade.
Should the visions which hope spread in
light to thine eye,
Alike the tints of the rainbow but brighten
to fly,
Then turn, and through tears of repentance
regret,
Forsaking friend whom you cannot for
get.
Yours truly,
She folded the note and stood
mute, gazing into space. She was
half angry, half puzzled, over his
eyes: can forget him."
But why did she re-read this
note, and then remember that twas
the same chirography of the note
which sealed Estelle Vogle's fate
Then, for the first time, she guessed
him to be the same DIR. Mortimer,
and wondered why she had not re-
membered this before. She folded |
the paper with sigh and placed it |
in her desk, and often afterward |
she found herself reading those |
lines, for she soon learned that his |
prediction was true-she could not |
forget him, and she now knew that
she loved the man whom she had |
tried to hate;:: that she had scoffed |
1T the love and refused true heart,
when her own was at stake. She
soon began to give way to this
secret love day by day the color |
was fading from her cheeks, and |
she could see in every vision a tall
graceful object with dark, pathetic
eyes and darker hair.
Sitting one day beneath the same
rosebush where he declared his love
she copied from r. s. the following
lines:
like the sigh of the willow when the wind |
cloud is near.