Smyrna times., 1881-08-24

ranks, but whose soul was that of a noble
man.
The friends she had once known she no
longer knew. They rode; she walked
| and must stand on the curb to let their
carriages drive by.
Earle's CHEEKY voice and pleasant smile
her mother too grew to welcome, with the
few choice flowers, or the early fruit, he
ever laid so quietly in Mrs. Arthur's hand.
growing daily paler and thinner.
But one evening, as he sat by Ircne's
side alone, very calmly, very truly, vet
with certain humbleness, he told her
he loved her, and asked her to be his wife.
"l cannot bear to see you struggle so.
he said. :" could not once have asked
you to be my wife; and though | hnyc
not forgotten that | have only honor ;ad
ambition, yet can take you from this life
of toll if you will give me the assurance /
seek"
Was the man mad? The pride she had
forgotten during those quiet months now
saFged up as she turned towards him with
pale face and sparkling eyes,
Sir, you insult me y
NO man insults woman with his
honest love. Miss Arthur" he answered,
the pride in her face hearing a reflex in
IN his. J. loEe you, and you spurn my
love. shall not offer it again but re
member should you ever need it, it is
always yours, ready TO do, suffer, die for
you
why does not Earle Gomez" question
ed the sick mother. Z" ! want to see him
I miss him. Write, Irene. and tell him
he must call this evening""
She wrote in obedience: Mamma asks
for you. She knows nothing. Ifyou will
drop iu t" sc her sometimes shall he
very glad.
1t cost hen pride = struggle 20 send even
this; but il was possible it brought a thrill
of something like pleasure that she should
meet him once more.
The weeks had seemed STRANGELY long
without him: why md she thi. an.
sWcTcd him. OF course the thing he
asked WIS impossible; bnt oh. how cruelty
she had spurned him.
Had lie forgotten it all? She had ex-
pect"d some trace of sorrow on the hand
some brow; but when he entered the old
frank smile lit up his face as. devoting
himself to the invalid he spoke to her
only Then courtesy dcmpnded.
Somehow, three weeks seemed to have
improved him, too. He had acquired a
polish; or was it only indifference where
love had reigned?
" Men easily forget" she thought. and
with the thought she sighed.
The winter wore to an end, and the in
valid steadily declined, until the exertion
Of moving from her bed to her couch be-
came too great, and the realization burst
upon lrene thai She was to be left desc.
late indeed.
Not once did Earle's eyes rest on her
with the old look, and Il sense of disap
pointmeit, none the less bitter because it
was unacknowledgcd, brought to the
proud young eyes many tear. But bit
terer sorrow was i'll store, as the inIal,ds
rest approached more near. until the angel
OF death gathered her to his breast
Earle was there al the last, and rs she lay
50 quietly on her piiows-they thought
her spirit had already tiown-shc suddenly
aroused and laid her daughters hand in
his.
Take her." she said. Il give her to
YOU"
" Do not mind it; she meant only as a
brother, of course" he said, in comfort.
days after to the weeping girl, and Irene
wondered why she could not rs such nc
cept it,
SO the weary days merged into weeks.
weeks into months, and the proud young
spirit learned its own bitterness. She saw
Earle seldom now, but some of the old
friends came forward in this second trial.
yet through all she missed him, and the
thought that he had learned forgetfulness
was not comforting, She was thinking of
him one evening when he came in.
" am going away, Miss Irene" he said.
VIII you bid me God-spced?"
The old pride strove for mastery against
the choking in the slender throat. but the
words she tried to speak refused to come.
" ! have been studying law during these
years of hard work, and am now able to
wait for the practice hope will come.
You will think of me sometimes. Miss
Irene? and if in trouble, remember |
stand always ready to act the part of a
friend. Is this asking taa much 2" he
added rs her silence continued.
Had he forgotten his words-the love
he had said was hers foreYer-or did its
pale ghost lie buried too?
Good byep she faltered; then, in spite
of herself, the words she had thought
locked in her heart, burst from her: "Do
not go Earl. i cannot bear it,.
Irene! what matters it to you ?"
" Everything" she exclaimed, as her
pride lay at his feet with folded wing.
Or, if you must go, take me with you"
Irene, do you know what your words
means-that / can take you only as my
wife?"
But in answer she sprang into his open
arms, dimly realizing that the color mant-
ling her cheek was the hated red flag with
which she had announced the auction of
herself to the highest bidder; but Earle,