The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-15
was showing his teeth in threatening man

ishment at her and the dog. She burst into
q merry laugh.
Conscious that 1 presented rather ludi-
crous picture, / advanced and said coldly:
Are you Pauline
$50 am called"
"Then, perhaps, 1 may be so bold as to call
you counsin, for am George -"
All! Cousin George. We had been ex-
pecting you. When did you arriveW
Just now"
had already reached those years in which
gray hairs begin to appear here and there
with dark haired people. l, too, had once
dreamed fondly Of love and friendship, but
| never known in reality what it was to love
truly, or be truly loved by woman. AS Of
ten as L essayed to give my visions an en-
| bodiment and a name, was never able to
ind, among the many girls of my acquaint-
ance, one who fairly resembled my ideal.
| The woman whom my imagination had
formed was mild, madonna-like being,
with form and features Of classical outline,
refined pallOr IN her cheeks, sweet coral
lips, tender blue eyes, blonde hair, and voice
like soft, low music.
Pauline was by no means the duplicate OF
this image. But when she darted, singing,
through the house, letting doors and win
dows remain open, | frequently laid down
my book or pen, and gazed after her, and
felt rs If the bright sunlight had fallen into
my heart. In all her actions, unrestricted as
they were by conventional sobriety, there lay
q grace and charm that pleased, nay, en-
chanted me.
We soon became good Understanding
like brother and sister, / thought. How
this sentiment developed into love, cannot
satisfactorily explain. One day as l was
taking .ramble, came upon her unexpect-
eddy; she was walking slowly along, with her
eyes cast down, and looking more grave than
| had ever been before. When she saw me,
her face suddenly became TRANSPORTED with
radiance, but she quickly tripped by. The
glowing of her face and the respondent
throbs OF my heart revealed to me what we
were to each other.
"We have been so happy together here !"
"Very happyw she whispered, quivering.
L held both of her hands tightly; she
avoided looking at me, but did not turn away
her darling little face. l continued
" BetwiXt you and me there is consider
able disparity in age, and l am by nature
much more seriously constituted than you.
Excepting you, have never loved a woman,
while you have conquered-Heaven knows
how many hearts. You are not what the
world says Of you; you have heart that can
love and be true. Therefore pray you, tell
me frankly and faithfully whether you can
love me-or do love me. l am not accus-
toned to addressing such questions, and do
not know, perhaps how to express myself
sion like this; but believe me when say
that you have won my heart, and that do
not think could be happy without you"
81 believe YOU"
But will you trust me, too, and love
me?.
81 love you and trust you" she answered,
frankly. fare you not surprised that tell
you this so quietly? That is because shall
never marry you. am capricious and pre-
Stunning, and would soon make you weary of
life with my constant demand for attention.
was born to be treated like spoiled lap
dog; you are, although capable of loving,
nevertheless not an effectionate man. We
should not have passed two months in we'd
lock before you'd wish me in Cayenne, or
some other torrid locality. But as that would
not be practicable. therefor you would break
my heart-not rudely and harshlv, oh, no
undemonstratively and calmly. That is just
as clear to me as if l had it all before my eyes
at this momentw
She looked at me, and her whole soul was
in the glance; it spoke love, passion and
yearning tenderness. Oh, what strange
feelings, never hitherto experienced, this
glance awakened within me! The next mo-
ment held her in my arms, and exclaimed:
Pauline, if ever man loved woman, with
all his heart and soul, unreasonably, madly,
and yet truly and honestly, it is ID
"But will that last, George?"
bent down, and our kisses breathed all
the delicious fervor of first and true love.
You must be my wife, Pauline !" cried.
Her head dropped upon my shoulder, and
her hand sought and clasped mine.
"Is this your answer? May call this
hand miner"
If you wish, Georgie!"
oh! this "Georgie," which fell for the
first time from her lips, how infinitely blessed
it made mel From that time she always
called me so. But when she ceased to love
me this sound also died, and since then she
again called me George.
Shortly afterward we were married. Our
honeymoon lasted six months, and, 1 be-
live, would have lasted forever had 1 not
acted so foolishly. Now sigh in vain for
return Of that time.
Pauline had been called tickle, Eighty.
How fallacious this idea! A truer heart
could not have existed.
ST only needed a master, Georgia." she
used to say to me when l talked and laughed
over this matter. ''During my maidenhood
l was constantly on the lookout for him
could not find him, however, and came to the
conclusion finally that | should never meet
him. But when heard your voice for the
first time, and gaZed into your eyes, then |
knew that had found this master at last
and how gladly l carry the chains of my
masterw
She said this in full seriousness. Best of
all, she was pleased when L coaXed and
played with her as child. She was not an
angel; she was a passionate, high-souled
woman. She rebelled a hundred times day
and yet she loved my dominion. She became
attractive whenever, with eyes flashing, she
rushed to the door, threatening to leave the
room, yet instantly stood still, with head
lowered, when l called to her: "Stopi
Shut the door; / have something to say to
yOu.' But this was rather dangerous, for
it made apparent the power had over her.
l, who had never been loved before, could
hardly help becoming tyrant when saw
such a noble head bend to me.
She loved me. Every chord of her heart
vibrated at my merest touch; but was not
satisfied. undertook to modify the tones:
her doting homage itself was the instrument.
True-now see all clearly-this instrument
was sword, with which cruelty wounded
her. A very sage idea entered my head, and
whispered to me that l was making child
OF Pauline with my indulgence, and that
with so much warm sunlight in her, full
womanly power would never be developed.
l acted according to this idea, altogether
overlooking the fact that her mental and
moral force had already been entirely I'M
folded and matured, and that, too, at time
when others just begin to be aware that there
are rocks and storms, shoals and quicksands
in the ocean Of life. / also forgot that, in
spite Of her youthful gayety and exuberance
Of spirits, the lessons OF a long, bitter,
gloomy past would never be lost upon her;
their impress was merely hidden from my
eyes beneath blithe exterior.