The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-19
In o few moments he

home now, ana 90 not Tell your teacher
that have been talking about her."
gave ready promise, and ran joy
fully away; and as the weeks passed BY,
and L saw no more of the great tall gen.
tleman with the black beard, soon al
most forgot that such being existed.
And still the curate visited the school
and looked ct the teacher, and still the
gossiping tongues of the village foretold
that Miss Pierce would be the curate's
wife.
One day-a bright, cool autumn after
noon it was-Miss Pierce and were
alone in the school room, and Miss
Pierce was writing at her desk. Sud-
denly O quick step fell upon the grass
without, and saw the young curate
pass the window and enter the school
room. He had scarcely done SO, when
another shadow fell upon my book, and
saw the great tall gentleman with the
black beard glide after him and stand
motionless in the shadow of the porch.
The young curate and Miss Pierce stood
in the center of the apartment, and he
was speaking passionately, but softly.
Then he strove to clasp her hand in his,
but che drew it away and stood further
from him, nearer to the doorway. Then
1 heard his voice-husky it was, and
tremulous.
Miss PIERCE" he said, "you can
never tell how much I love you. You
do wrong to doubt me. Ny existence is
worthless without your affection. Do
not deny me all hope; let me think, at
least, that in time my deep love may win
your own; that, when you see how con-
slant and devoted my heart is to You,
YOU will think we'll of me for that con.
stancy at least. Many better and
greater may WOO you, but none can love
more truly"
could see great tears in her eyes -
she answered him.
do not misunderstood me, Mr.. Bug.
ton. do think we'll of you. As sis
ter may even say that love you; but
other love than that of sister l can
never give to living man. 1 have loved
once, and he to whom l was betrothed
sleeps beneath the waves, or is wan
derer upon the face of the earth. Liv-
ing or dead, he is lost to me forever; but
q woman gives her love but once, and
mine is his still. Leave me, I beseech
you! Time can never change my feol-
ings, and am glad it cannot"
lie IOOk ucT uduQ dAu pICoSCu ~ ~
his lips, and in another moment was
gone. Miss Pierce sank upon the seat
from which she had risen; the tears were
ON rose and fell convulsively. Over her
dress, over the floor, fell shadow.
creeping slowly along. and while l
watched it, the great tall man stood on
the threshold-stood there, with both
~, nnkn ohA
turned, and, looking on him, cried
"Harry!-oh, my Harry and fell up
on his breast.
At first had imagined that the great
tall gentleman was about to devour Miss
Pierce. or carry her away to his enchant-
ed castle; but when she called him Haf-
listened quietly, when, some moments
afterwards, he knelt beside her and
spoke thus
darling: have watched You from the
school; and, though neverdreamed you
could still care for me, have loved yOu
every moment since we parted. When
left l hoped to return to you soon, hap
Ply and prosperous. but, baffied and dis
appointed, could not bear to bring my
poverty 8uu SIAcA AOA you w on"io, ~nW
battled with the world, weary and brok-
en.hearted, until 1 began to. doubt all
truth and goodness, and believed that NO
woman could welcome back toil-worn,
beggared man."
saw her arm steal about his neck,
and her lips touch his cheek. and he
went on again
Better days dawned upon me, and !
returned, loving you still, to WOO and to
win you, if you could forgive my long
and shameful silence. The first news /
heard of you was that that you were be-
trothed to another, and that if this were
true, vowed that come what might,
I would not mar your new-found
happiness by bringing back the memory
of the past. Had you loved him, Eliza,
you never should have known that Harry
dwelt among living men, although he
would have prayed for your happiness,
and blessed you until his lips were dumb
forever"
There Was another pause, and l could
hear her sob.
ITO day, Eliza, followed my rival,
as thought him. to this door; / heard
the words he spoke, and also your an
swer. I learned that you had for
given me-that you were still true to the
wanderer whose only merit was that he
loved you; and no words can tell you
| the ecakacv Of that moment the balm