Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-05-18

eyed type
1--WE corresponded Of eourse. At first
the correspondence fiourished, then it
grew languid. finally died. i was en-
crossed with business and society; May
was working through school, through
society, and as abelle. Agnes and Janet,
middle-aged matrons, left Marian the
only daughter at home, and society was
exacting. heard Of her brilliant beauty,
q musician Of great talent, and bright
sparkling conversationalist / tried TO
fit this TO my little sweetheart, and failed.
i had lost my childish adorer.
But was not fond Of society. nor de-
voted to the duties of n cavalier. Per-
haps Janet had left too deep wound to
heal, though did not think so. when.
ten years after our first meeting. found
her with party of tourists, doing the
Continent" loud-yoiced, red-faeed
woman of fashion, who had left three
little children at home while she display
ed costly dresses and horrible French
and German abroad. Tracy evidently
preferred the society of the babies, as he
was not one Of the travelling party.
''Marianr' she said, when 1 inquired
for all the home circle. ''Why, Marian
is in London. Didn't you know about
Marian? All! Mrs. Agnew-good even
ing.n
.sTell me-" entreated. "What about
Marian? Is she marriedp"
'.Bless me, no! Hasn't even beau.
as far as l know. May is so prim-cut
out for an old maid. And she'll be
worse than ever now. Excuse me-
Mrs. Maitland is moving to the dress
ing-room. and / 90 in her carriage. Good
night. DO come and see u.s." And her
escort came up, and she sailed away.
And it was not until ten minutes later
remembered that had not asked her
for her address or Marian's.
tried to repair this omission the next
morning by visiting all the hotels and
examining their registers. The only
result was the assurance that the whole
party had left Berlin that moraing.
But the fates favored me. | dropped
into nice legacy, quite sufficient for
the wants of q family of modest tastes,
and determined to go to England
home! 1t was year since had met
Mrs. Hill in Germany. Was Marian
still in London? My little sweetheart!
Strange she had fingered always in my
memory as the ideal woman of my
bachelor fancy!
determined to return at once and
accept long-standing invitation to visit
my friend, Lord Loringer, at his place,
Loringer Hall. met with most cor
dial welcome, and, arriving just before
dinner-hour, Lord Loringer hurried his
own preparations, and came into the
room assigned to me.
'What good wind" he exclaimed,
"blew you into England?"
told him of my legacy, my resigna-
tion of my position, and of my return
home.
'But you are absolutely your own
master for the PRESENT." he asked.
''Yes. Nobody expects me at home,
as Twas returning on that most idiotic
principle-a surprise" i"
''Join us, then We all start next
week for jaunt through France, Spain,
| Italy, perhaps up the Nile. We are not
bound by any route, by any promises.
Westa a party of fourteen, every body
at leave if he prefers another route
We are to be Joined by another party
in Paris. Mr.. and Mrs. Inglewood, DR..
| Smith, and Miss Marian Temple, who
will probably prove the bore of the
/, party" #4 ,sa
"WhyP"
20, she is an old maid, blue-stock-
ing, and poet. / forgave her her novel,
Irmine'; but deliver me from a woman
who writes verses and calls them Water
| lilies.'"
''Now / should enjoy all the pleasures
of novelty in meeting herr I exclaimed.
81 have not one old maid on my visit
ing list, and / never had an hours con-
versation with a novelist-or is it anov-
elistessp You don't happen to have her
books about you, do youp''
"You will find them on the library
table, unless some one is reading them.
There are several copies about, as most
of our guests brought them.'
found them, as promised, on the IL
brary table, and after got to my own
room opened the poems. The more
read, the more l was convinced that NO
old maid penned them. They were full
of the fire, the genius, even the faults OF
| youth, and some of them seemed to
have written myself. The leading one,
"Water-lilies,' brought back to me the
lake where May and 1 had foated upon
the transparent water, gathering the
| great, white, snowy treasures in profu-
sion. l saw her sweet face dip into a
great heap upon the floor of the boat
and come up laughing, far sweeter than
the most glorious blossoms there. Then
saw her in thesoft white evening dress,
with the lilies trailing from her soft
curls upon her pretty dimpled childish
shoulders, dancing gleefully, the only lit
tie girl in the room, and with an admirer
wearing q moustache-hcr devoted ad-
mirer
And here it was all in musical verse,
with refrain of regret for the child love
gone forever.
1t was far into the night when / slept,
with the volume of "Water-lilies" tuck
ed under my pillow, and at the first day.
light / was picking out once more little
scraps Of memory-a drive we took to
Marian's Falls, which Marian gravely
assured me were named -'years and
years. before she was born; walk we
took, when tucked up her curls in wo-
manish fashion, and twisted in sweet
brier, being piteously reproached few
hours later with making her 1'pull every
hair out with those horrid thorns;'' a
ride we took to Silver grove, where we
pledged mutual faith and love in cups
of lilies, and vowed eternal constancy.
Page after page brought my sweetheart
to me. till reached out my locket from
INV dasnatch-hnY and nut IL round rnrr