The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1882-10-19


plunge in good earnest, he went abou
from this hour haunted with a per
e petual presence. Day after day tn
picture fingered on and the intimac
progressed, on her side a perfectl,
: straightforward friendship which ha,
not an aforethought; on his, a gradua
rising from admiration to passion
from passion to an irresistible deptl
of tenderness; for tenderness, if i
comes at all, comes after, not befor
passion.
One day he took sudden resolu
ton, packed up and went off for /;
walking-tour, leaving his heavy goods
at the Fisherman's Rest. He wanted
to try the antidote Of absence. But
it was Intellectual. Wherever he went
the impression Of her pathetic beauty
went with him; he could no more
part with the inner vision than with
the heart which enshrined it. Il will
go back" he said, I'll go back to
Penruth, and ask her to be my wife
Come what may Of it, l must tell her
what she is to me, or | shall go mad.
Perhaps I am fool-on the whole |
believe am perhaps it is only her
beauty that has set me on fire to pos
sess her, perhaps she is not what be-
lieve her to be, one Of Gods sweetest
creatures, but | must put it to the
touch, and I will.
He went back to Penruth, and the
very strength Of his purpose quieted
the restless fever he had been in since
he left it. But he did not go to the
cottage. He wanted her away from
the hard, sad, prosaic mother, and the
life Of her home; he wanted to get
her to himself on the shore where he
had seen her first, near the great mur-
muir Of her own sea. At last he met
her there. She started when she saw
him, but did not blush. Her eyes
were bright with kindness and plea
sure, as he came up to her and took
| her hand.
"You look surprised" he said.
speaking with perfect ease now that
the supreme moment Of his fate had
actually come. did you know | was
back at Penruth?"
mo. I've been up at the Hall; !;
they wanted some help there getting
the house ready for the family. My
mother is friend with the house
keeper. l am surprised you've come
| back"
"Why?"
II don't know why. I fancied you'd
gone for good"
II went to see it it was for good" )"
| I found it was not, so [ came back.
Sit down here by me on this rock,
Mary Trevarrock, and listen to me for
minute | want to talk about my
self, and you are to be SO kind as to
attend and try not to think it bore. "
Mary's straight back brows con-
tracted little with somewhat un-
easy and puzzled expression. at
won't bother me, sir" she said, in a
slightly confused tone, 'but | can't
see what it can have to do with me" "
'It has only to do with two people,
and you are one of the two. The
other is man who sets up to be an
artist, but who has never and will
never make great thing of art;
man Of over forty, who is getting
grey, and who never had any good
looks ut the best, who is not up to
anything very particularly, but is not
bad fellow to live with. He came
down into Cornwall last month in an
aimless sort Of way, drifting about
like yonder seaweed; and while he was
there, one day he saw-what believe
he had been looking for all his life a
girl, who got possession Of him heart
and soul She is very beautiful.
very, very beautiful. But that isn't
all-that isn't half. She is perfectly
| unconscious of herself, which adds a
glorious nobility to her beauty. She
IS simple, and frank, and true. |
know she is; see it in her eyes. She
has a pure soul and noble heart.
Mary, what has she to say to the poor
fellow that loves her? Mary, my
beautiful darling, look in my face and
say"
A pale, cold, changed face was
slowly turned to him, and her voice
said in low and trembling tones,-
81 don't rightly understand you,
sir. I'm only an ignorant girl, and |
suppose you are speaking out Of a
joke"
"You dare think nothing of the
Sort" Vincent returned passionately;
a sudden touch that was almost like
ferceness totally transforming his
| good-tempered face for moment.
"What right have you to insult me
by such supposition? Dare one jest
when ones life is at stake?"
| "You want me to marry you?"
Mary said slowly, and with sudden
cold apathy of tone. The badness OF
the words struck upon him in the
glow and romance of his feelings
painfully and jarringly.
Eyes, [ want you to marry me- he
repeated rather bitterly, IF that is the
way you put. [ want you to know
that [ love you-love you passionately,
Mary Trevarroch."
Mr.. Randall" she said, with her
eyes still on his, and sudden color
coming into her pale face, I'D like
you to understand me. | loved Will
Penruddock."
"Yes, know he said sadly, look
ing down at his feet.
SAY, but that's not all. love him
now, though he is-dead- somewhere
out there" and she stretched her arm
out towards the sea. II never have
cared for any one else, and | never
can. When he went down | sale
goodbye to everything that makes {
girl like her life. I've been sick Of
mine nigh upon two years, but Nv,
dragged on some way. It's very goot
of you to speak like this to poo
. ignorant girl like me, but it'll be tn