The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-06-21
nI.-wHAT TIE STORM SAID.

nE.-wHAT TIE STORM SAID.
Had Geraldine Royal been earlier
when the ship was sinking she and John
Arlington would have gone in different
boats, and the story of either would
have been fragment Only one boat
load Of passengers was saved but the
boat which left the ship last was the
one.
Geraldine Royal had had hard life.
One year before she had little money
lett her not great fortune, but enough
| to give her year of travel in the Old
| World and allow her to settle in comfort
in the New. John Arlington followed
her. lie had money to spend freely.
He found out where her home was to be
made, and he bought large estate,
with great house, quarter of mile
from the cottage she had rented. He
iourneyed to it one day, over the road
he had gone go long before toward the
wedding which had never taken place.
He was glad she had not gone as far as
the place where the accident had been.
He never wanted to see that place
again, He found the home he had pur-
chased to be all THAT the agent had said
it was. A large roomy house stood in
the midst of broad green park, sur
rounded by great trees. Beyond the
park was lake, all his own; further
away, hidden from sight of the house,
but not from sound, by the noble trees,
was the railroad. Not far away in the
other direction was the house where
Geraldine Royal lived with hired COM
panion. Around all were the eternal
mills.
Miss Royal had received some favors
from the man who had been saved with
her. She liked him. She was pleased
to find that he had settled near her.
Time had aged the man, and her 10y
atty TO the past left her no thought OF
the possibility of this man loving her
She enjoyed the society of this geninl
neighbor of hers, and that was all. But
Arlington never looked in the great
rooms in his house without thinking
how much she would brighten them
and his life if he could win her.
He did not try in one year; he did
not try in two; but one hot August af-
ternoon he stood with letter from her
IN his hand. He remembered burning
a half hundred letters she had sent to
John French; this was the first one she
had ever written to John Arlington;
His servant had carried her letter tell.
ing his love; her companion had
brought him letter which he almost
feared to open. He removed the en-
velope after while. The letter was
very brief. She respected him, but she
had loved man, John French by name,
who had died while coming to marry
her; her heart held his memory sacred;
she had no room for other love; she
should always love John French; she
hoped to find him and know him and
love him when the weary earth-life
should be done; she kindly, but firmly
and beyond appeal, declined the offer
On which John Arlington had staked his
future happiness.
John Arlington stood with white, stern
face and fought the most terrible battle
with himself that he had ever fought.
1t was the battle of a man mad with
despair. Should respected John Arling-
ton live and try to live content without
that which loved John French might
have had? Or should living John
French 60 to the woman he had
HIOuSeuS l6ll uSE ulb buhLuelul beCI0l
and dare the worst?
He made a coward's choice for 0
second time in his life, and went.
The wind was rising and the big drops
of rain were beginning to fall as he
knocked at the door. The woman re-
ceived him kindly; she liked him yet.
But they both stood, and the face OF
each was whittier and sterner than usual.
SIS there no hope"
"I am sorry, but there is none. ]
loved John French too truly to ever
marry another"
"NIiss Royal-Geraldine-I am John
Frenchr'
For a long minute she stood looking
at him, her face growing older and
whittier and more sad as she looked.
Then she sank into a chair with sob.
"Why is all this as it is ?" she
moaned.
He told it all /; he did not try to spare
himself; he saw it would be useless
before he had gone far with the dread.
full story. She heard it all in silence,
He did not ask for her love when he
had finished. 1t would do no good.
She slowly rose to her feet.
"It it is possible for a woman to love
man and to despise him utterly at the
same time, do it. did love you-to
my shame say it. To my deeper
shame l say [ love you yet. But in all
the universe can conceive of no more
hideous crime than you have done. |
despise you as much as love you. Go
1 never want TO see you or know you
or hear of you again, in this world OF
any other. Go Go forever |"
And John French went out with
bowed head into the rain and storm,
and no one has ever heard Of him OF
Of John Arlin 4 ton since.
| They dragged the lake next day, bui