The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-11-08

tue uttp, utih oiuC cycs, tlC pas
sionate mouth; the long, slender
hands; the way , she carried herself.
He was quite bowed down. His
love grief-that had seen so much
service; had been paraded, o, in
how many powems; had been talk
ed over, sighed over, laughed over,
with what awful laughter-vas put
away. Mr.. Clarkson no longer wish
ed to die; he wished to marry Miss
Ford. He loved his dear friends:
but there had been till now no one
that he wanted to marry. Truth to
say he was rather hoping that some
one in whom ne could take decid.
ed interest would turn up; when 10,
she appeared upon the scene! l
think a man should respect a really
useful grief more than Clarkson did.
He thrust it away with a tear-what
do | without even a farewell
sonnet. Heart and soul he went for
his new love. O bards, bards. are
YOU not an ungrateful lot? Paul
Clarkson, then, loved Hilda Ford;
and what is very much to the point
is. that the kind of feeling he enter
tanned for her she entertained for
him. SO. Why not say at once that
he proposed, and was aecepted9
"Hilda," he cried, looking into her
ewes passionately, tell me how much
you love me-
She pressed his hands and said:
II love you with my whole heart.
Your love is the crown and glory of
m, life; it is my supreme rapture
and nv supreme rest"
And then, because her face flush
ed so. she leaned it on his shoulder,
while he kissed her thick golden
hair. All this was very nice and
Just as it should be, but troubles
came. As it happened, most unfor-
tunatelv, Miss Ford had jealous
temperament, and she got to find
out about Paul's fiirtations, to which
she very much objected. OF course,
nothing would have been easier
than for Paul to have given up such
fiirtations. to which | think Miss
Ford was quite right in excepting.
Only that was just what he did not
do. Easy, | said; no, far more diff
ficult than We dream Of To be in
love, and to play at being in love,
are tyo very different things; and,
in their own way. they are both
pleasant enough. Playing at being
in love is a very facinating game.
and, like most games. it takes at
least two players. This game Miss
Ford liked not, fact which he could
not tell to these co-players.
When our engagement is made
public" he said to himself, II will
knock all these affairs on the head" "
So he very wrongly-wishing at
she same time to have and eat his
pie-toid his beloved that he would
forswear the close frienaships that
so much troubled her; and all the
while he privately INDUCED in them.
She found him out once. He rush
ed down to her house in the country;
where, as can be easily imaged, a
scene took place. 1t was the beau
tiful Miss Sanford that Hilda spe-
cially objected to. He promised
faithfully he would see her 70 more;
but the old habit was so strong that,
as soon as be retqrned TO London,
he went back to his Flatonie wor
ship of her. He kept, however, his
proceedings very dark indeed, | can
tell YOU; but, as We all know. muir
der will out. As i'll or good luck
would have it, an intimate friend OF
Miss Sanford went to visit some
friends who were neighbors of the
Fords. To the pleasure of all par
ties concerned, 1t turned out that
Mr.. Glarkson vas mutual friend.
Their came the question from our
friends friend: WAS Mr.. Clarkson
going to marry Miss Sanford?"
Every one knew what a fiirt he
was: still his attentions in that
quarter were extremely marked.
Perhaps so, said Hilda quietly
She wrote a few words to Paul that
night, asking him to come down and
see heT. Jam was nice when we
were young, but was it nice to be
detected in the act of bringing it;
when we thought every one was far
away. to hear a door handle turn
sharply. and be faced By father,
mother. or an old servant sure to
tell? Il was feelings similar to those
that Paul experienced when he read
Hilda's letter. 1t contained only a
few words, asking him to come
down, but he had instantly sense
of something being wrong he GUS
pected the truth that his sin had
found him out. The Fords lived in
a remote country village. 1t was
a hot June evening when he found
himself walking up the long garden
that surrounded their house.
Mrs. Ford greeted him very
warmly.
"Ill go and send Hilda to you" !"
she said in her kind, cheerful voice.
She left the room and few min
utes after Miss Ford came in He
heard her dress whispering as she
walked.
Good evening" she said. "It
was kind of you TO come when |
asked YOU"
She sat in a low chair, her hands
clasped loosely in each other.
But | shall not" she resumed.
have to tax you again in this way"
Have | done anything to dis
please YOU" he answered, turning
very pale. Tell me at once, and
let me have it over.
What | have to say Is" she re-
joined, that everything between US
must be over, now and forever. 1t
is hard for you, it is harder for me /;
you meant nv all Of life"
"Some one has been telling lies
about me- he burst out.
1T is YOU who have not been tell
ing the truth she said, With perfect
quietude.
He turned on her desperately,
seeing that she knew all.
'.Hilda,' he cried, | have acted
meanly By you but this shall new
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