Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-08

like congenial conversation between father and
Frank has been terminated by the latter going
out for smoke. and the former shutting his
big book on divinity with bang. and ordering
me to light the candles and go to bed 1t is
then that can think of Dick and as L do SO
my heart grows sore and tender that the fool
ISL tears of which Tom falsely accused me before
rise in reality to my eyes, and even indulge
myself with little sob at the thought of the
angry parting of which pretended to make so
light few hours since. | cannot bear Dick to
be angry with. me. Dick. who for all his quick
fiery nature. is gentle as a woman in general
With those he loves. and who has been so tender
and true to me all these years that at times his
very generosity makes one forget that those
who give much have right to expect much in
return.
long engagement is very trying thing
Not that 1t dminishes the mutual love of those
most concerned; but that it Is apt to lessen the
outward expression OF it, and bring about unin-
territorial Sights and apparent cOOlnesses, and
1t is trying too from the fact that the longer it
lasts the less consideration or sympathy 1t seems
to elicit from those even most nearly allied to
the lovers; and who, when the first ecldt of the
affair is over, are apt to regard it's heightened
existence with something of Impotence, not to
say contempt. Dick and 1 have been engaged
an immense while, four years before mother
died; and he was ready and waiting for me when
she was first taken ILL., nearly year before that
remember what disappointment it was to
him when the first pOstpOnement Of the mar
rage occurred then, and how dear mother SYM
pathlzed with US and promised to make haste
and get well; but 1 don't think the rest of the
family gave thought to 1t at all; and when. in
stead OF getting well. she died. and my presence
as the eldest became more necessary than ever,
the home party seemed to agree to look on me
as quite as much of fixture as the old clock in
the hall. and to regard poor Dick as an unau-
thOrzed and somewhat tiresome interloper
whose rare demands on my time and attention
could be either laughed at or ignored by even
the youngest Of his sweetheart's home belong
ings
And fear that long custom has almost Injured
me to this. and dearly as l love my lover, to Civ
ing tacit assent at any rate to the theory that
whOever's wishes are to come first with me- his
and of course mine, must inevitably be last.
don't see him often He is a civil engineer
and too busy to pay frequent visits to our quiet
village; but during this one his patience has
been tried more than usual. We have hardly
been together ten minutes: and when | look
back to this evening and recall how cavalierly
L met and dismissed his tender. passionate
pleading for the fulflment of that old promise,
L feel that. even though | could give him no
other answer i'm the main, he has right to feel
hurt and angered. and mediate more loving
greeting to him i'm the morning. and tete-d-tete
walk to be stolen somehow out of household
duties. 1t will not be difficult to make friends
with him. He is very fOrgiving always, my
lover.
How beautifully that morning dawns. Is
there anything more lovely than those early
April days: when the sun rises in turquoise
SKY through the feathery riffs of rose and silver
clouds, when the furred white buds of the chest
nut and the glossy brown buds of the beech are
opening on every side, and the tender green
leaves parting and 1uttering ON the wanton
breeze?
When daisies pied and violets blue
Ana lady SmOckS all silver white,
And cuckoo buds OF yellow hue,
DO paint the meadows with delight
When the roaring moon of daffodil and GRO
Gus Is hardly gone and catkinS swing on every
hazel bOugh. and down in bosky woods the
golden palm gtters like a fairy tree above a
parple sheet of viOlets when the lark goes tril-
ing. trllling above the fields where the Young
green wheat slopes down in emerald waves and
lambs are leaping and linets pairing and
Beehives wake and whirr,
And rabbit thins his fur
And golden In the sun
R1VuletS rise and run
Ana lilies bud, for Springtime Is begun.
Is there ever gayer. gladder time in all the
year, or gayer, gladder morning than this
when rise and look, across the frOthinS snow
OF pear blossoms and meadows paved with golden
Duttercups. to the red roof of thevlaye inn. half
hidden In elm trees. beneath which Dick HODGES ?
fefhaps he may be striding across those meadows
now 10 pay us an early visit and bring me
ouhch OF VIOlets. He has done so once or twice.
Out 1ather doesn't like visitors at break fast and
| m afraid Dick has found it out; at any rate he
does not come to-day and so / 90 down To
breakfast. give the orders for dinner. set the
twins to their studies. and am lust going TO
assist Maude through her laborOus efforts at
wading up the scale of ID. when the maid brings
me letter which she says has lust come from
the inn, and see it is from Dick %. ne ga
How thankful / have been since then that
irIt Maude and went away to read it hv myself
1Or even the first words seem to daZe and dazzle
me- 1t begins, MY dear Cecy" and then | sit
ana read and reread the rest over and over
again. how long l never knew. with ewes that
see. yet see not and heart which beats vet
refuses to comprehend. How can it? The SIM
Is stu shining the birds singing. the daffodiIs
nod thelr golden chalfced heads to the whisper-
ing wind How can |, poor little Cecily Vernon
understand that the sun that has shone over INV
lie so long has gone out oft all at once and for
ever. that may never hear again those tender
whispers which have been sweeter than any
music 10 me since my childish days! For" Dick
Is gone, and this is what he tells me- -
When he went back to the inn he fopnd
letter awaiting him from the contractors for that
canadian railroad of which he had told me he
fore The man who had been appointed in his
place mad turned out utterly incompetent. the
works were barely commenced. and the direc
tors now wrote to offer him again the most he
had refused with larger salary than before. but
with the added prOVisO that he must sail within
the week. 1t was a liberal offer and he was still
very hot and angry On the spur of the moment
he sat down and accepted it; and then in the act
OF sealing the letter repented him of what he
had done Perhaps he remembered how lone
we had loved one another and what bitter main
parting would be; at any rate he put the letter
IN his pocket and came up to the vicarage to tell
me again that if would marry him i'm June he
would still accept the smaller appointment in
lieu OF this: or if that were really jmpossihje
would arrange to come back from Canada in
the autumn. make me his wife, and take me
back with him. '
Well, you guess what he found? A whole
family laughing and making game of him. mock
ln@ at the pain which had driven him away. the
love which had brought him back: nv lailpb-
Heaven help me. mine!-the lOudest in the party.
my hand aiding in the jest which was amusing
set OF thoughtless boys. ''And so, he wrote,
II went away and write this now to bid Won
goodbye My eyes have been opened at last.
and see only too plainly that the years which
have only intensified my love for YOU have
withered yours at the root, that my visits have
been WEAKNESS, my fidelity a Jest Perhaps
some day may live to be thankful that I have
learnt this lesson even so late but cannot do
so yet; nor can bring myself to the useless pain
OF meeting you again. | go back to nv old
lodgings at once, and sail for Canada this week.
would to Heaven you had told me the truth
which sends me from Won before but T do Mt