The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1882-02-04

your seeking, and it seems to me unman
ly to take advantage of this opportunity
"We are sometimes so mistaken sh,
said hnrriedly, but her words were hard
ly audible. and he continued:
"Alios, you have treated me very i'll
On that day. now three years ago, when
gave you my love, and believed in youcs
1 was frank with you. told you how
wild and irregular my life had been, and
how fill of faults was. Yuu reclaimed
me-you transformed my days - you
made life, all at once, pure and fair, and
then because some thorn in my love hurt
you, you threw /: all away and left me to
perish miserably." She would have in.
terrupted him, but he sile, ced her with
a gesture, and went on, ".And now when
we meet after three y.ars, you ask me if
/ am happy. II loved you ONE. 1 shall
love you forever. Do look bappy2"
II think there wers faults on both
sides, she said, quietly,
Yes, perhaps there WERE" he repliedI
"but was reading your last letter over
only to-day. Oh, how terribly bitter it
wasl"
"And have you forgotten your answer
to that letter." she'said, passiouately, her
voice qaivering and her breast heaving.
Il don't remember it, word for word"
he returned, quickly; Il know it was
written on the impulse of the moment"
But I have it by5h0art, Then, very
slowly: "You said if your love, in its
heart and strength, was little exacting,
mine was cold and tideless; in fact, no
love, only cold sluggish affection. You
almost thought was right, and that We
coula not bo happy. I am naturally
proud," she went on; "but woman with
less pride than l could not huYe acted
differently. ouly one course was left to
me-to be silent"
"Well-it is all over now' We shall
probably never meet again"
You won't take my friendship, thenT"
'Noi thank you; you are very gonerl
Gus, but do not want that gift.
He threw himself wearily into chair,
and for time there was a complete si-
lence. Hope is so subtle, so intangible,
that we are only aware of its existence
when it has ceased to be. Arthur Seaton
looked upon himselfas man quite with
out hope. 1t SEEMED to him that his life
could hardly be more desolite than il
was, yet who shall say what feeling. of
which he was not directly conscious, may
have sustained him during the last three
years. I. Now everything seemed gone
there was nothing left to him but death.
Presently carriage wheels came down
the rhad;; carria2e Lamps hAshed throuph
the window. Mr. Hunter hustled in and
announced, in tone of triumph, that
the carriage had come for the young lady,
and had done the distance wonderfully
quick. Then the door shut, and they
were alone together again.
Softly and distinctly Seaton heard her
say his name, "Arthur" but he did not
move. It seemed to him that he would
keep back all hts love, clinch fast his
heart till she was gone, and then die
swiftly of the pain.
"Arthur, I am waiting, dear Won't
you Gomez Z Are you. not going to for
give me ?" .....
Now he rose aud groped his way to-
ward her like q blind man. She stretch
ed out her hand and drew him to her
Then he bent down; she raised her face
and the hearts aud lips 50 long disunited
came together in long, passionate kiss.
He knelt down by her, her head sank
upon his shoulder, aud for several min
ut,s they remained thus, lost in loves
profound peace and mystery. And the
corhs continued to pop, and the wagon
ers on their way to London tramped in
and out of the bar, and good-nights were
exchanged between customers and land
lord, and as Arthur folded Alice's mantle
around her, she said, shyly-
"You are coming back with me to se'
mlmIna, are you notH'
"AIay II" he answered, great JOY evi
delt in his ia,4 and voice.
So the bedroom which Mrs. Hunte
I had been preparing all the afternoon
8 and OF which she was not little proud
e remained unoccupied; bu. the paymen
r was lavish and the days labor was no
e regretted.
b Oh! that neverto- be-forgctten ride I
r Chiselhurst through the wild, wins
E evening! And the rain ceased, an
E strange voices were abroad in the wine
: singing juoilontly over love rearisen an
6 fedeeming. And the clouds drifted {
e way, and the pure, sweet moonligl
y auivered over wet fields and trees, an
}, seemed loves beuediction.
leave you to imagine the arrival {
Is home. Arthur had always been favo
h ite with Mrs. ClAre6eld, aud in the ol
is days of quarrels she used always to tai
!, his part. When dinner had at last bee
10 disposed of, Mrs. Claredeld pleadt
y household duties. aud went to her be-
room. There she sat down before h
'e fire and wept profusely dear soul, ov
K the happiness of her children. Al
Is down stairs these two were very quiet
To them love was very solomn thin
ut and they were solemn lovers. Aud q
y wonderful, priceless moments went s
ID lently and swiftly by.
o. Presently Alice said, as she looked !
In you are not going to continue 20
IL walk TO Hastings this week.
III And he auswersd, with smile
We "But, my dear, have pledged 4
re word of honor to do so. "
q "And IcommaDd you to break it.
gh Yes, and he did break it; but none
..