The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-10-19

Every day found fresh reason for ad.
miring my beautiful companion, and
our walks through the deep valleys ana
up the rough mountain sides were to
me like enchanted journeys through a
realm of fairies. LII this lovel;est coun-
try in the world, with this most
glorious woman by my siie, / was, in
deed, as one TRANSPORTED by the light
of the grand passion that took possession
of my soul.
At first knew not what had befallen
me. / thought only that my pleasure
in Mabers society sprang from SINH
larity of tastes and pursuits and the
charm of her conversation: but gradu-
ally woke to the overwhelming fact
that l loved her with the one great love
of my life, that seemed to me now to
date from the days of long ago, to have
been always with me. and to stretch
out into the future to make it transcend
emily glorious, or long despair.
And vet as soon as had learned my
own secret, my former bashfulness came
back upon me with tenfold intensity.
and found myself often embarrassed
in her presence, while at the thought OF
telling her my hearts story, though my
brain was smtten through with dazzling
delight at the dream of successful WOO
ing, yet was SO overwhelmed that ut.
terance would, as was sure, be an i'm
possibility.
And Mabel? Her eyes were very
kind to me. They turned to me with 8
softened luster that thrilled me with
hope: and yet if I attempted even .
compliment, blushed, tloundered, and
was lost.
One evening we were talking of all
manner of subjects, grave and gay. and
so strayed to marriage, in general, ant
especially to the matrimonial lot OF
some of our old friends.
"You remember Boyd, don't you.
Hip" asked Tom.
'sTall, bashful fellow like me- adj
ded.
YES" replied Tom, laughing. ''He
married Miss Cutting, our former school
teacher. always thought she proposed
to him.
Sensible girl!' 1 excla med 81
think it is positively woman's duty
sometimes to help a man out. You re-
member that book of the late DR.. Hor-
ace Bushnell, published some years
ago, called a Reform against Nature?
In it he denounced the whole woman's
rights movement, but maintained that
every woman ought to have the right
to propose marriage TO the man
she liked. think he was scientifically
correct"
spoke with great eagerness, looking
always at Tom: but at the last words
my glance turned 10 Mabel; her eyes
were fixed on mine, and the look met
there sent the blood to my heart with
such swift. tumultuous rush, that j
grew faint with confusion, and present
ly rushed out of the room and TO bed
though not to sleep.
The next day / went out in the after
noon by myself for scramble through
damp and very rough gorge, where
Tom and Mabel did not care to accom-
pany me. was half glad to be alone,
for was nervous over my audacitv OF
the night before; yet at thought of Ma
bells kindly eyes, so overwhelmed with
binding happiness. that had TO look
many times at a bit of rock before |
could see the stria that denoted glacial
action.
1t was late sunset when | reached the
inn. The last rosy light was flushing
the distant mountain peaks with that
marvellous beauty which is one of the
wondrous charms of Swiss scenery.
made my way without pause TO Mabers
parlOr, led there by a force that seemed
to draw me by power beyond my con-
troll. The room was quite dusk and
she was alone. As entered she came
toward me with quantity of letters
and papers in her hands.
These came while YOU were away
she said.
Mechanically / took the papers.
Among them there was large package
on which dimly discerned tile word
'.Due," followed by an illegible stamp.
"You have paid something on this"
/ said; "Row much was it?" and looked
up
postage not stated" replied Mabel
Promptly, smilingly, she uttered the
words. Then her dark eyes softened
and faltered. The papers and letters
were scattered over the floor. had
caught her in my arms with all the au-
dacity that had been once before mine
in my boyish days.
Only now, as I pressed passionate
kisses on her brow and lips, l found
voice at last to utter the yearning that
was consuming my heart.-Dio Le1ois'
MOutbIu