Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-06

A>rttoP
carriage was at the door; Bishop Dobell and Miss
Ramsay were to drive on. to the Fearing place.
ssagsen stood By tho step spt helped his tctsothed
into tie carriage, lifted his hat ever htly snd
said gocd.by. Irene wondered to see BIN SO pale
Already, already she was beginning to feel that she
was well cut Of troublesome scrape. Stephen
dined Wiley 1T the inn ; his father and Rena
sunptuon y and elegantly at the Fearings'. At
o'clock the Bishop came back in a light open car
rage. The groom resigned the reins to stephen,
saying that he was to come down to Riverside next
morning on the train for the trap. Father and son
drove silently home in the moonlight.
Promise me" said the Bishop, when they separ-
ated, "that you will attempt TO see this young
girl until you and have had some further CONVEX.
sation." Stephen reflected moment, and thought
| he discerned ray OF hope.
al promise" he said. 6 that will not at empt to
see her. but shall write to her." The Bishop looked
! black, and they parted.
Stephen had not noticed months, or DAYS or hard
y hours for some time, but the fact remained that
the closing week of the Hall school year was at hand
and the Bishop closely occupied with essays and
blessings and sermons, and his son could not enjoy
his society for the purpose of converting him to his
views on his matrimonial projects still he bided
his time, aud kept his promise, and Miss Ramsay,
| hsppily lodged with the Fearings, got the longer
| letters by the means Richard had received his
brother sympathetically, but both laughed
ittle for Of the affair had its ludcrous side.
At last all the dear children had graduated, and,
with those who had not and the dear teachers,
they had sought their dear homes, and ST. Theresas
was given up to the housekeeper, the ianitor and
their underlings. Then Stephen laid all his heart
and hopes and plans before his father and pleaded
maniuly and well, but the elopement had "got
out" the iippant newspapers jeered, the
solid ones held up praying hands, anx
ious parents wrote to inquire, trustees
were sternly shocked, and the Infatuated Bishop
was worse than memorable. Stephens case was
lost One day ne had bitter quarrel with his
father and started for the village where Irene was
still staying He had made up his mind he would
give his aancee her choice of waiting for him while
ne worked to make home for her, or of verify
sharing the crust and attic Of journalist for scrib
bling was all he felt good for, Grand his heart
stood still-of casting him off ii she thought him
no longer strong enough to be worthy of her.
He walked out TO the Fearings', and found Miss
Fearing and her sister louuging the veranda.
They were fright, lively girls, whom he had always
known and called by their first names.
"Well, Stephen !" cried the elder, "have you
come after that naughty brother Of yours who is in
such disgrace? We thought you would all get wind
of it down at Riverside"
els Richard in disgrace, too p said Stephen
"Too? What Are you p cried Madeline Fear
ing. "You see it like thisI No chsmbernaid
weeping over Frank Leslie could have more lacka-
dasical sympathy for parted lovers than Lulu and
and mamma, in her heart, shares our low sensbili-
ties; so when Richard came miserably up here
every day trying to laugh it off and brave it out
and poor Rena looked so woful and so decidedly
glad to see him. and all that, We couldn't play stern
propriety any more We gave them conservatories
and piazzas, and all the appliances, and told them
TO make love as much as they liked, and wrote to
Mrs. Ramsay to leave Reua with for the month
after school closed If yolr father scods he will
have to horsewhip papa, something, for it's all
our fault. Though truly, l don't see why they
shouldn't be married, do you? It's go absurd to
have stern parents and SO forth, nowadays"
"Stephen thinks they wrong to elope; gee
it in his face" said Miss Fearing, becoming serious,
"aD l think so too. They might have waited until
the vacation, and then arranged things like every
body But do like their making love in the back
of the chapel; l think it was too dear for any
thing"
"stepheu r. cried Madeline Fearing; they are
in the garden now, ard why don't you go down and
surprise them and make them believe you've come
with some terrific message from Bishop Dobel, and
when you've teased them well, bring them up here
and wen have some lemonade and ling. I'll go with
you il you like"
ON go alone" said Stephen, and the sisters
looked at each other in surprise, his tone was SO
strange. He went down the terrace steps and into
| the flower garden, and the heliotropes in
the sun the usual summer love scene: Rena, cool
and lovely in white, receiving the homage of hich-
ard, graceful and lazy loungipg at her feet. Rich
ards face had grown five years older under this ex
perience, still his eyes had their bright sparkle, his
mouth its humorous wrinkles. Stephen took two
steps nearer on the noiseless turf.
"Lttle fraud :" laughed Richard, edo you think
Pm going to let you go as easily as he did, the
minute my father chooses to frown? But he won't
frown, you know. could always manage him, and
you and together, with the Fearings to help, can
make him think that marriage is the only thing
to end this talk about your affair with Stephen
only see must never leave you for an hour, or
somebody else will come along and bow down, and
Rena will be playing goddess to him while l am
, selecting the wedding ring. know, you seeF'
Irene looked angry. She WINGED a little, too.
Don't talk so, Richard" she said, quickly
.you know it gives me pain to hear you"
"Isn't it trueY' he persisted.
ono, it is not true" she answered, low but dis
tinctly He sprang up on his elbow and leaned to-
wards her, but she turned away.
"You are thinking of Stephen !" he cried. She
turned toward him, blushing deeply.
| al am thinking of you" she said, and of what
can do to deserve that you should trust me-"
"Love me- said Richard, simply. She bent for
ward and kissed his forehead
Stephen did not surprise these ring doves,
| did not return to the yeranda for lemonade or
song, but turned and left the garden, leaping the
hedge and walking unsteadily down the road. The
next morning he left his fathers house without
spoken or written farewell and was lost to every
| seciation OF his life for more than veal. He was
wondered over shuddered over, misjudged in many
ways-who was to tell the true storyi Not Rena
! nor Rich I'd The latter had not overestimated his
| influence with his father. When that excellent
man learned that Mics Ramsay would reside at her
| home in New York city and receive the homage of
his son with the approval and under the chaperon.
age of her parents, when Richard was ordained and
his foe character deepened and strengthened under
manly apprecat on of his profession, the Bishops
heart yearned over the youthful love affair. In the
stiffness Of the night, too, he sometimes saw Ste
phens face, rigid with resistance of the misery he
had made for him, and he fastened to bless and for
give Richard, and told him to marry the girl and be
good husband.
The scandal did not hurt ST. Theresa's that insti
tuition fourished like green bay tree for Stephen
the lawless Loyelace, lost in the dissipation Of
some European capital, rumor said; and Hene the
misguided, but irreproachable, was to marry
Richard, the worthy namesake and successor OF his
SO distinguished papa. And the time came when
| the students whispered among themselves, /" They