Daily Republican., 1883-07-23
IN SUM MER TIME.
BY CLYDE RAYMOND.

cool lake Oh that pleasant, summer
evening, Shelby Ross-a sweet,
spirituelle girl, with yellow hair and
large, dark, thoughtful eyes, and a
complexion as white and pure as the
flower for which she was named he,
George Merden, handsome man of
thirty with those peculiar destinations
which years of successful woolng OF the
fair Sex invariably bestow.
Suddenly the man stopped and press
cd passionate kiss upon her lips.
"Oh, Lily, how could ] bear 1t If you
ever forget me ?" he exclaimed, draw
ing her with a quick, impetuous move
ment close to his heart. My darling,
my darling; so young, and pure, ana
true. Lily" holding her off a little
and gazing into the lovely face that Was
now covered with hot blushes, VI have
never seen another woman like on.
She hid her face against his shoulder
and gave her heart up at once and 1or-
ever to that blissful dream. Years
might come and 90, but no other love
would ever take the place of this one.
"Do you love me, darling" whisper
ed Meriden, in low and thrilling ac-
cents.
And Lily, as unsuspecting as a child,
looked up into her lovers handsome
fac. with those dark, poetic eyes OF
hers and answered, "Yes.
From that moment she believed in
him as she believed in Heaven. He
told her thousand times how dearly
he loved her he held her in his arms
and kissed her, and breathed many a
passionate prayer that she would never
cease to love him.
But not once da he say, "Lily, be
my wife.
In her childish trust and devotion
she never gave it a moments thought.
All she cared for was TO be near him,
to listen to his impas>iOned words and
dream of that future which she did not
doubt they were to spend together.
Again they stood beside the lake.
The water-lilts lioated on ITS bosom
as on hat other evening, and something
in the still sensllNuS atmosphere vlNldly
recalled it to their minds.
"George," said Lily, looking dreami-
ly away over the still, hower-dottrd
waters, 600 you remember, 1t was Just
here, on Just such an evening as tins,
that YOU first told me of your love-
eyes" he answered, in low,
tn ughtful tone: "if tnat love should
ever be taken away from you, LILY,
what would you do?"
"What should do?' she echoed, i'll
u bewildered way. Why, never
thought of such a thing until tins
moment. But, George, she went ON
on, her dark eyes growing sad and
solem as fate. If that should even
bappeu, here--where you first kissed
me and where we have been so happy
here, in this lake | think | should end
my life. i"
AMY darling" he cried, shocked al
the uulet intensity Of her tones. Then
the next moment, he tried to laugh it
oil. "Nonsense !" he exclaimed, merrily,
you would just let me go, and console
your empty heart with another love be-
fore a year. y
"Never, George!' y
He caught her to his heart in IA pas
sionate embrace and rained warm kiss
es down upon her brow and cheeks an.
lips. Did he really love her All how
bard it is to read the hearts of men likt
him
At last they strolled slowly back Il
the country. y.hOuse where Meriden board
ed ; it was Lily's home, and there, seat
ed in low rocker in the cool parl"r
gracefully swaying an immense tan,s
a lady whom Lily had never seen be
fore.
A lady, tall, dark, almost beautiful
and very brilliant, who rose to gree
ttem as they entered, and at sight o
whom George Meriden grew pale ~
death.
"Maud"
He fairly gasped out the word with
terrible effort at sef.command which i
was strange she did not notice.
| "Ah !" she cried, playfully. "io,
thought you had gotten rid of me foI
three months, didn't you? But con
cluded would rather spend the res
of the summer here with you and giv'
you nice surprise. Lovely place
isn't it? And this young lady ?" sh'
added, with IL politely inquiring glanc'
at Lily, who ood like a white statue
gazing at the smiling, brilliant stranger
"This is my wife, Miss Ross salt
lGeorpe, in voice 80 cold and cOnstrain
ed as to sound utterly unlike his own.
Lily bowed her graceful head, iik'
one in dream, then abruptly turnet
and left the room. ....,
"A lovely girl, isn't she % remark
ed Mrs. Meriden, carelessly, sinking
down into her chair again I" but how
strangely she acts y
LIN did not appear again, and as tn
hours passed by without her, terrible
forboding took possession of Gtorg
Meriden's heart. Those dark, solemn
eyes and that white, statuc-Iike rae
which she wore as she glhled from III
wife's presence haunted him. At last
unable to bear it longer, he insisted up
on searching for her, saying 1hat sh
might have gone too near the lake ah'
fallen in.
1t was only too true.
The beautiful lake, with its t1oatlni
| .1,.nr