The National tribune., 1883-05-10
LUCILE'S LOVE AFFAIR
And The Summary Way in Which 1t
Was Concluded.
TBu Magu \. PRESCOTT


face too. Where had he met her? at what
German or reception2 in the salons of the best
society or in the wards OF a hospital2 Or was
ii only trick Of iIaagination2 Had he waltzed
with her at some seaside hop, or taken her out
at some state dinner or wedding breakfast!
DR. Harrisse was a bold man ln.his way; the
few DAYS on the Malia had hung like lead on
his hands. there being but handful of cabin
passengers, and many of those without their
sea legs. He was a man quick to think, but
somewhat forgetful. His eyes met Lucile's;
smile OF recognition illuminated her face; he
bowed confidently, and advanced toward her
4" i am happy TO meet you again, he SAID, un-
blushmaly Perhaps you find it as dull on
board rs dol"
IF YOU are at your wits end for amusement
as / am I'm sorry for you" she said. My
poor aunt has not been able so far TO lift her
head from her pillow"
"Who in the deuce do know with the ap-
pendage of en- aunt?" Harrisse mentally consid-
cred. However, it doesn't signify. if she is
only amusing. and the aunt is not an ogre"
The ships surgeon, DIR. Johns, consulted his
watch Il shall be obliged TO deliver you to
the tender mercies of DIR. Harrisse, Miss Lind
say" be said, as he hurried away.
You see ] am lame still, she said, pres
emily.
as il possible!" he returned, feeling as il he
were gropng IN the dark. Had one of his ac-
quaintances suffered an accident which had es-
caped his memory She took ii for granted
that he was familiar with the circumstances.
misstep here might expose him. " But doubt
less it will wear of in time" he hazarded.
4" ] fear not. You don't realize that the ae-
cident happened six years ago; used it too
soon. ] must ride, YOU know, AT that time, or
die II was weak, and ] got another fall, and
broke ii again"
81 am sincerely sorry to hear it," said DR..
HarTisse. Was it possible that be had known
II r..,1
lected TO cultivate her? However, he would
learn by experience, and make the most of the
present.
s is this your first visit abroad?' he asked, a
day or two later.
"Ges; / have been away five years. call
Europe my schoOl-room. / didn't know any
thing when left America, except riding, you
know. i was perfect Ounce. / have stndied
the arts and languages can speak and sing
10 VOC in five tongues"
with the tongues Of men and angels I've
no doubt"
81 can paint you a picture that viii not be
half bad. Haven't used my Opportunities?"
81 wish 10 Heaven had used mine as WELL
had thought of going upon the stage"
50 wouldn't I'm glad you gave it up"
Surely you are not one of those who are pre-
iudiced against the drama?'
Certainly not But ] have an unconauer-
able prejudice against having the women of my
acquaintance or family before the foot-lights I"
"And vet somebody must sacrifice herself in
the cause of art, or the drama would decline"
Yes; and 50 there must be Nautch girls,
and tight-rope performers, and bareback riders,
suppose, but we don't choose them for our
wives and sWeethearts, we don't elect to have
our sisters and friends among them"
Miss Lucille had withdrawn her hand from
the doctors arm TO arrange her veil, but that
duty done, she did not replace ii till he made a
demand.
ButyOu would like your sister to write the
great American novel?v she asked.
Yes; the literary woman sits at work
beside her own hearfh-stone, in the shadow OF
her own roof-tree, protected from the public
gaze"
But how often she is dragged before the
footlighfs. so TO speak. Every penny-a-liner
makes her the subject of a paragraph; her
household gods are inventoried, her profits esti-
mated, her weaknesses chronicled, and her feat
ures photographed"
But personally she is not SO much public
character. She has reserves" And after that
the subject dropped
But Lucille aud DR.. Harrisse had a thousand
other things 10 discuss. he delighted in wo-
man who dared to disagree with him. They
found that they had just missed each other al
Interlachen; that be had only been prevented
by chance from joining the party with which
she had made the ascent Of Mont Blanc; they
had mutual friends abroad; but still the great
enigma, where he had known her in America
remained unsolyed. Put he troubled himself
very little about il just now; he was drifting
with the tide; he was passing through a new
phase OF existence. He had believed himself
invinclble, and behold he had been conquered
by touch Of hand, turn Of head" 1t was ab.
surd, perhaps, for a man of his years TO be SC
easily enchanted; he rather longed for the end
of the voyage in order TO discover if it was
only the glamour of pretty face and sweet
manner that infatuated him. He assured him.
self that il would not last bIrF he seriously
hoped it would. Such moonlight nights
were never known before as those which hs
spent with Lucille; such starlight never shons
upon palace gardens or mountain streams Wa
IT the same old world, or had he been translated
She sang 10 him in all the strange foreign tongue.
she knew; sometimes his tenor voice Joined
hers III lt seemed as II they were merely twt
spirits soaring He began TO confess now tha
he had never been so happy in all his life ht
began to wish the voyage would last forever
lie had forgotten 10 ask where he had net her
who she was, how descended, how placed.
1t seemed TO DR.. Harrisse, about this time
that Dr. Johns was always joining them, tha
he had q weakness himself for Miss Lindsay
and Harrisse smiled. thinking how futile it was
You remember Captain HamertonY ~ asket
Dr. Johns on one Of these occasions, when tn
talk had somehow drifted upon love and mar
Tiage
oh. certainly" said HarTisse wishing Cap
tain Hamerton and DR. Johns were IN th
Red Sea, fguratively speaking AZ remembe
him-an ancient mariner, always endowin
something or somebody, eh2"
SWELL You know, he fell in love with cir
Gus rider Fact. And he sixty, if a day;
real love AFFAIR.""
think j must go below" said Lucille
the sun is whitening" Naturally enough
I6cile was tired of the surgeons "reminiscences
naturally she had no interest in the vulga
loves Of circus riders and old beaux
You viii miss the sunset" he said, asid,
OBTAINING her. 81 DIR. Johns will be gone pre-
emily. Let us see the evening star come ou
together, on this last night at sea"
And ] suppose he married her and live
happily forever after" said Harrisse, bayin
carried his point, and turning to DIR. Johns.
No; she wouldn't marry him; but whe
he died he left her fortune, and she left th
profession"
"And the Hamertons were MapfoDer stock
DIR Johns left presently, and the sunst
famed in the west, and darkness dropped dow
over the wide lonely sea, and one star softl
fnembled into view; and far off a sail. like
white wing, shOne against the dark horizol
wan and ghostly.
- 8lIe sea has It's pearls
The heaven has its stars
But nay heart, my heart has its love-"
he sang beneath his breath "Do you knoN
can you guess Lucile-can you guess who N
love is?"
was never good AT enigrnasD a little di