West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1883-10-19

FOR Mr.. James HILL
How much TO payP'
Z" Postage not stated" WAS the faint
reply.
They all laughed loudly and looked
ut me. for that was my name. The
blood rushed in crimson floods TO my
face. got ON 60 my feet somehow,
and with Ry heart torn between a wild
desire to go into that hall and wish TO
sink utterly away from human kind,
stumbled out of the room.
The door was closed behind me and
! found myself almost i'm darkness, as
the hall was but dimly lighted.
paused Il moment and then heard the
faint sound of quick breathing; another
heart was beating ~ violently rs nv
own. For once in my life knew what
To do with my arms. caught hold ol
her. ! scarcely know how. The dark.
ness gave mo courage and held ner in
II close clasp, and pressed my lips Ia
her cheek in three or four rapid, half
frightened kisses. before she could free
herself from my embrace.
There, there. Mr.. HILL" she said,
with faint, merry laugh, " don't BE- 50
bashful again. I'm sure YOU are bold
enough now
Have paid my POSTAGE" STAN.
mered.
Indeed. yes; enough and To- spare
Come, let us 90 back to the parlor.''
She led me in, willing prisoner, and
the rest of the evening | was her bond
slave; her partner in all games, heI
companion in the dance (wheren | cN-
cellcd the country boys, and gloried in
my accomplishment, and, at last
browning delight of the evening, her es
cort home.
This was all The next dav / returned
10 my home in the city, aud Mabc
Byrne became only memory; strong
at first, fainter rs time went on. but
sweet always. When ! saw other Girl.
compared them mentally with the
picture my imagination painted o
Mabel, and they never seemed half SC
fair and sweet rs she.
But then | did not sec many Other
girls. My baShfulness, instead o
diminishing, seemed rather to increas,
upon me as the years went by.
avoided society, and was so much of q
recluse from ladies that my mother wa,
quite worried lest | should become 4
confirmed old bachelor Perhaps on
reason why | retained my difiidencC
was that my pursuits were among books
and not among people. | lrad made
the science of geology my study, and n
twenty-sevcn found myself in com
Portable position rs assistant professor
in one of our be colleges. the salary O.
which, with my own income added,
making me so far at ease that resolved
to devote my summer vacation to toul
in Europe.
III.
Equipped with bag and hammer
August found me making pedestrian
tour of Switzerland, with n special view
to the study of its glacial system and
lithology. | avoided the well-traveled
ways, thus escaping the society of all
other tourists, and / was therefore Mt.
ter.y amazed when one evening, as
drew near the little house which was
my temporary abiding place, tall
form strobe toward me out of the dark.
ness and a hearty voice cried out.
Jim. Jim Hill!N
WHAT is it?" | replied. with a half.
nervous start
"Ah! thought it was my old friend.
Have YOU forgotten Tom ByrneP"
OF course not for hal met him oc-
casionally since we were boys, and !
wa heart ly glad - see my former
comrade, always one of the best of com
paniOns.
Il saw your name ON the book at the
inn, he exclaimed; was sure it must
be You. At any rate ] thought / would
start ont II meet you
But how came you here?" ] in
CURED, in this out of the way corner
of the world?"
Because it is out Of the way. Mabel
AMI m iuCr tt.',, -,
y cturesquc. You know she is quite am
art ST.
So Mabel was with him. NV heart
gave - curious thump, and for a mo.
ment | could hardly make a sensible
reply.
Yes he went on; she is so devoted
TO her art that it seems to quite Absorb
her life. She has not thought of mar
rage, and does not care i'm the least foI
the ordinary run Of society. She will
be glad 60 see you, though" he added
consolingly, las You are man OF
science
we walked back together to the little
inn, and presently ] was shaking hand,
with beautiful and stately woman
whose bright, dark eyes flashed with tho
strange intensity and fire that / hac
never seen in any other ewes but thos,
of Mabel Byrnc
She greeted me very cordially. an,
after we three had taken an eyeninc
meal together there followed n delight
ful evening in the little parlor that Ton
and his ssrer had secured.
For once in my life felt myself quit,
p at ease in lady's society. In the frs
place there was Tom To keen me If
e cOuntenance by prcdOminance Of m,
=, own sex in the company. then Mabc
did not expect me 90 talk Of airy moth
ings' that light foam Of the social whirl
poo which ] never yet had been abb,
70 skim. She spoke first Of my s.icutiG
, pursuits: she showed 80 much knowL
edge Of the sui. ect that / really fonnd
myself talking with carnestness and
b enthusiasm Of the formation Of tho
Z country and especially Of the glacio
. system and the curious marks of H. a j.
ton borne by the specimen. ] had col
lcctcd
she M her turn, contributed 10 the
evening interest bv telling me Of her
work, and show NJ me her sketches.
which were really of very high order
OF artistic merit. There was no school.
girl weakness in her hand inc of the