Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-09-28
4 SOFT SOl'NG MAN.
A Lively story Of the Present Day.

!.
Michelct has filled book with the PHI
losophy of Love. VI. Michelet was par ex-
cellencc philosopher of la grandc passion.
That will do Tor the browning achieve
ment Of the nineteenth century, for tn
define the yagaries Of love is no trltIimg
task
There is Il Marcellus Washington
Browne, concerning whom tins story is
written. He had "done" the White noun
tails he had bgthed in the surf at Cape
Island and Long Branch looked in ut
Newport and explored the Nahant rocks,
all i'll six little weeks.
More than this. he had made complete
surrender of his heart at each one Of these
places, aud in each instance he had found
himself seriously bitten. ooh, what pity
TINT far women can bite y BY some
strange elasticity of soul he had also re-
covered from these periodic wounds. How
can the cute Frencliman explain Brownies
experience Echo answers. how
Poets say we can love but once. Let us
see. At Long Branch Browne had refus-
ed to eat for two whole days. The soul
stirring rush and tumble OF the tumultu-
ous surf had no charms for him. He was
in love with the glorious Miss A. At
Cape MAY he shut himself upin his room
and refused to be comforted for three
days he lived on cigars and weak tea. He
was in love with Miss Y, a fascinating
little beauty from PHILADELPHIA. If the
consumptiou of cigars and weak tea il no
exponent Of a genuine depth of feeling.
please tell me what is? Here Browne is
twice in love. fenrfully in love He sub-
mitted 10 the charmers without a strug-
gln. Ulysses-like. he might have bound
bi,,palf l a.. ;
rens but the magnetic currents were too
powerful for his susceptible heart to re-
sst. Well, one hot evening in August
Browne found himself wnirling out of
Albany on the express train for Saratoga
that dangerous arena for susceptible
hearts. lie was concentrating himself
on the important fact that he was "bim-
self again" and that he could once more
call his heart his own. 1t was not only
hot, but dusty-choking. binding. sti-
fling clouds and folds of dust
Browne looked around at his compaui-
ons. They looked uncomfortable dusty.
He turned over the pages OF his book and
tried to distinguish the type through the
binding dust. The book was "Bniwer's
Essays and he was reading that charm.
ing cpisodical fragment, Motive Power"
and through the lust and cinders he saw
this: There are few men inwhose lives
there is not some secret memory of an af-
lection thwarted. but rarely indeed does
an affection thwarted leave n permanent
influence on the after destinies of a mans
life" Browne Thought that hit his ease
exactly.
Immediately in front Of Browne sat n
lady and gentleman-an elderly gentle
man, comfortable.lookinga and self.satis-
fed gentleman. The lady was ycilcd
closely to protect herself from dust and
cinders. 'How warm she must he -
Thought Browne The elderly gentleman
pretty soon got up and walked To tine end
of the car. and Browne became seriously
engaged in minute examination of the
ladv's hat. 1. delicate little structure
which trembled with the motion Of the
train. A sudden lurcb of the car libcra-
ted the hat from its sweet imprisonment |
and down it fell into Brownies lap. from
whence it rolled on the floor, He STONED
to pick it up, and upon looking up again
he met the raze of two deem. Living evrs
brown, shadowy, marvelously fine ewes.
beneath masses OF dark. wayy hair some, |
what disordered by travel Where
thought Browne. was the adored Miss A
was the Fascinating Miss X If Pb;lo1al- |
phia where are all his numerous charm.
ers before this exquisite youno creature
For one moment Browne struggled against
the fascination struggled to be master Of
his plastic heart struggled to steel him
self against the pcwcr of the bright mi |
nation of salts and minerals before him
II suppose" said musical voice 81
NAV claim nv nronertv" She n,torcj
these words With a bewitching smile. 81
am always so careless" she Vent on 81
am sorry to disturb Won, sir I fell os-
leep in all this dust and noise What
miserable way of trayelippr
Browne handed her the hat with n how
and some inaudible words. The lady did |
not seem ayerse to further conversation
SO he began in commouplaces while she
smoothed her hair sand put on her bot |
II She WAS going to the sprinps-yes For
her health "You know we all 20 for our
health, i" she said, with a merry laugh |
YES that is NV father with me have
Just been to the White. Mountains. Oh. |