The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-10-11

the old room, and with a bottle OF
good wine between US, [ said
Il saw your beautiful Miss Dorvaux
to-day"
John started as he heard her name,
but made no reply; so [ determined to
learn all that was to be learned.
1t was very easy task. Old John
had never yet been able to keep a Sc
cret from met may be, he never
meant to keep this. Anyway, in a
short time [ had the whole history of
his love.
Fleurette and her mother came to
Dalebury some twelve months ago,
and John, whose heart had been proof
against all local charms, had at once
surrendered. There was something
in the girl so different from all others.
Her beauty, her gracefulness, even
her pretty little foreign ways, had ta-
ken him by storm; and, as far as |
can judge by the SYMPTOMS he de-
scribed, his case was very soon as des-
perate as that Of a boy Of twenty 1t
may be, the very strength of the con-
stitution which had so long defied
loye made the fever rage more fierce
ly. Yet, severe as the attack was, the
cure seemed easy enough. He had a
comfortable home and a good income
to be shared; so he set to work seri-
ously to win Fleurette's love. All
seemed going on as well as could be
wished; the girl appeared happy in
his society, and, If she showed him no
tangible marks Of preference, was
pleased and fattered by his attentions.
Yet at last, when he asked her to be
his wife, she refused him-sweetly
and sadly, it is true, but nevertheless
firmly refused him.
Now although I, being four years
younger, and, moreover, his brother,
choose to laugh at John-call him
grave, sober and old-you must un-
derstand this is all in jest and by way
of good fellowship, and that John
Penn was man any girl should be
proud Of winning. He was no hero,
or genius, or anything Of that sort;
but then most of us move among Or
binary men and women, and only
know heroes, heroines, and geniuses,
as we know princes and dukes, by
He was a clever hard-working
doctor, with a good provincial prac-
tice. Modesty deters me from saying
much about his personal appearance,
as the world sees strong likeness be-
tween US. | will only say he was tall
and well-built, and carried in his face
a rtain look of power, which right
minded women like to see with men
who seek their love- His age was
over thirty. Our family
was good and our name unsullied.
What could have induced Fleurette
Dorvaux to reject him? Beautiful
she might be; but the times are mer-
cenary, and beautiful girls don't win
the love of man like John every day
in the week.
Although John told me all about it
in cynical sort Of way, which sat
upon him as badly as another mans
coat might, he could not conceal from
me how deeply wounded he was-how
lisappointed-and how intense had
been his love for the girl. As he fin
shed his recital | grasped his hand,
saying, with the assurance of one who
has seen much life
Hard work is the best antidote, and
you seem to have plenty of that-you
will forget all about it in time, old
fellow"
Il don't think shall. I feel like a
man who, having been kept in twi-
light all his life, is shown the sun for
an hour, and then again put back into
twilight. He will forget the sun no
more than shall forget Fleurette." "
"She seemed to me such q sweet
girl" | said, doubtfully.
'She is perfect" )" said John. You
have seen nothing of her as yet.
Wait until you can fathom the depths
IF thought and feeling under that
bright exterior. Then you will say |
was not wrong in loving her as [ did
as | do even now"
HAS any one else won her? Was
that the reason she refused you?"
mo one. She loves me, and me
only"
"What do you mean?' | asked,
greatly surprised.
"That evening when she told me-
firmly and decisively she would never
marry me-never could marry me-
even while said mad cruel words to
her, [ saw love in her fearful eyes,
And when, forgetting all, held her
and kissed her once, and once only, |
felt her lips linger on mine. Then
she broke away and fled; but | know
such woman as Fleurette DorvauX
would not suffer a mans kiss unless
she loved him. She wrote me a few
lines the next day, telling me it could
not be, begging me not even to ask
her why. Since then she shuns NE,
and all is at an end; so please talk no
more about it.
Here was a nice complication, Here
was a not to unite! John refused by
a girl who loved him! | own | was
glad to hear him assert his belief Ill
her love, as, somehow, it panied me to
think of Fleurette sporting with
mans heart. Although, as | told
you, I determined, at first, that she
was not the right wife for John, [ had
soon recanted, and thought now how
she would light up the old house, and
how happy John would be with such
a bright little woman to greet him
when he returned of an evening wea-
ry and tagged. So l resolved to see
all | could Of Fleurette, to study her,
and if ] found her as good as John
said, to use my skill in untying the
knot and smoothing the strands of
their lives. [ had always been an able
family diplomatist. Had ! not, at
New Durham, brought Roaring Tom
Nayne back to his faithful but desert
ed wife, and seen them commence life