Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-07-24

seemed to make nothing of my being
thirty-six and, to be sure, may marry
as he said. Then she tossed her heat
and laughed in little trickle of amuse
ment. "Oh, what nonsense, she ex
claimed within herself +; but she fel
scarce so old as an hour before, and sh,
could not deny to herself that she was I
trife pleased with Herman.
When she reached cover pang seized
her again, as she thought of the roman
tic two left for certainty alone with {
sweet breath of imaginative happiness
blowing about them, and she wondered
just how tender the words might be that
passed from one to the other. She
would like to hear Herman pleading ant
making sweet vows. Herman had al.
ways been pleasing to her, and she would
like to view him once as a pleading lover
because it would be so new, and put him
in tender light.
Was it possible to think Of Herman in
a tender light Yes, she could in imag-
nation hear his voice, low and vibrant ;
she could see his eyes fill with hope, and
| his outstretched hand she could feel the
grasp Of his love as it drew its object tc
itself. And then she started, and pu,
her hands on her burning cheeks. Why,
what was this +! Could it be that she
could fancy it delight TO know Herman
thus Oh, what a sham-what shame
to thrust the confession through her heart
that she loved him She scourged her
self with reproaches. She was in hel
dotage, she told herself; she was mad
she was worse than fool.
1t was not strange that she should have
loved him. She had known him and
gone on knowing him these several years
and she was not woman to be violent
in any passion. Her affection had rip
ened like slow fruit in its late season,
that needs but one warm day to bring il
TO its climax. Lo. her climax was
come, and she stood apart, as a person
might, viewing it with a sort Of awe.
Ii was an hour and more before she was
calm enough to set about the matter col
lectedly. During that hour she owned
she would have taken Ida's place in that
interview with Herman, if she could,
even to the complete banishment of the
young girl. She forced herself to face
bare facts With deep sense of humil-
iation she realized that she was jealous
maliciously jealous of Ida for the mo-
ment. She felt savage; she felt like
overturning and destroying, like torturine
and putting to the trial; and wondered,
as from out a sort of dream within whose
strange tangle she was inextricably in
volved. She laughed and cried, then
soothed herself like child, bathed hel
face, smoothed her hair, put away all
trace Of emotion, and told herself she had
done with the whole thing, and buried il
as in grave.
Feeling like very aged person, Mar
cia went down soberly to see after the
young people. She had called Herman
"young people" in her mind. She
found Ida, alone, with her roses torn and
scattered at her feet. The young glr
sat deep in thought, with her eyes on va
cancy, and she drew deep, unconscious
sigh. which repeated itself, even while
Marcia observed her.
"I had a proposal myself once. when
I was young" thought Marcia. Did
look so lost and sentimental after it,
wonder. But then l didn't accept him,
and perhaps that's the difference. | must
have accepted Herman"
81 thought Herman was here, Ida. y
Before she spoke even, Marcia's Jealousy
was quite vanished, and she felt her old
kindness toward her young companion
return.
Herman. Oh. yes; Herman was
here, but he is gone now," answered
Ida, starting a little; and Marcia told
herself he had proposed, and Ida was eva.
sive. .l.l. s
"Come and sit down, Marcia, con-
tinued Ida, by and by; then she laughed
happily and blushed bit at the sweet.
ness of the secret she held. :" Herman
just told me something but in confidence
mind, and he will tell you himself when
ever there is best chance. But you
mustn't hint to him, Marcia, until he
tells you, that I've said anything at all.
She looked prettier than ever now, in
twitter of loveliness.
care you happy, Ida, in knowing this
confidence Does 1t make you happy,
dear :" asked Marcia.
"Oh, Marcia, Marcia, l do believe you
guess it already. Yes, yes. it does
make me glad" -.-f