The Penn's Grove record., 1883-10-13

Have | pald my pOstASe > scan'
mered.
Indeed, yes; enough and to spare.
| Come. let us go back to the parlor.'
She led me in a willing prisoner, and
the rest of the evening l was her bond
slave her partner in all games, her
companion in the dance wherein | ex-
celled the country boys, and gloried IN
nv accomplishment, and at last, crown
ING delight of the evening, her escort
home.
This was all. The next day re-
turned TO my home in the city, ana
| Mabel Byrne became only q memory +;
strong at first, fainter as time went on,
| but sweet always. When, ! saw other
| girls | compared them mentally with
| the picture my imagination painted of
| Mabel and they never seemed half SO
| fair and sweet as she.
But then, I did not see many other
| girls. My b~ashfulDess, instead of dim
finishing, seemed rather TO increase upon
me AS the years went by. ] avoided
| society and was so much of a recluse
| from ladies That my mother was quite
| worried lest / should become a con-
frmed old bachelor. Perhaps n rea-
son why / retained my difidence was
that my pursuits were among books,
and not among people. had made the
science of geology my study, and at q
found myself in a comfortable position
as assistant professor in one of u best
colleges, the salary of which with my
own income added, making me so far at
ease that | resolved to devote my sum-
mer vacation to a tour in Europe.
Equipped with bag and hammer,
August found me making a pedestrian
tour of Switzerland, with Especial view
to the study of it's glacial system and
lithology. / avoided the w~ell-traveled
ways, thus escaping the society Of all
other tourists, and | was therefore utter
ly amazed when one evening, as | drew
near the little house which wa mytem-
porary abiding place, a tail form strobe
toward me out of the darkness and a
hearty voice cried out
Jim Jim Hill"
"Who is it ~ | replied, with a half
nervous start.
"Ah! / thought it was my old
friend. Have you forgotten Tom
Byrne :"
OF course not, for l had met him oe7
c~asionally since we were boys, and
was heartily glad to see my former COM
rade, always one of the best Of compan-
ions. |
81 saw your name on the book at the
inn, y he explained; twas sure it must be
you. AT any rate / thought | would
start out to meetiyou."
"But how came you here 2" | in
quired, "in this out of the way corner
of the world"
Because it is out of the way. Mabel
and | are making a trip in search OF the
picturesque. You know she is quite an
artist ?"
SO Mabel was with him. My heart
gave a 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
riage, and does not care in the least for
the ordinary run of society. She will
be glad to see you, thought he added
consolingly, ''as you are a man of sci
ence."
We walked back together tothe little
inn, and presently l was shaking hands
with a beautiful and stately woman,
whose bright, dark eyes flashed with
the strange intensity and fire that had
never seen in any other eyes but those of
Mabel Byrne. > IA
She greeted me very cordially, and
after we three had taken an evening
meal together, there followed a delight
full evening in the little parlor that Tom
and his sister had secured.
For once in my life | felt myself quite
at ease in a lady's society. In the first
place there was Tom to keep me in
countenance by a predominance of my
own sex in the company, then Mabel
did not expect me to talk of airy
nothings, but light foam of the
social whirlpool which l never yet had
been able to skim. She showed so much
knowledge of the subject that | really
found myself talking with earnestness
and enthusiasm of the formation of the
country, and especially of the glacial
system and the curious marks of its.
action borne by the specimens had
collected.
She in her turn contributed TO the
evenings interest by telling me of her
work, and showing me her sketches,
which were really of a very high order
of artistic merit. There was no school
girl weakness in her handling of the
brush, but a force and poetic thought
that had won her already honor
able recognition in the world of
art.
And you have never heard of Ma
hel's paintings until now 2n asked
Tom.
"No," l confessed. "You know !
have been quite absorbed in my special
studies.n
Eyes, and you have not seen Mabel
for ever so long, have you 2n
NO." l replied, mot since that sum-
mer ten years ago, when / was at my
,ranIpaOfhars - lZNs H