Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-01-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
One Way of Love.

Washington on a salary of nine hun
dred dollars a year; he was in the
postofiice enjoying the privileges af-
forded by an income of twelve hum
dred. Once in while there was 4
holiday, when they would take the
boat down TO Mount Vernon, if it was
warm, and spread their luncheon in
the shade OF its historic trees and pa
tronize nature as successfully as if
they were nabobs. Sometimes they
had tickets given them for comedy
or tragedy, when they laughed or cried
with the discernment of millionaires
and the old families. On Sunday
mornings they sang in choir or
walked out to Long Bridge later in
the day, or strollcd in the Capitol
grounds and surprised the first violet
in its hiding place. Hclen's land
lady told every new boarder that Mr.
Van Week Twas going WITH Miss
Hildrcth. but Miss Helen always pro-
tested that he was merely friend.
that they were neighbors at home, and
had gone TO school together when they
were in their pinafores and the land
lady always shifted when hcremared,
''If he's nothing but a friend should
think there'd be a secession of his
love-making sooner or later
One day when they were rambling
about Mount Vernon together Helen
fell into 4 romancing vein. Suppose
this is my country seat" said She,
land have furnished it in the Queen
Anne style, and I'm entertaining the
creme de la creme just as they do in
novels''-
ga sort of Lady Geraldine-and I
am the poor poet, eh?''
IAN but the poetry mocked
Helen.
''Now suppose this is my manor
house, suggested Theodore, furH-
ishcd in the renaissance, let US say
I'm making great demands on your
.imagination-and I'm entertaining all
the swells. I've lurcd you here on
the prctext of looking for n four
leafed clover, but really TO ask if you
will share my magnifcencc with me !;
what should you say?'
81 should put my lessons in gym
nastics into use and jump at the
chance
"And if should ask instead,
Come share my cottage, gentle maid?'"
''Don'tI'' cried Helen.
You don't mean that you care so
little Tor me:''
Il don't moan anything. Don't
let us talk about marrying and giving
in marriage; we are happy enough IS
we are.''
But if I don't marry you some
other fellow will!''
Nonsense; penniless girls are a
drug in the market I've seen misery
enough from marrying on small sal
ary: I've seen people living in two
rooms, on water and crust so to
speak, doing their own work, with no
pleasures and no society, and no hope
of amendment; people who thought
love would tide them over all the
quicksands-and presently the hallu-
cination wore off, but the quicksands
remained; reproaches set in; she
grew bitter and unlovely, and he mo-
rose and neglectful''
''Then you think love an hallucina-
tion:'
Il think marriage is a mistake on
twelve hundred year. If became
dowdy and hadn't time to cultivate a
taste for aesthetics or whatever was
the fashionable craze, and grew jaded
and spiritIess with the uncongenial
task of washing pots and kettles and
stewing over a range, and if nobody
turned to look after me as ] passed.
one day you would find yourself dis
enchanted. Then, supposing the new
administration should push you out OF
office. even for a month, or should
you fall ill., No, we are happy enough
just as we are; let Us wait, like Mr..
Micawber. till something turns up. .
And so Van Week waited Perhaps
he was disappointed in Helen's views,
but he refused to confess it even to
himself; all women felt so, he sup
posed, cared more for shadow than
substance, or mistook the cne for the
other, it was their poetic temperament
which made poverty hateful to them
and splendor their natural atmos,
phere, and he applied himself moro
diligently than ever to his idea. work,
ing far into the night at times.
''You were not at the President:
last evening"" one of his fellow clerk:
said to him later.
"I? No; 1 should think not
''But Miss Hiidreth was there; sht
and 2ir. Sterling, NJ. c., were hand
in glove I heard him ask her t.
go and hear 'Lohengrin' Tomorrow
! night
Mr.. Sterling is in luck" was al
Van Week ventured to say; he die
not choose to carry his heart on hi
sleeve for every man to peck at. L
Mr. Sterling was fascinated by Helen
it surely was no fault of hers; many
a man had been bewitched by her be
fore this elderly Congressman, onlr
; Theodore forgot that they had all beei
: needy suitors-and as for Helen, b
felt as sure of her as OF seed time ant
harvest.