Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-07-13

I'll. dS d ldWH ii. ana HIS away iron
him like will o the wisp. His "shy
little darling" he calls her to himself
and the light shines still brighter il
his handsome eyes
One day he comes across her seat
ed on a rock looking seaward. hel
young charges playing at her feet
What beautiful picture she makes
The wind tosses her golden hair bacl
and forth. now hiding. now revealing
the shapely. swan-like neck; then i
blows her tilmy white dress agains
the rock like beating wings. There
is sadness upon her face that he ha:
never seen there before, and a sus
picious sparkle upon her long. droop
ing lashes.
Pearl. darling
A startled crimson face is turned
toward him for an instant, and thou
this time Pearl does not escape him
AS well strive to loose the shell pink
hands from a grasp of iron. Then
follows passionate avOwal of love
ringing strong and clear above the
roar of the incoming tide
Pearl is SO taken aback 10y his We
hemence that she forgets lie is wait
ing for an answer.
Pearl, darling. will you he my
wife?"
Again her face is turned toward
him, but the sudden light tlat SC
transformed it changes to a look OF
intense pain. and the tones are almost
harsh.
''Sir, you are forgetting yourself
release my hands instantly.
"Oh, there comes mammal chime
in Eva and Effie.
Surely you are not afraid of her,
Pearl? Let me claim you before her
and the world. She is proud, l know,
Yes, she is proud" repeats Mrs.
Everson, too proud to countenance
such a terrible mcSsdilince as this.
Paul, your father shall hear of your
conduct; and as for YOU"
She gets no further for Pearl. as
cool and as naughty as she. rises and
confronts the angry woman.
"Iou may spare your words, mad
am. as they are entirely unnecessary
l have not accepted your sons love,
neither do l intend to. Of course
this is all very unpleasant. and to
prevent its reoccurrence, shall leave
Aylmer's Rest tomorrow" And be-
fore Paul can frame word of re-
monstrance, she has fairly flown
toward the house.
How she has managed it Paul never
knows, but Pearl Wyley is gene be-
fore breakfast the next morning, and
no word of farewell has passed be-
tween them.
Alice, if you could only get Miss
Atherton's work to do it would pay 80
much better. and Paul needs so many
things now the fever has left him SO
weak" And Mrs. Everson's pale,
worn face looks up from the coarse
sewing upon which sne has been toll
ing since early daylight.
Il will try" is the weary answer.
''There is no use in trying to hide our
poverty any longer. suppose
1t is an elegant brown stone front
before which Alice Everson stands
shivering on that cold, wintry morn
ing. She is ushered by a pompous
footman up the velvet carpeted stairs
into an elegant little boudoir, and
there, i'll an exquisite morning robe
of white cashmere and satin, stands
Pearl Wyley.
Alice falls back a step in dislnay;
but Pearl, with a cry of joy, fairly
flies across the room and clasps her
around the neck.
"Oh, I thought never should find
you. And to think you have come to
mew
"But l didn't know falters Alice.
"The name?" interrupts Pearl.
'Oh, that was changed by the wealthy
aunt who adopted me, and made me
her heiress. And now / an going
home with you; l do SO want to see
my two little girls"
But it is of Paul of whom she is
thinking-Paul, who is still her king
among men.
Going to her home? Alice's cheeks
burn as she thinks of their changed
positions, and the circumstances of
Pearls dismissal. Is Pearl dressing
to make her look all the more shabby
Alice watches her wonderingly as she
dons dress of rich, dark blue velvet,
heavily trimmed with white fur. She
does not know that Pearl is dressing
only for Paul's eyes.
Mamma, have brought some one
to see you" And at the sound of
Pearls low, musical voice in reply,
the man in the next room, who has
scarcely yet lifted his own hand,
springs up and sits upright Oh his
couch.
"My darling come back to me at
lastw he murmurs, and falls back,
half fainting, upon the pillows. What
a vision of loveliness sits by his bed
side when he drifts slowly back to
consciousness He stretches out one
thin, emaciated hand, to make sure
the vision is real. 1t is gently clasped
by Pearl, and once more he shuts his
eyes, this time with a solemn content.
Is is only after she goes away that
he learns of the great gulf between
them. Then he turns his face to the
wall with a kind of dumb despair,
and the knowledge retards his recov-
cry for weeks
The choicest flowers, the most
tempting fruits, in the daintiest of
baskets, find their way to his room,
and more than once the donor re-
lieves Alice and her mother from
their long continued watch.
In his feverish murmurings Pearl
learns what is passing in his mind,
and the knowledge gives her both JOY
and pain.
She is sitting by him, late one
afternoon, and as the wintry twilight
falls upon his face a great, yearning
throb stirs her gentle little heart, and
bending over him, she softly touches
her lips to the broad white brow.