Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1883-01-30
NEW SERIES, VOL. XVII, no. 5.

work early and FASTENED to see her;
cloud of ugly rumors had assaaed
him. and interfered with his tasks,
she should brush all the cobwebs out
of his heaven. He met her coming
down the staircase in a white evening
dress, with flowers in her hand-cost-
ly exotics, such as wealthy lovers send
their sweethearts-s as he had
never dared to buy.
where did they come from;'' he
demanded
s'They grew, I 'spects-likc Topsy,"
answered Helen, laughing uneasily.
"Where did you get them, Helen?"
You are inquisitive, Mr.. Van
Week They were sent me-''
by Mr.. SterlingE''
''Tou do credit TO your nationality
you're capital Yankee Yes, by
Mr. Sterling, of course"
"Helen," he cried, beneath his
breath-'-Helen, are you going TO
marry Mr.. Sterling?''
IL believed am, she said, drop
ping her eyes.
Theodore never knew exactly how he
found his way out of the house. lie
was vaguely aware of brushing against
stout gentleman in fur-trinmed
ulster as he shot into the street, of a
stately carriage and pair standing at
the door, and darll-browed lady
leaning out TO look after him.
The next day he resigned his pos
sition in the postofiice. drew his saw
ings from the bank and left WASH
ington. 1t were well. perhaps, if he
could put deserts and seas, and
mountain ranges between Helen and
himself. II seemed to him as If the
earth had recled from its orbit, and
it required time for him to rradiust
himself to the situation. His idea
was all that was left OF him. lie put
into it all his earnings, he devoted
heart and soul 10 its development,
and finally forgot himself and Helen
HiIdreth in his work and its success.
1t was seven or eight years later
that they met, oddly enough, on the
Mount Vernon boat. Her Nivacity
was no longer the spontaneous effcr-
rcscence of youth and hopc-she WAS
a trife l'a&See, perhaps.
''Wealth and splendor have not
proved all her fancy painted them"
he thought, as their eyes met. MIR.
Van Week. she cried, ''who would
have dreamed OF meeting you hcre!'
Was the pleasure which frightened
her eyes and deepencd her somewhat
exaggerated dimPlcs "Reminiscences
of her power or was Mrs. Sterling
married fiirt, he wondered. "Wc
have heard of yoT often, to bc sure, -
she pursued. The newspapers have
not been silent concerning you and
your great invention. I've always
felt an ownership in that invention,
do you know? ] felt rs if / were be
hind the scenes. let into the secret
before the rest OF the outside world,
when he was only dream. I've re-
scntcd every infringmcnt"-
81 am 1iattcred that you remember
my small AFFAIRS said Theodore,
humbly-
Remember" she repeated, with
a lingering accent, Il have nothing
else TO do"
II have come down here some
times" she pursued, after Il brief
pause, "when we have n holiday, for
the sake of auld lang syne, and try
TO believe / am seven years Younger
and the world before NE where TO
choose. / like to come when the
peach trees are in bloom. as they
were that day when we built our cas-
ties in the air. Mine have crumbled
! into dust"
s!Mrs. Sterling, am sorry 10 hear
you speak so.''
She started at him an instant,
blushed and dropped her eyes in the
old effective way Haven't you
heard,' she said, II didn't marry
Mr.. Sterling"
Perhaps She expected Theodore TO
beam with sudden happiness and re
hearse the old story she had refused
TO hear once before.
''You left no address yon know"
defending herself from the reproachcs
she anticipated. Mr.. Sterling died
before the wedding-day was set. /
thought you would see IT in the news
papers. / am n Treasury girl yet,
Theodore. DO you know that ] some
times wish that had never seen Mr..
Sterling:''
Only fate knew what Van Week
would have answered, but just at
that moment bit of crepe lissc float
ed into their ncighborhood. and a
voice like a summer brook cried.
"Oh, my veil, Theodorc!'' Theodore
put out hand and it eIudcd him
Helen made a quick movement and
caught it on the wing
''Lct me introduce you to Mrs.
Van Week. Miss Hildrcth," he said.
''She would like to thank you. "-lHar3
y. Prescott, IN Our Continent
WHAT Is MrSDs-No matter! What