Daily globe., 1883-08-03

AA '''S'o !" ain IL d HelSHDOrAnS WOOD,
the scene of many a former ramhle.
Both were unusually silent. It was
likely to be their final meeting. and it
was strange they could find so little to
say.
At last Kenneth stopped suddenly.
Katie looked up and saw that his face
was deathly pale, while his frame
trembled violently. Grasping her hand
with quick, nervous movement, he ex-
claimed, in a voice quivering with emo
ton:
1T is sin to marry without love!
[ fancied, when I asked Grace Dan
bridge to be my wife, that I loved her
at least that I loved no other. But
now that I have seen you again, love
that I had learned to look upon as a
childish fancy has come back with the
augmented fervor of manhood. Oh.
Katie, it is you I love and you only!
Will you not be mine? 1t is not vet
too late!"
For an instant her eye sparkled with
an inexpressible JOY. But the next
moment the joyous light faded, and the
look she turned on Kenneth was almost
stern.
"You have solemnly engaged your
word" she said, calmly and firmly,
"and I should despise you if you broke
it!"
Kenneth Warde let drop the hand
which moment before had lain trem-
bling in his clasp, but which was now
firm and steady. He had received his
answer, and knew it was irrevocable.
"You are right" he murmured, de-
sparingly; Il must keep my promise,
though it breaks my hearth"
Neither spoke again till they parted
at Katie's mothers door with the single
word, FAREWELL"
Kenneth found his uncle in fine pas
sion on his return the evening before
the day set for the wedding.
Bear it like man, my boy!" cried
the old gentleman, thrusting a letter
into Kenneth's hand; "I suppose this
will explain all, and relieve me from the
hateful task"
Kenneth opened the letter and read:
Mr. WAEDE: l trust you will forgive
whatever pain this will cause you. I esteem
you too highly to give you my hand wi hout
my heart. The latter has long been be-
slowed upon my cousin, Seth Ransen: and
1t was only the Emporium ty of friends that
induced me in moment of weakness to ac-
cept another's offer But, ut the last hour.
found myself unequal to the sacrifice of
true love to fe' gned one; and, yielding to
Seth's persuasion, consented to his plan of
secret marriage, and am now his wife 1
remain, with much respect, your friend,
GRACE RANsEN.
Bravo, Kenneth!" cried his uncle, as
the young man broke into a hearty
laugh; "T'm glad to see you treat it so!
The loss is hers, not yours"
1t was the day after the wedding that
was to have been that Kenneth Warde,
dusty and travel-stained, presented him
sci before Mrs. Dene, and asked for
Katie.
"She has gone for a walk in the
wood" was the answer; "she hasn't
been quite well for day or two past.
Kenneth waited to hear no more. He
hurried along the old familiar path; and
there, wlere he had spoken the rash
impassioned words which Katie had an
swered so nobly, he found her seated,
leaning her head pensively on her hand,
the picture of Respondent sorrow. He
was quite close before she looked up;
and, when she did SO, he was startled to
see how wan and haggard were her
features.
wish me joy, Katie" he cried.
II do wish you joy, Kenneth-Mr.
Warde," she answered istlessly; "but I
hardly expected to see you here; and
where is your-your wife"
"Wife?-the best of it is I have no
wife!"
Katie started to her feet, staggered,
and would have fallen, had not Kenneth
caught her in his arms.
Then he told her all; and never did
mortal man before relate with so much
gusto the story of his own jilting; and
when he kissed Katie at the end, why
she let him.-JaLdge Clark.