Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-11-27

have never been to the diamond-1elds.
OF course understand nothing of the
charms of speculation. A quiet ifd
with my book is all that care for
with Just one other thing, one other
thing. You begrudge me thai"
s.Mr. Whittlestaff, it does not signify
a straw what l begrudge you" MIR.
Whittlestaf had now come close to him,
and was listening to him. '.Nor. as Z
take it. what you begrudge me. Before
I left England she and 1 had learned to
love each other. 1t is so still. For the
sake of her happiness, do you mean to
let me have herr"
81 do
"You do?"
.sOf course Ido. You have known It
all along. OF course / do. Do you
think I would make her miserable?
Would it be in my bosom to make her
come and live with a stupid. silly old
man, to potter. on from day to day
without any excitement? Would
force her into a groove in which her
DAYS would be wretched to her? Had
she come to me and wanted bread. and
have seen before her all the misery OF
poverty, the stone-coldness of gov
erness' life; had she been left TO earn
her bread without any one to love her,
it might then have been different. She
would Lave looked out into another
world, and have seen another prospect.
A comfortable home, with kindness,
and her needs supplied, would have
sufficed. See would then have thought
herself happy in becoming my wife.
There would then have been no cruelty.
But she mad seen you, and though it
was but dream, she thought that she
could endure to wait. Better that than
surrender all the delight OF loving. So
she told me that she would think of
you. Poor dear! [ can understand
now the struggle which she intended to
make Then in the very nick of time,
in the absolute moment of the day-so
that you might have everything aud l
nothfng-you came. You came, and
were allowed to see her, and told her all
your story. You filled her heart full
with iov, but only to be crushed when
she thou ght that the fatal promise had
been given to me. saw it all, | knew
it. I thought to myself for few hours
that it might be so. But it can not be
sou
..Oh, MIR. Whittlestaff!''
"It can not be so,' he said, with
firm, determined voice, as though as
serting fact which admitted no doubt.
s.Mr. Whittlestae, what am to say
to your
"You! What are you to sayP Moth
ing. What should you say? Why
should YOU speak? Il is not for love of
you that would do this thing: nor yet
altogether from love of her. Not that
l would not do much for her sake. I
almost think that | would do it entirely
for her sake, if there were no other
reason. But to shame myself by taking
that which belongs to another, as
though it were my own property! To
live II coward in mine own esteem!
Though l may be the laughing-stock
and the butt of all those around me, |
would still be man to myself. l
ought to have felt that it was sufficient
when she told me that some OF her
thoughts must still be given to you.
She is yours, MIR. Gordon; but / doubt
much whether you care for the posses
sion"
'.Not care for her! Up to the mo-
ment when l received your note l was
about to start again for South Africa
South Africa is no place for her, nor
for ne either, with such wife. Mr..
Whittlestaff, will you not allow me to
say one word to you in friendship?'
'.Not word.'
elbow am to come and take her out
of your house?"
''She must manage it as best she can.
But no; would not turn her from my
door for all the world could do for me-
This. too. will be part of the punish
ment that l must bear. You can settle
the day between you, I suppose, and
then you can come down, and, after
the accustomed fashion, you can meet
her at the church door. Then you can
come there and eat your breakfast
there, if you will. You will see fine
things prepared for you-such as o
woman wants on those occasions--and
then you can carry her off wherever
you please. | need know nothing OF
your whereabouts. Good morning now.
Do not say anything further, but let me
60 my way"