The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-03-26

Why should l wish her life to be
happy, oi:aer29
Turning f.om the chill contem,
plation Of the outside world to the
warmth of the tireside did not
break the chain Of his thoughts,
did not cause these to shift from
the centre figure round which The
hour and scene had served togroup
them.
He scarcely noticed that tie frc
needed replenishine, &s he traced
in its red caygrns the story Of his
life. The little, lurid tongue Of
fame, lighting with transient
gleam the few bright hours Of his
engagement with the timid, shrink.
ing girl, whose love he had once
felt SO sure Of winning.
And as he watched, his thoughts
grew harder toward her, though he
had fancied sometimes in these
late months they had been soften.
ing; or perhaps they had only
usurped a less prominent place in
his life, thrust aside by the endless
work with which he strove to re.
place that other, happier life that
was to have been his.
81 must not let my mind dwell
On it-it changes me, hardens me-"
But for the moment he did not
check the current, rather allowed
himself to contemplate with a kind
Of defiant satisfaction the idea that
she was learning, in her Indian
exile, that there were worse things
in life than remaining true tt. The
inan Eho loved her.
"Cone in"
The knock, gentle, hesitating rs
it was, made itself distinctly heard
through all the turmoil of bis
brain.
"Com6 in," he repeated, rs there
was a moments lingering still;
then very noiseGessty the door was
pushed open, and slender So.
mans figure entered the room.
Long before she stood beside him,
almost before his eyes had done
more than take in the slim out.
line in the shrouding cloak, Robert
Lowell knew who it was.
And seeing her he felt no sur.
prise, no wonder that she should
be there, with no dividing ocean,
seemed to him for the moment
merely the embodiment of bis
thoughts-that was all.
Even her unannoun,ed arrival
failed to startle him; the open con.
serGstory door seemed to.explain
it.
But seeing her thus standing be.
fore him, silent, for she spoke nc
word Of greeting, 1t was strange
how his thoughts changed. The
point of view had shifted at once.
This was the girl he remembered
who had striven to please him and
her father, and had failed.
Not boldly declining the task
she found too hard, but slipping
out Of it, leaving others to bear thC
burden she had shrunk from,
Yes, The weakness that had falter.
ed before her share in the battle OIL
life was plainly visible in The
pleading eye, but trembling lips
But thOn, it was for all these
things he had loved her before lie
knew.
And for the moment it was oI
his love alone that he thought.
"Christinol" he cried, and for the
moment only the past was present
to him, "what brings you to me to-
night% And then as she lifted
her eyes and looked at him he re.
allied the change the year had
brought to her. So white hel
cheeks, so large and sad her eyes,
he felt that it might have been
possible even for him to have met
and not have known her
"How changed you are" he said
then, and his voice almost invol,
UNFAIRLY sOftoned. "Have twelve
rionths done so muoh%
"Lifo is too hard for me-" she
said, and there was a suggestion oi
tears in her voice, which had the
sad emphasis of her eyes. ~ made
you suffer, l knew it we'll. Ah,'
coming u step nearer, show many
gray hairs you have that you had
not when | saw you lastl Is thai
INV 1oiU09H