The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-25

"Of course not. SAID Dotlne. with de-
cision; and bee moth sailing by at that
moment, the two boys instantly gave
chase. and were led such dance after
it over hill and dale that they not once
think of their mother for full hour.
Madcap lay SO still that bird hoped
upon her shoulder. and butterfly. rest
ed for a moment in stray sunbeam on
her hair; her ears were dull to the dis
tant shouts of the children as to the
footsteps then approaching her, and be-
meath Franks eyes she rested uncOn-
sciously as though she were indeed
wrapped in that slumber which knows
no waking.
So would she look, he thought, when
--when-with groan he covered his
face, for he knew that Madcap was not
of those who could live on with all her
idols shattered around her.
lie folded his arms on his breast, and
all the love and longing ola lifetime
all the bitter scorn and hatred Of the
long-buried sin that had reached forth
its lean talon as from the grave. to de-
stroy the innocent, burned in his blue
eyes as he stood looking down upon the
still face, whose rounded beauty had
taken new curves of nobility, that, alas!
came suddenly to no human cOunten-
ance save by the touch Of death or the
bitter pangS of heart-break. lie would
not awaken her-let her sleep on; ay,
he almost wished forever-fOr it could
not be Madcap who would struggle back
to life; Madcap, whose step was music
and whose glance was sunshine--the
fullnesS OF whose woman's life was
grounded in the truth and honor of the
man she loved. How many years ago
was it that he had seen her tripping
over the cowslips' heads, child play
ing with her children? There had come
TO his mind. as he looked at her, some
verses that had surely been written fol-
her, and her alone:-
o zun. meakc the gil cups all glitter
In gOold all around her;
And meake o the deaiSys white fiowerg
y bed in the spring.
o light-rollcn wind, blow me hthcr
The vaice Of her talken.
Or bring yrom her feet the light doust
She do tread In the spring.
He shivered in the warm ar as she
stirred, and sighed. What was he 60
ing to say to her?-how should he meet
her eyes? he asked himself, as with a
long gasping breath she lifted herself,
and gaZed around.
| suppose that two drowning friends.
shipwrecked from different points of
the compass, and for moment tossed
up by the waters face to face with one
another, do not in that moment either
feel or express amaZement or gladness
Mt the meeting; and to Madcap it was
not strange that Frank should be here
! with the old resistlesS impulse of af-
lection toward him that had never left
her, she stretched out her hands, cry
ing, "Oh, Frank!-Frank!"
"Madcap." he said. just as simply,
and kneeled down beside her; and so,
for minute, they looked in each others
| pale faces, and then sob broke from
one of them; but it was not Madcap.
why are you so sorry?" she said,
her hand lying cold and still in his.
''Then it is true--I was not quite sure
there are so many men in the world,
but now know: and you must not be
sorry for me-but for her."
She drew her hand away and put it to
her head, trying to remember. Some
thing came to my mind as my senses
were slipping away" she said. "AU
lore Is lost Sdce upon God alone. That was
it. 1t was strange thought to come
into my head. was il nOtY l have been
very happy" She looked up wistfully
at Frank, but his eyes were bent on the
ground as he stood before her.
II always said that | should die
young" she went on. in voice as like
her own as a white-throat's song is to a
blackbird's land l was sorry--but that
was nothing. And so he stayed away
so long, because-because- and that
is why he did not ask me before he
went; and Lady Betty was right-and
land no doubt he loved her once" she
added, below her breath, shaken out Of
her torpor by sharp headlong spasm
of that jealousy whose fierce pain makes
woman humble, and shows her to her
own heart helpless at the feet of her
master.
"You love him, Madcap?" cried
Frank, as one who speaks against his
She dropped her head on her hands.
"Love himp" Ay, she loved yet--lOve
as we must love, as we do love for evil
as for good, and the deeper the sin. so
it be not against ourselves, the more
closely we cling to the sinner: we loved
him in his honor-shall we thrust him
from us in his shame? But to the wo-
man who has always looked up, that
moment is a terrible one when she sees
her other self laid in the dust; and real
ICES that henceforth she must love him,
not for that better part that might live
forever, but as a human living clOd that,
even while she clings to it, may be re-
solved into nothing, and so escape her.
But will give him back to her, z" she
said, scarcely above'a whisper; II will
learn to live without him. Only must
get away before he comes back: and
you will help me, Frank? She will for
give me, perhaps, when she knows that
l suffer too"
How strong in the thought, how
powerless in the action, is this same
tcM that does not take into account hui
man flesh and blood, habit. duty, moth
ing that we know and hold on by! Even
in that moment of enunciation. human
feeling gripped Madcap fast, and asked
what life would be without him? Love
cried out that it starved, and would be
fed; the shadow of sin cleared from that
beloved face, and left only hins-that in
destructible something that she loved.
She said to herself that she would be
dumb, deaf, blind, imbecile; but to his
side she must creep and cling. The
mans wrong-doings seemed far away,
the man most near in that moment of
strong impulse toward him.