Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-16
THE SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER is, 1884.

haVe hange q 0lSplflLed miSanthrOp1cal
man into something like a new lite. Pd
never had my poems published but for
your kind encouragement"
4And scoldings," she added.
eyes, and seedlings; they were just
such as / needed; and the success of the
book, if it succeeds, and l have every hope
now that it Will, is due much to your ef-
forts. ! know how hard you nave worked
to interest your and R~eginald's friends in
the work"
douglass, the poems are bound to sue
ceed on their own merits. You must
know, too, Mrs. Winters and her brother
nave done more than l."
Il am grateful to them; bu. to you !
| " more than life itself; aud now, sister
mine, as | am go soon to 20 away, wOn'S
YOU tell me what 1t is troubling yOuE l
see it in your eyes, in every movement"
i am only painting and working too
hard, l guess. l know l am not quite
we'll"
Douglass knows this is not all, but he
will not press her further. He follows
the direction Of his glance and sees Irene
and Reginald walking down the carriage
walk, then turn toward the fountain.
Douglass wonders if Irene has anything
to do with Pauline's sadness. Pauline
excuses herself and goes to her room.
Down by the fountain Irene takes ou a
photograph Of a fair, pretty face.
lis very young, evidently.
"You know the face, Reginald? Well,
she was quite in love with jim once, and
l found this and a few letters among some
letters Jim gave me to keep for him long
ago. Don't you want to see the letter,
just to see how people change in the course
of years."
He glanced at 'my only loved Jim,"
aud then, tearing the faded letter in
pieces, laughed aloud as he said:
"Why, Irene, / am surprised that you
should imagine L should care for these
things. / now Pauline too well to doubt
her love, or to be jealous of a boy sweet
heart. Let me carry you to the house, !" he
added in a cold voice, full of disapproYal.
Reginald was troubled and unhappy.
While he blamed himself for being dis
pirited, he could not overcome the feel
ing.
II will go to Pauline" he resolved,
"and ask her why she treats m so cOolly,
and tell her how much dearer than ever
she has become to me-"
He found her asleep, and although long
ing to rouse her and clasp her once more
to his loving heart, he resisted the I'M
pulse.
''She might not thank me for disturbing
her, and | might not be met with the re-
turn of confidence which L do so much de-
sire. l a wait, sweet Pauline. l shall
learn you to love me more than ever. Is
it possible she ever loved Irene's brother?
Why is she so indifferent to me now, when
l know l did possess her whole heart? l
wonder if Irene has had anything to do
with it all? L am determined to clear up
the Mystery
So thinking he fell quietly to sleep,
while through many sad hours Pauline
lay quite still, but wide awake with a
strange disquiet tuggIng at her heart
strings. Oh! pride, how dearly we hug
thee to souls! What anguish is suf-
tered in thy cause! If Pauline had only
said: "Reginald, 1 love you; why is it
you seem to care SO little for me?" This
simple expression ava hard to make,
when the words of the young man in the
dancing hall, the hints of Flora and Irene
crowded upon her. If either had only said
some tender word the morrow would not
have been a day always remembered with
regret by both.
The next morning Irene watched Pau
line and Reginald very closely. While pO-
lite as usual to each other, she decided
they had had no explanation. Later
events seemedto further her purposes that
day.
Pauline, who felt that the pleasant out
door days were nearly all gone, gathered
her sewing basket and a book and sought
a faYorite laurel tree, where she was soon
busily engaged. A few minutes after Pau
line left the house Irene heard DR.. May
field ask for Pauline. She hastily dropped
a note in the open doorway and went care
lessly to meet him.
81 think l heard you inquirlng for Pau
line. Size is unde the big laurel, If l am
not mistaken"
She passed him, and, hastily gaining
her W room, threw open the blinds
and waved her handkerchief a number of
times. Her signal was seen and under
stood, it seemed, for a slender but we'll
formed young man briskly walked out Of
a little orchard near by, and, jumping a
low fence, made straight for the big laurel,
as Pauline's tree was always called.
Seeing some one approaching her, Pau
line looked into the face of the newcomer
inquiringly. Something about him looked
familiar, but she could not recall where
or when she had before seen the gentle
man; but as soon as he spoke her name
and grasped her hands she knew it was
her old cOmrade who guided the first
strokes Of her awkward pencils. A glad
light spread over face, and she told him in
hearty good will how glad she was to see
him again after the lapse of so many
years. In the old days he was quite a
hero in her eyes, since he drew such love-
ly landscapes, such beautiful flowers. He
really had some talent, and taught Pau
line all he knew in those summer days
five years ago.. True, it was little trouble
to him., as Pauline was so apt, and he re-
ceiYed in exchange the hospitality of
Forest Home. Its open doors was much
to this eaSy-gOing yOung man who wan
dered about living upon his wits. To idly
sit upon the river banks and fish vas more
in accordance to his ideas of happiness
thar the stiff COunting-rOOm his mother
was so anxious for him to fill. To gain a
few dollars at poker was so much easier
than to work for them. His mother ONE
times urged him to improve his talent for
painting. He could at least get pupils.
He only laughed n replied, che couldn't
make his salt in hat way" The truth was,
he was one of those men who can stick to
nothing, though capable of doing well.
In short, Jim Thornton was a goOd-na-
tured %scoundrel, whose misdemeanOrs
were often overlooked on his family'S &C
count. Reginald Mayfield had once paid
him put of a s%candalOus scrape, because
he wished it kept silent for Irene's sake
and for their mothers honor DR.. May
field warned him it was for the last time,
and added, further, that he never wished
him to enter his presence again. Pauline
knew nothing of all this. She probably
knew that Irene's maiden name was
Thornton, but it had never entered her
head that her old teacher was Irene's
brother. She remembered him with much
gratitude. Her girlish penetratiOns had
discovered no evil in him-neither had her
father or Mr.. Malcolm objected to having
him spend a month or so in their homes
during the fishing seasons. Now, looking
at his somewhat blOated face, and Observ-
ing his swaggerish manner, Pauline
thought her old companion changed much
for the worse. Still, for the sake of
"Auld Lang Syne," she yet felt glad to
see him, and meant to ask Reginald to
treat him kindly for her sake. Their first
greetings were hardly over before she was
startled by Mr.. Thornton hastily taking
her hand and whispering in her ear:
"Surely, little Pauline, you will not OBJ
ject to me kissing your hand just for the
sake of Old times?" and with lOve-like de-
Votion he knelt and kissed her hand,
pressed it to his heart and hurried off
through the trees.
1t was done SO quickly and oddly she
was thunderstruck. Had the man gone
crazy? Alarmed, she turned to pick up
her basket to return, but stood rooted to
the spot. In front of her, leaning against
a tree, stood her husband, his face white
and rigid.
80, what has happened, Reginald?' she
exclaimed.
He turned and walked rapidly away.
Pauline called him and fastened after
him, but he heard not, or pretended not to
hear, and with rapid strides soon reached
the gate, leaped upon his horse and was
gone.
Pauline, bewildered, wonders if she
or everybody else has gone crazy this
rrrrokoI0I dou