St. Paul daily globe., 1884-07-24
" HEARTLESS OLIVE"

HEAR LESS ULlVE"
Olive Durande had the reputation of being
perfectly heartless. 1t surely was not her
fault that she was beautiful as modern
Helen-graceful, witty, accomplished, and
intellectual. 1t was not her fault that her
gentlemen acquaintances fully appreciated
all these perfections, land proved their appre-
citation by perslstently falling in love with
her. And SO they call her ''Heartless Olive. !"
Not one of those men who worshipped her
so madly, who listened to her relentless
"No," with such bitter despair, not one OF
them knew what it was to love with such a
love as she-'Heartless Olive''- was wasting
on the one man who did not want it.
Society did not know him; Mrs. Grundy
had never heard of any such person as Elmer
Cardell. How should she, indeed, when he
was nothing more than vulgar mechanic!
actually mechanic! A fellow whom she had
first seen in a leather apron, hammer and
chisel in hand, hard at work in her uncle's
machine shop. He looked little surprised
at first, when she stopped beside him and
asked some questions about the complicated
model on which he was at work! 1t vas an
unusual thing for any young lady to have
done, but quite natural for Olive Durande.
But his manner, though admiring, was ut
terly respectful; a prince could not have re-
piled her questions more courteously And
his language proved him by no means ignor-
ant. When her friends came to look for her
she was actually discussing some philosoph-
ical principle with this mechanic.
''Why Olivep' cried her uncle, "what have
you been doing all this time? I supposed
you had gone down to the office. Are you
ready to go now!'
eyes, after you have introduced my in
structor to me,'' she answered gaily.
With look of blank astonishment Mr..
Durande repeated the required formula:
''Mr Elmer Cardell-Miss Durande.''
The amazed young man bowed with the
courtesy of lord; but Olive, smiling gra-
ciously, extended her dainty hand, and al
lowed it to rest for a moment in his brawny
palm. Then, with word of adeu, she
bowed and turned away.
''Olive Durande, what possessed you to
wish to know one of my operatives!' cried
her uncle in suppressed tones.
81 like him." said Olive quietly. ''He is
one of the most perfect gentlemen l ever
met, and very well informed"
The other members OF the party passed on
ond left the room.
Olive and her uncle were following, when
they were startled by sharp cry, and Elmer
Cardell sprang toward them, shouting hOarse-
ly:
''Come back. My God!-"
He grasped Olives arm and almost threw
her back. The next moment he lay white
and bleeding at her feet.
A heavy shaft from above had fallen, and
1t was to save Olive from being crushed by it
that he had drawn her so rudely away. But
he was too late to escape, and the mass OF
iron had struck him in its fall.
Mr. Durande was unharmed. He called
some workmen, and, lifting Cardell, they
carried him out into the air, where he soon
revived. His injclry was not severe, and, ,on
learning that Olive was unha rmed, he ex-
pressed himself as quite content.
Olive said little in words, but her manner
spoke eloquent thanks for the great service
he had rendered her, at such fearful risk to
himself.
Afterwards she met Elmer Cardell fre-
quently. She loved him from the first; aud,
as she knew him better, and learned to fully
appreciate the nobility of his character, this
love came to be the ruling passion of her
life
1t was in libraries and picture galleries and
places of public resort that Olive usually met
Elmer Cardell. She extended to him fire.
quent invitations te visit her, of which he
seldom availed himself. He never came to
her balls and parties, to which he was always
in vited So she ascertained what resorts he
IN, tha bat Of IN IN al m
there.
Usually he was alone, but once she saw
him at public garden in company with a
fair-faced sunny haired girl, who was not his
sister, for she knew he had none. She caught
her breath with a sharp pang as she saw how
trustingly and confidingly the girl hung on
his arm, and with what protecting tenderness
he seemed to guard and shield her from ey
erything unpleasant and annoying.
She had invited him to call the next even
lug and hear her sing; for she was a fine
musician, and he was very fond of music
Contrary to his usual habit he came.
Taking advantage of some remark in
which he alluded to the previous evening, she
asked who was his companion.
'sMiss Jennie Varnum!'' he replied, color
ing little.
1Jennie Varnum who is sher'
''She is to be my wife, Miss Durande."
Olives face grew white, and she struck her
hands together with passionate motion as
of pain.
''Your wife!'' she cried fiercely. ''Elmer
Cardell, love you!"
He startedat her in blank astonishment.
''Miss Durande-you forget!' he gasped,
assoon as he found brea tn.
81 forget nothing; / tell you that love
you! Do you hear me say its They call me
proud, Elmer Caldwell; but l am not too
proud TO sue you for your love! This girl
this Jennie Varnum-I tell you, her love for
you is no more TO be compared to mine than
your breath is to the whirlwindi''
Elmer had now risen from his seat, and be
now took his hat and turned to depart, say
ing gently and respectfully:
ssMiss Durande, you are i'll, fear; and do
not know what you are saying. win go now
and we will forget tonight. We will say it
has never been.'
And with a respectful bow he passed out.
For moment she stood where he had left
her, with her hand clasped over her heart,
her lips compressed, and her face white as
death Then, without word or moan, she
sank gently to the floor, her white lips grow
ing scarlet with the red life-blood that welled
out from them, dyeing her white dress with
its awful hue, and in that crimson tide ebbed
away the life of her whom society called
"Heartless Olive"