The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-23
., Miss Smith and what business it was o

Ok0 w OO pAy ... -
There had been another addition to thu
family gatherings in the way OF g beau iol
his sister Dora. For two weeks these three
Young men and the six girls had a high ole
time together, sleighing, skating, and ever
coasting, From the latter sport Myrtl'
and Fannie abstained. They were to'
stuck up, the others said, since they hat
been to school at Boston. 1t was not oftel
that Charley had a chance to see Myrtl
alone. There were SO many and They wer
nearly always together. But at length
weary of general conversations IN whlcl
Myrtle seldom had much to say, he pro
cured d sleigh only large enough Tor 1--WE
| and took her away from the crowd, ava.
/ from Jim. away from the world, not
| sound to be heard but the muff1ed tread Q
| the horse and the merry jingle OF the sleigl
! bells; nothing to be seen but the noun
| tains and the snow and the stars. In thes'
| rides he learned to know Myrtle as he hat
| never known her before. And he loved he
| as it is only granted to us once in a lite t.
love.
1t was the last night before her return t.
| school,. They were gliding for the last tim
over the silent snow. The tinkling OF tn
| horse's bells alone broke the stiffness OF tn
| night, and q spirit of sadness seemed t.
! settle over them. He drew in the reins an
allowed the horse to walk as slowly as h
would.
when will you finish school?' wa
asked.
81 shall complete the regular course il
June; but I intend to take a special cours
in music next year.
'.Then it will be more than a year befor
you come home for good?"
Yes"
s.That seems a long time"
The most commonplace words are som
times the vehicle for thoughts far othe
than a literal definition OF them wouIt
convey. The word becomes a medium 10
the tone, and the tone will mean the same
be the word. what it may. A free transla
ton of his last remark a
I love you, Myrtle, more than hav'
the words to tell"
Yes, it seems like a long time" were tn
words she used. What she said was, "
have loved you since. we were children to
gether."
''Oh! language is so weak when we woul'
tell the feelings IF our hearts. But nature
has given symbols more potent THAI
words. Who can tell how it happened
One hour Of perfect happiness is given t.
zach OF IFS, i think. that we may kno"
thereafter the nothingness OF life. Thl'
hour was theirs.
"Myrtie. when you come back iron
school will you be my"
The sentence was never finished. With Il
cry of horror. a cry Of despair, she tor
herself from his embrace.
Remember, Miss Smith,
At first he did not understand.
What do you mean?"
II mean it is not right, when you are al
ready engaged
".Who says 1 am engaged?" he cried, an
grily.
'Everybody!"
There flashed across his mind the thought
of nightingales, the Southern moon--"o'er
the northumberland too soon.'
Severl things now required to him with new
meaning. The cordial reception he had
met with the evening he took tea with the
family, Miss Smiths II knew you never
cared for me because we were rich," the
half unhe .ded little jokes that had passed
around the table, all came back now to
tell him that. though loving and below ed
his lips were sealed. His heart sank within
him, and he knew o what that sensation
meant.
He could not deny it. But he told her
o it happened; how he had no thought
but one OF sympathy with a girl in distress;
how she had taken everything for granted,
and all the long dreary tale.
Now" he said, ''can any one say I ain
bound when l never spoke one word of love
to her all the timer"
Charley, it is a common saying that
actions speak louder than words: but it is
zone the less true; and you are bound.'
Her words were to him as a funeral knell
But he rallied. He resolved to free himself
from the ENHANCEMENT and return and
claim Myrtle as his bride. Hesald as much
NO." she said; my love and my respect
must go together"
Little did he know what pain the proud
words cost her. And who CAN say that
had he cut loose from the net in which hi
was ensnared she would, loving him as she
did, have had the more than human
strength to abide by her resolution.
They were before her fathers home. He
refined up the horse and the next minute
was handing her from the sleigh.
Myrtle, [ must say goodbye to you
now. l shall not come down with the
girls tomorrow to see you off," She gave
him her hand, and holdingit in his hand
he continued: do you remember when
we parted more than two year ago."
II remember" All, she did indeed. re
member. She had lived on hat parting
kiss for many a day.
81 may never see you again; n If !
obey you, the life before me will not be a
happy one. 0, love, give me one kiss to
look back to and remember when"
The blood mantled to her cheek, but she
did not turn it to him as before. 1t was
her lips that now met his in all the earn.
OF love, in all the wild abandon.
tment Of love that loves in vain. It was
long before he suffered her to withdraw.
1 1,ck k1or r,-%ol - -1o-no --l l. ..-.
gone.
She watched the sleigh glide down the
road, heard the last tinkle in the distance
of the horses bells, and when she had
thrown her aching head on the pillow, sob
after sob convulsed her bosom, till at last
she fell asleep.
When Charles went back to his business
it was with the firm resolve to break with
come what might. He stuck close
to his work all day, and in the evening
to it again. He must make up
for the lost time, he said. He would have
it was
The sad mechanic exercise
Like dull narcotic soothing pain"
brought him something hat seemed like
relief, rest such as the Siberian exile feels
oo SAS IN - C0N udy . "CdIV 6Udkc CudC
takes him farther from his home.
1t was three weeks after his return before
he could muster strength to go to CIytie.
He was resolved to show her that she had
his actions. He was conf
dent that SO far as words were concerned
he had been discreet. He had never asked
her to marry him, had not ever told her
that he loved her. 'What can she have to
.reproach ME WITH" he asked himself again
and again. as he sat in the parlor waiting
for her. Presently he heard her come
down the stairs. She dragged her.
self into the room with a step far different
from the one with which she used t. run to
welcome him. He had pictured to himself
how he would extend one hand to her not
seem to understand when she raised her
lips for him to kiss; how he would call her
Miss Clytelmnestra. and how she would then
him as Mr.. Montgomery. But she
did not lift her lips to him; she only let her
hand, cold as ice. drop languidly into his,
Ind in a sad voice said:
Good evening, Charley; I am glad to see
you once more"
She sank down upon a sofa and her eye
ids dropped as she fixed her gaze on the
loor. He was startled to see how pale she
was and how thin she had become. There
we're dark rings under her eyes and all the
red was gone from her lips. She
said nothing. Charley became uneasy. He
lad been prepared to meet every charge,
10 tell her that it was she who made all the
advances, that he had never once spoken
)f love, and that she had misunderstood