St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-20
ARTHUR'g DEVOTION.
His LCyc, Restrained for Years.
WOuId no Wore Brook Control.

'ElInOr," tenGerly, Il nave lONeu you
so long. Must the devotion Of years have
been lavished in yain?:"
The pleading accents awoke no answer
ing sentiment. The fair, white face was
calm. 4 faint, plying smile hoyers around
the tender curves OF the sweet mouth.
Disdain, he thinks, were better than such
supreme indifference. ''Elinor.' What q
passionate yearning is III the low cry!
Don't. please, Arthur, [ almost feel as
if I must be terribly to blame for your suf-
fering."
You to blame? All. no, dearest. l
couldnot help LOVING you from the moment
when. a youth OF j.. ! first saw You in
church. l said 10 myself then. Arthur
Gordon, there is the one girl in the world
for yoU. From that time forth my only
happiness consisted in thinking of you;
planning what I could do to give you pleas
IRE. After four years Of such worship l
have been unable to move your heart. l
have touched your life 50 lightly that, were
You never to see me again. you would not
beSt0W upon mt n regret"
Indeed. you wrong Me- interrupted
the young lady, earnestly. ''ElinOr CARR
son never fUTgets 4 friend-and who has
becua truer friend to the orphan than you,
my brOther?"
Gordon raised her dainty hand to his lip
with reYcrcatial gesture. Il accept tn
title, dear love" he said graveiy. IF l
may not be more to you, at least, | Will, be
your brother. ever ready 10 care for your
Interests loving you with all my might, yet
hoping for nothing in return
y slight blush stained the pale cheeks.
You are too noble, Arthur. You de-
serve more. Forget me. and find another
upon whom to pour out such disinterested
affection"
The world holds no other for me" he
answered tenderly, a beautiful smile illu-
minating his frank countenance.
Meeting those clear, gray eyes, Elinor
felt that he was q man to be trusted. Why
could she not care for him as she desired.
Rich, handsome, upright. what more could
any woman demand? She sighed.
4 = y = = =
"Youh have heard the latest, of course,
Ellie?" gayly inQuired a pretty girl, as she
tossed aside her gloves preparatory to
spending an hour,or so with her friend.
NO" answered Miss Garrison.
"Why, l thought he must have told you
himself, SO | ran over purpoSely to hear all
about it."
''Of whom are you s~peaking?:" was the
quiet response.
''Of Arthur Gordon. His engagement
to a Miss Marion HepwOrth of Boston, is
just announced" watching EIinor furtively
as she answered.
The latter looked courteously interested
nothing more, as she resumed the etching
which Olive Lindsey'S entrance had inter
rupted.
lyon are not mistaken, Oliver" with a
great assumption of Indifference.
Certainly not" with some spirit, as the
young lady drew a Tiny package of rick
rack from her pocket and began to work
nimblY. Brother Frank heard it at the
club last evening. You know, Ellie, L
never repeat a story unless very sure of its
truth"
Miss Garrison smiled. q was not doubt
ing YOU, Ollie" She said %soothingly. Il
know you are not Il bit Of a gossip" A
moment later: ''IIave /. shown you my
new spring suit?:" adroitly turning the CON
YcrsltiOn.
Once fairly launched upon this f%ascinat-
ing topic, Miss Lindsey forgot to refer again
10 Gordon'S engagement. and after a half
hour that seemed mterminable TO Elinor.
took her leave.
so" thought Elinor. while her red lip
cUrled half scornfully, this was the end OF
all those proteStationS Of undying hdel-
ity.7
1t was q disappointment to find him nc
different from other men. Her heart beat
NOE rapidly at the recollection of his last
words:
The world holds TO other for me-"
"Ah." whispered Elinor, triumphantly,
she loves me only. 1 wish Miss Hepworth
joy Of her prize"
= = \ = = X y
In a village ones private affairs are COM
mon property. Everyone knew of Cor
dOH's long devotion to Miss Garrison. All
were anxious to see how she would stand
her knights deSertiOn.
But M were able to read her real feel
ings, though many were the suEmises.
Gordon was away on business. AT the
close Of a fortnight he returned and sought
ElinOr's house the first of any,.
Her greeting. though free fr~om'embarrasS-
ment and perfectly courteous. yet had a
something indefinable, which struck the
gentleman.
'EIinor, , he said softly. and his melO-
diOuS tones thrilled the dormant heart of
the woman, you are not like yourself.
Have you forgotten our parting compac
little sister," a silky muStache brushing the
averted check.
That agreement is no longer bindingy'
she cried Indignantly, her usually gentle
eyes flashing. DO not dare to touch me,
Mr.. Gordon
Excitement lent an additional charm to
the mobile face. Gordon gazed at her adj
miringly. His love, restrained for years,
would no more brook control. In an ec,
stacy oflonging he caught her in his arms
and kssed'her madly, over and over, until
the scarlet hue Of the beloved countenance
warned him to deSiSt.
81 will never forgive you, . she painted.
breaking from him-''never..' tears rolling
swiftly down. Leave metz
''What have l done? l have lost her re-
spect, her friendship, thought he regret
fully. Yet the bliss of that supreme in
slant. when he had held her close to his
t%hrobbing heart, more than repaid for The
self-denial of the past.
And ElinOr? Bewildered, frightened.
aroused from her calm apathy to conscious
ness of the truth, she buried her burning
face in the sofa pillow, sobbing. The i'm
p%assiOned, uncomfortable ardor of the mar
mad in one moment swept away the bar
riers of GOODNESS and pride. Elinor CARR
son knew that she loved. But, alas the
knowledge come too late.
Walking homeward, Gordon received 81
many congratulations upon his engage.
ment that he began to feel annoyed. ''Sim.
ply because l visited Elmer first. they must
need link our Names, - he muttered. ut is
well she does not hear il. / onlv wish Il
were SO, " a smile playing around his firm
mouth.
"Well, when is it to be?" called Miss
Olive, saucily, as, obeying a reckoning fin.
ger Gordon drew near her as she sat by
the open window. ''NOw, do not pretend
Ignorance" she continued, FOR want Il
hear all about her. Is she beautiful, rich,
Pfcq'