The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-01-03

the cleaning river, bright sunshine, and
the radiant hues OF countless flowers.
"This ia fsiryland," she said.
.Ah, no; It's Loves Land, Lady Lilias
DO you know that lovely little ballad call
ed 'Loye At Sea'!"
"No; have not seen it,"
al will not 30 through it all. Will you
listen to the first verse and the last"
.Yes," she whispered; and the sweet
ness Of the low voice sent thrill through
him.
"'we are in Loves land to-day;
Where shall we go:
Love. shall We start, or stay,
or sail, or row.
There's many y Ind and way,
And never May but may.
We are in Loves land to-day;
Where shall we go? -.
leland me- she says, where Love
shows but one shaft, one dove,
One heart, one hand
"A shore like that, my dear,
Lies where no man will steer,
No maiden land"
Silence fell upon them as the words died
on his lips. What was coming to herr she
wondered. Her heart Was stirred, the
lovely bloom on her face came and went,
and she trembled. What was ity She
had listened 70 poetry from lips OF princes,
and had listened unmoved; but then every
prince had not the same music 10 his voice,
nor the same beautiful face and eloquent
ewes As this young worshipper by her side,
10 was the first time she had ever felt en-
barrassed or confused In those few min
utes they seemed to have changed places.
He had taken the ascendency, ne had seiz-
ed the sceptre Of manhood; the nobier and
stronger soul had sudden, asserted its
supremacy over the other; the stronger
love had suddenly mastered the other
What had happened to herr She who had
laughed lightly as love and lovers-why
should she tremble and blush and falterf
She would not give way 10 It; she would
fight against il, sweet as II was; and,
shough il tore her heart with its mingled
pleasure and pain, he should not think the
words had impressed her. She looked up
ct him with careless laugh.
Those are quaint pretty words" she
said. ado you know anything else by the
same authorW
eyes. Will you listeni This is called
'An Interlude.' / will give you only two
verses again.
"'YOu came, and the sun came after
And the green grew golden above,
Apd the Nag. flowers frightened with laugh.
ter,
And the meadow sw eet shook with love.
"'Your fee, in the full. grown gMsses
Moved soft as a weak wind hfowsi
You passed me as April passes,
with o face made out Of u rose. "
Again there was pause. His words
had stirred her heart with strange new
sweetness, while her silence and her
bushes had given to him courage that
surprised even himself.
"These hours at UIverscrOft will never
be forgotten by me-" he said "Nothng
will ever be like them TO me again. | may
visit stately mansions, ! may see fair Ia.
dies, but no place will ever be like u
verscroft to me, and no one--oh, forgive
me mo one like you. wonder if my
visit, an eternity of happiness in itself will
prove blessing or curse to me-"
"Why should IL prove curse" she
asked gently.
His face flushed and then grew deathly
pale.
"Ah, il I dare tell youw he said. "But
you must know-you who are 80 beautiful
that all men love you-you before whom
all men kneel, as the very queen OF beauty
aud love you must knowW
"But indeed do not" she replied With
ayerted face and dropping eyes
"You know what happens to the moth
when the taper is bright-death In the
clear hot fame" he said. "The brighter
the light the more cruel the death. You
know what would happen if moth loved
. star"
al can imagine" she returned, remem-
boring the poets beautiful words about
the desire of the moth for the star.
"Ah, then, Lady Lilias, you know what
has happened TO me die the same death
a. the moth. Will you forgive me II tell
you how9'
"Yes"-with the dainty, rose-Ieaf flush
deepening. "Say ~ me what you will"
She had never given 70 much encourage
ment to prince or peer; and hs almost
knew il.
.Most men lose their wits at some time
OF 0tneY Oh tntiI ilNes, lie ehIu' ~ nat Is
my case now. Pray accept it as An ex-
cuss for all THAI 1 may say. | shall be
sorry for my words when | am sensible
again"
al do mob like 10 hear you speak so de-
sparingly," she remarked. "9ou are gen.
orally SO bright and hopeful"
can have no hope here" he said; "and
when you have heard the story Of my fol-
iy, you will say deserve TO have none /;
yet, in the long dark after-years, /
shall like to remember that ! defied
my fate, dared it, braved everything,
and told you all. You are M Earrs
daughter, Lady Lilias AudIey, and ! be-
long to what you call The professional
class. Yet have been mad enough to do
as the moth did. have been mad enough
to dare TO love you--you who, they tell
me, have sent away the noblest in the
land. Oyerwhelm me with your scorn,
hate me for my daring; but remember II
is mans heart you crush. ! know all /
merit for my folly; yet glory 50 much in
my love that would proclaim it TO the
whole world"
The passionate pride, love, and defiance
in mis- voice stirred her heart A tuft OF
meadov-sWeet grew at her feet. She gath