The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-10-30
SYMPATHY AND LOVE.

Taking tea the other evening With
an old acquaintance, now professor IN
New England college, the conversa-
tion recalled some fthe friends of our
younger days, and he surprised me
with this remark: ga woman's SYM
rathies lie nearer her heart than her
love-" BUT he surprised me more by
the story he told to prove it.
~ guess it was seven years." he
said, chat our chair of astronomy
remained vacant. You know DR..
Merdon? 1t was justly that the world
finally gave him fame. Well, after his
death, the trustees were at a loss to
fill his place. A weak man would have
been insufferable there.
"Do you remember his family?
Charming wife and daughter. They
spent several years abroad after his
death, and when they returned, not
withstanding that the widow still wore
mourning, the number of our little So
cial events doubled. The daughter
had a string of millionaires after her
constantly. Female society, perhaps
you know, was limited, and it was
with foundation of truth that the
fellows grimly joked about calling on
the girls their fathers had courted be-
fore them. Charlotte Merdon was as
fascinating young woman as her
mother had been, SO say the oldfolks,
and it was to her that Professor Lutz
quoted from Horace, ooh, daughter!
more beautiful than thy beautiful
mother!' when he brought down on
himself the ridicule of the mountain
day party. Yes, she could have had
the pick from a dozen rich boys, and 1
think she would have taken it, too, if
she hadn't discovered that her mother
was trying to influence her in their
favor.
At the senior party that year, Char
lotte held court, las she did everywhere.
She was surrounded by the rich fellows
of Charlie Elliott's set. Elliott was
happy that night. Charlotte had been
unusually gracious, and her mother
had made her favor clearer than ever.
"'Ed,' said he, turning to his chum,
Il tell you what will be great sport.
Bring Seymour up and formally pre-
sent him to Miss Merdon. 1t will con-
fuse him. He won know what to do,
and there will be a deuce of q scene.'
''The chum complied, and in mo-
ment he had the reluctant Seymour
\ ha N1a oil
must have been all that Elliott desir-
ed. For moment the poor student
stood before the belle. Itwas not I'M
like the beggar and the princess. Her
easy attitude contrasted strangely
with his painful awkwardness. Elliott
had not tmiscalculated. The effect was
Immediate All eyes were turned to-
ward the couple, and a smile went
around.
Charlotte Merdon saw it, and her
cheeks famed. She had di~;ned the
heartless joke. To the surprise of
those about her, she begged Seymour
to be seated-insisted that he should
be seated. Then she tried to draw
him into conversation. But it was
impossible. Embarrassment seemed
to have driven his wits away. Only
one remark he ventured to make.
CHANGING at protrait on the wall, he
stammered out, That's agood picture
of the president The protrait was
taken thirty years before, and was
anything but good likeness of the
president as he then appeared; the un-
fortunate remark caused another
smile. Elliott was delighted: His joke
was splendid success. Poor Seymour
twisted about in his chair and hung
his head. His discontinue was COM
plete.
''Miss Merdon took deliberate look
at the picture, and did not smile.
Yes she said it is called very good
likeness of him just after graduation.
Have you seen the presidents flowers,
Mr.. Seymour? Let me show them to
YOU
"Rising and excusing herself, she led
adjoining the parlor.
"3The devilp said Elliott. Il didn't
look for anything like that
Seymour, rescued in this way from
the trying ordeal, hardly knew what
to do or say. He felt as if a milestone
had been taken from his neck. The
pain and the manner of relief worked
on his sensitive nature. He
elt that he was in great debt to his
companion. He wanted to kiss the
hem of her garment. He wanted to
cry. He knew he was feeling and act
ing like fool. He felt that he would
make greater fool of himself than in
the parlor. But some way he didn't
care He had lost all fear of the beau
tiful girl. Her act of mercy had
brought him nearer than years of
could. He talked rap
idly of the flowers, for he knew of
them. Charlotte listened, listened
why she cared to listen, lit
tie thinking that her sympathy had
brought the awkward student nearer
than he would have been had she
known him lifetime and had never
seen him in pain. So, Whenhepointed