Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-01-22
His Life's One Holiday.
BY LILLIAS CAMPBELL DAVIDSON.


and had never yet been in love. He
had worked hard and we'll, and had
made fortune which even would ell
able him to marry without being reck-
lessly imprudent; and he began to
think it time to decide upon a wife
who should satisfy his somewhat fas
tidous requirements She must be of
a stately and noble presence-Wayne
had rather an idea Of fine woman: -
not too young, nor too emotional;
Wayne was person who hated scenes;
in short, she was to be woman made
TO order, and he found it more difficult
to discover her than he had at first
supposed.
1t was with feeling of something
as akin to failure Us his well-reyulated
mind ever u'ged in that he ordered
his portmanteau packed for q fort
nights visit to Newton on Sea. and
tore himself away from the destinations
of club and office life, to pay long
promised visit to his old friend, DR..
Marshall. He had seen nothing Of the
Marshalls for years past. though there
was tie of old associates between
them, and even something of sadder
interest Five years ago when Waynes
uncle offered him berth in the tea
business of which he Was now the
head, he extended like offer to Hunt
inglons younger brother, Jack, but
Jack, always something Of hot headed
fellow, took otTense ut some word or
decd Of his elders, and refused the
offer. Soon after he took some post on
the east coast of Africa. and went out
with high hopes Of the fortune he was
to bring back and lay at Hettie Mar
shall's feet
Huntingdon heard of the engage
ment with contempt for the folly Of
two young people without penny ;
, but when. three years later, news came
of poor Jacks death ont in Zanzibar,
the little bride that was to have been
passed out of his mind, and it was only
when an invitation CANT for him from
Tie Marshalls. who We're at Newton
on-Sea for Hetty's health that the
thought of her existence crossed him
again.
He had not seen her since she was a
little child in pinafores; and when he
was brought up. on the evening lie al
rived to the side of u crimson hammock
,, swung between two tall pine trees, and
introduced to slight, pale girl, who's"
great blue eyes were raised up to his
with pathetic gentleness and sweet
ness; feelin9snch us in all his thirty
, five years Of sensible life he had never
before experienced, shot through h AZ
with thrill of wonder, and almost be.
wildcrment. lie took IN his own the
small fragile, white fingers, and then
laid them down almost reverently ON
the soft cushions amidst which she lay
: | suppose if any one had asked him
then aud there whether he believed in
love at first sight, he would have am
swered as contemptuously y as ever and
yet, for all that he was as deep IN love
as ever man fell at one blow. He told
himself it was pity that NY grew a
days passed by, and he saw how deli
cate creature her great of two
wears since had left her; it seemed to
him it was his duty to try al d atone to
her for all the suffering and loss she
had undergone: as if his life ought to
, make up to her for Jacks death, some.
how Strange that duty had never had
such zest and pleasure in it before.
She was II thing so new to his exper-
ience with her pleading blue eyes, her
soft little ways, and the pathos that
hung about all she did and said
Wayne used to sit and watch her fur
lively, as if she was creature of some
unknown race.
Three days after the first evening and
the hammock, the ideal "hne women
had died ont of his mind, never to re-
turn; and before the week was over he
had said to himself he, the practical,
cool headed Huntingdon Wayne-that
life without little IIettie would hardly
be worth the living, and that he must
have her for his own or die. Practical
common sensical men often take the
hardest form of the disease called love.
He spoke to DR.. Marshall before the
, middle of the second week, and asked
his consent to win Hetty The doctor
5 listened with good deal of surprise
5 but no appearance of displeasure; and
, when Wayne had finished he grtsped
him heartily by the hand.