Weekly commercial herald., 1885-10-30

mind of a woman. Their ways are not our
ways, nor are their thoughts ours. nor have
we wit to understand, nor have they tongue
to utter, the things they think l know not
whether she suspects"
"Yet you have had experience, Lala
Royg"
smile stole over the Sage's features.
In the old days when was young had
experience, as all men have. have had
many wives. Yet to me, as to all others,
the thoughts of the harem are unknown"
"Yet, Irls-surely you know the thoughts
of Iris, your pupil"
~ know only that her heart is the abode
of goodness, and that she knows not any
evil thought Young man, beware. Trouble
not the clear fountain"
Heaven knows" said Arnold, 81 would
not" And here he stopped
YOUTH said the Sage presently, "is the
season for love- Enjoy the present happi-
ness. Woman is made to be loved. Re-
ceive with gratitude what Heaven gives.
The present moment is your own. Defer
not until the evening what you may accom-
plish at noon"
With these words the Oracle became si-
lent, and Arnold sat down and began to
GnlnK IL all over again. kAS71
An hour later he presented himself at tho
house in the Kings Road. Iris was alone,
and she was playing.
"You, Arnoldl 1t is early for you."
"Forgive me, Iris, for breaking in on your
afternoon; but thought-it is fine after
noon-I thought that perhaps You
have never taken walk with me-"
She blushed, l think in sympathy with
Arnold, who looked confused and stam-
mered, and then she said she would 70 with
him.
In the afternoon of late September day
there are not many who walk in the Batter
sea gardens. Arnold and Iris had the terrace
almost to themselves save for half dozen
girls with children, and two or three old
men making the most of the last summer
they were ever likely to see, though it would
have been cruel to tell them so.
''This is your favorite walk, Iris," said
Arnold at last, breaking the silence
eyes; come here very often 1t is my
garden. Sometimes in the winter, and
when the east wind blows up the river |
have it all to myself"
"a quiet life, Iris" he said, land q
ayes; happy life"
"Iris, will you change it for life which
will not be so quietT He took her hand,
but she made no reply. II must tell YOU,
Iris, because cannot keep it from you any
longer. love you-oh, my dear, cannot
tell you how 1 love you"
"oh, Arnold" she whispered. 1t had
come, the thing she feared to hear!
MAY I go onl 1 have told you now the
most important thing, and the rest matters
little. Oh, Iris may go on and tell you
allT'
''Go on, " she said; tell me all"
Gas for telling you everything he said
with little laugh "that is no new thing.
have told you all that is in my mind for a
year and more. 1t seems natural that
should tell you this too even IL it did not
concern you at all, but some other girl
though that would be impossible. love you,
Iris; love you'll should like to say nothing
more, But must tell you as well that am
quite poor man; am an absolute pauper.
/ have nothing at all-no money, no work,
nothing My studio and all must go back to
her; and yet, Iris, in spite Of this am SC
selfish as to tell you that love you. / would
give you, if could, the most delightful
palace In the world, and offer you share
in the uncertain life of an artist, who does
not now whether he has any genius, Oh
whether he is fit even to be called an artist.
She gave him her hand with the frankness
which was her chief charm, and with look
in her eyes so full of trust and truth that his
heart sank within him for very fear lest he
should prove unworthy Of so much conf
dence
"Oh, Arnold" she said, 81 think that
have loved you all along, ever since you
Logan to write to me. And yet 1 never
thought that love would come to me-"
He led her into that bosky grove set with
seats convenient for lovers, which lies 70.
mantically close to the Italian restaurant,
where they sell the cocoa and the ginger
beer. There was no one in the place beside
themselves, and here, among the falling
leaves, and in a solitude as profound as on
the top of a Dartmoor Tor, Arnold told the
story of his love again, and with greater CO.
herence, though even more passion.
"Oh," said Iris again. show could you
love me, Arnold-how could you love any
girl soa 1. Is shame, Arnold; we are not
worth so much. Could any woman" she
thought, "be worth the wealth of passion
and devotion which her lover poured out for
herr
'rMy tutor" he wenton, 'ifyou only knew
what things you have taught me, man OF
experienced If admired you when thought
you must be man, and pictured an old
scholar full of books and wisdom, what could
lido when found that young girl had
written these lottersl You gave mine back
to me; did you think that I would ever part
with yours And you owned--oh Iris, what
would not tho finished woman Of the world
give to have the secret of your power9-you
owned that you knew all my letters, every
one, by heart And after all you will love
me, your disciple and pupil, and man who
has his way to make from the very begin
ming and first round of the ladder Think,
Iris, first. Is it right to throw away so
much upon a man who is worth So HITLER
"But am glad that you are poor. II you
were rich should have been afraid--oh, not