Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-02-12

are going away, she added, after mo-
ment. We have had very pleasant
summer. haven't we7 shall remember
it until quite next summer. l sm sure
We aie both neart-whOl said Field
ing to bis friend. Had we wagered,
would have won.
His trip 10 Paris was shorter than ht
had expected, and seven or eight month:
found him at home again. But be die
not renew bis friendship with Miss Va
rian. He beard of her sometimes in the
old way, and wondered if there wa:
ANYTHING in the expression of thos'
speaking eyes of hers that had mad.
him fancy sometimes, with pang o1
self-reproach, that she had given hin
gold for base metal. No; nonsense! Sh'
looked like that at every man who hac
an hours conversation with her. Ii hel
voice sometimes vibrated with what il
another woman would be betrayal ol
feeling, it was because she had Learned
to modalate ber lightest breath for ef'
feet.
A note came to Fielding one day. HI
opened it hurriedly. There was no form
al beginning. 1t ran as follows:
"The physicians have given me up.
must see you before it is all over. Come
at once If you can. i hope this is legi
BILE. am writing against orders.
"DoRA VARIAN."
In half an hour he was by her bedside
His professional experiences, slight as i
was, told him there was no hope.
Dora, what has brought you to this
he said, unable to conceal how shocked
he was.
You she answered, vehemently. 'Yor
laid deliberate. cruel plan for youl
own amusement, and you may well en-
joy your work
DO not excite yourself he said gen.
tly putting back with his cool hand tbs
heavy locks that fell over her forehead
4 am sane enough. haven't been de
lirioas at all. l wanted to tell you thai
1 intend some day to make You suffer a.
you have me. You knew you took al
the flavor out of my life after you wenl
away. How fat and weary everything
seemed. l took no pains to live; whai
could live for? My mother cares fol
my brother more than for me. So die
what they call running down. IdaHceG
and flirted harder than ever, to forge
you. and my heartacbe and my laDguid
limbs; and when this illness came the
doctors said L had no strength to gel
WELT She spoke in short, rapid seDten'
ees, but would not pause long enough
to give him q chance to stop her or tt
answer.
4 have not the will to get well,' she
81 al Glatrk I hn nil un
shall love me yet. Ny soul shall follow
yours day and night, until it wins your
love as completely as yon won mine
There will be way. shall find it.
Fielding was overcome with grief and
remorse as she went on. He could moi
6nd a word to say, until at last he STAN
meTed:
Dora. never thought did not be-.
live that yeu-what can / say? Will
you forgive meT
On the day you say You love me, an6
that day is coming she answered, with
a solemn impressiveness that shook his
nerves in spite of his knowledge that
her words were utterly futile. The su
perabaudant life that had been one OF
her greatest charms was SO soon to be
quenched, and she spoke of what was te
happen between them after the great f.
nal change had extinguished it.
why not now, Dora? he implored
taking her hand. How can there be for
giyeness if not nowY
That remains with you,' she said
family, and on that day my soul will
know and tell you. 1 shall again see
YOU with other eyes.
After that she refused to speak either
to him or to the others who came back
into the room they had left that she
might talk at her ease.
The end,' murmured Fielding, as be
stood beside her open grave with uncev>
cred head. We are born and we die, land
that is the end.
Time passed as usual. Fielding threw
himself more and passionately into bis
profession, and for so young man was
becoming celebrated for his microscopic
Investigations of the life-germ. He f.
nally discovered that he needed rest long
after every one else had been urging
him to give up his absorbing pursuit for
q time; and he betoOk himself in search
of health and eyesight to a pretty viii
lsge, where so few went for the summer
that he would be practically alone if be
wished. He made his temporary home
with a widow who rejoiced in the pOs+
session of one daughter, as beautiful g
specimen of humanity as it had ever
been Fielding's good fortune to meet. He
looked at her as physician is inclined
to regard pretty woman, with the eye
of an snatomist, and found her perfect.
He was willing to make it dual soli>
tude for few weeks, and at first he was
amused at the loquacity of the pretty
mouth curving upward at the corners
like Cupid's bow. Pretty mouths are
so rare in this world. Most of those you
see are mere gashes for the exit of the
necessary revelation or concealment OF
ideas, or the performance of gastronom-
ic feats; or else the heavy, unfinished
lips lie closely against each other, as if
heavens journeyman had made them
and not made them well.
After awhile he began to grow tired
of the ceaseless flow of words without
an idea.
4 wish 1 dared make a bargain with
her mother for her brain in case should
outlive her. he wrote Ia his journal.
The examination of it would solve ssv>
eral problems that are tormenting ne at
present. never met any person in full
possession of all her faculties and a
common education that came so near
being an idiot. She seems to have abb
sOlutely no soul.'
He started, stared at what he had
written. and threw down the pen in dis.