The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-31

81 beg your pardon, l thought il
was my cousin" he said, turning to
the other lady.
But when Miss Clay's familiar feat
ures met his eyes, he asked:
"Where is Mabel, have you left her
behind 2"
"Don't you know me, Cousin Chaun-
cey?" asked merry voice beside him,
and the beautiful apparition he had
mistaken for stranger put out her
gloved hand in half-playful, half
friendly way.
From that time the young students
torture commenced.
Mabel, who had left home a half
grown girl, had gained with maturity
the rounded suppleness of form as
well as the queenly dignity of young
Diana; and with the rich color, which
had chased away the pallor of her
cheeks, had come that delicious, CON-
plexion SO rarely seen with dark hair.
An old and more experienced Judge
of beauty would, years before, have
seen its promise in those regular feat.
ures, and straight, though at that time,
angular outlines-but to her adopted
cousin it was a surprise.
He looked upon it as upon miracle,
and every new glimpse of her bcwitch
ing face served but to deepen the i'm.
preston.
But Mabel had changed in other
things beside a beauty. She was in.
comprehensive to him in her varied
moods
Now gravo-now gay--now majes
tic as a princess-now gentle and sim
pie as child.
Chauncey knew not what to make
of her. But he was fully conscious OF
one truth; that he loved the very
ground her tiny feet had pressed. lie
was her shadow.
AT last he grew desperate.
She should not thus hold him aloof
and play with his feelings any longer
1t might be amusement to her, but il
was making his life torture.
So he captured her in the library one
morning, before the rest of the family
had made their appearance, and pressed
his suit with an earnestness which
would have moved heart of stone.
But to all appearance it had no eff.
feet on Mabel. She answered with a
careless smile:
"ln house, like this, where 'one or
more doesn't matter it would be well
for you to think twice before offering
yourself to me;" and she swept from
the room, leaving Chauncey lost in q
maze of bewilderment and anger.
Her debt was paid. But was Ma
bel happy. 1t was hard to tell from
her appearance in society.
Chauncey made no attempt at recon
ciliation; and the two young hearts
daily dlifted farther apart, until the
day it happened that the same spirit
stirred within them both-a lon ging
for walk in the garden.
Winter had passed, and Summer had
come, so had the flowers.
They met beside the same luxuriant.
ly laden bushes from which Mabel had
carried the clusters to her sick mother
There eyes met involuntarily. In
spite of his wounded pride, Chauncey's
wild love sprang into renewed life, and
he held out his arms entreatingly.
80, Mabel, forgive me! l was but
a careless, thoughtless boy. 1t is the
man who now appreciates you, and
loves you better than his own life"
Another moment and Mabel's queen
ly head was resting on his breast.
sit was because l loved you even
then that your words had power to
sting me so cruelty. They ranked all
through the years that followed them.
But the pain is gone now"
So amid the flowers was told another
of those stories as old as the first love.
tale in Eden, and yet as young as the
morning which ushers in new day.