The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-27
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
FROM GRIEF TO JoY.
NV tale is drawing to an end. al
though l could, for my own pleasure,
write chapter after chapter. detailing
every occurrence of the next month
describing every look. repeating every
word that passed between Pauline and
myself, but if l wrote them they would
be sacred from all persons save two
nv wife and myself.
If my situation was an anomalous one
it had at least certain charm. 1t was
a new wooing, none the less entertain
ing and sweet because its object hap
pened to be already INV wife in name
Ii was like landowner walking over
his estate and in every direction finding
unsupported beauties and unknown
mines of wealth. Every day showed
me fresh charms in the woman | loved.
/ Her smile was joy greater than |
had ever pictured, her laugh revela-
ton. To gaze into those bright uu-
clouded eyes and strive to learn their
secrets was reward that repaid me for
all that suffered. To find that her in
tellect, now restored, was fit to be
matched with any one's-to know that
when the time came | should be given
not only wife. beautiful in my ewes.
above all women, but companion and
sympathetic friend-how can | de-
scribe my rapture?
Yet it was rapture not unmodffied
by doubts and fears. 1t may be that
my character lacked that very useful
trait called by some self-contidence.
and by others conceit. The more L
saw to love and admire in Pauline, the
more asked myself how 1 could dare.
to expect that so peerless creature
would condescend TO accept the love
and the life | wished to offer here |
was rich, it was true, but | was sure
that riches would not buy her affection
besides, as / had not told her that her
own wealth was swept away, she fam
cied her fortune was as large as my
own. She was Young, beautiful. and,
as far as she knew, free and amply pro-
vided for. No, had nothing to offer
her which was worthy of her accept
ance.
/ quite dreaded to look forward to
the moment which must sooner or later
come-the moment when must, ignor-
ing the past, ask her once more to be
my wife. No wonder L decided to
postpone the ordeal until l felt quite
certain that the result of it would be
favorable to me. No wonder that
when with Pauline, and realizing the
value of the prize l aimed at, l grew
quite humble and depreciatory of what
merits | may have possessed. No Won
der that at times | wished that | were
gifted with that pleasing assurance
which sits so well on many men, and,
time and opportunity being given,
seems to go long way toward winning
a woman's heart.
Time and opportunity at least were
not wanting in my case.
| had taken up my quarters near to
her, and from morn to night we We're
in each others company. We wan
dered through the narrow Devonshire
lanes, with their luXur:ant banks of
ferns on either side. We climbed the
rugged tors. We fished with more or
less success the rapid streams. We
drove together. We resd and sketched
but as vet we had not talked of love:
though all the while my wedding-ring
was on her finger.
1t required all my authority to pre-
vent Priscilla telling Pauline the truth.
On this point | was firm. Unless the
past came back of its own accord,
would hear her say she loved me- be-
fore my lips revealed it to her. Per-
haps it was the idea which at times
came to me, that Pauline remembered
more than she would own to, kept me
steadfast in this resolution.
1t was curious the way in which she
at once fell into friendly, unconstrained
intercourse with me- We might have
known each other from childhood, so
perfectly natural and unembarrassed
was her manner when we were to-
gether. She made no demur when |
begged her to call me by my Christian
name. nor did she object to my making
use of her own. Had she done so, l
can not think in what form / should
have addressed her. Although | had
instructed Priscilla to call her Miss
March, the old woman stoutly objected
to this, and compounded matters by
speaking to and of her as Miss Paul
inc.
The days slipped blythe happiest
days my life had rs vet known Morn,
noon and eve we were together; and l
fear were objects of great curiosity to
our neighbors. who no doubt wondered
what relations existed between me and
the beautiful girl at whose side 1 ever
was
l soon found that Pauline's natural
disposition was gay and bright 1t was
too soon vet to expect it to reaSsert |
itself. vet was not without hopes that !
before long that look. telling of sad |
memories, which so often crossed her |
face, would fade away forever. Now
and again pleased smile Lit up her face |
and merry words slipped from her lips |
Although when reason first returned to |
her it seemed as if her brothers death |
had occurred but the day before, felt |
sure that after q while, she understood |
that years had passed since the fatal |
night. These years were to her wrapped |
in mist; they seemed as dreams. She |
was trying to recall them. beginning at |
the beginning; and | need not say with |
what alacrity lent my aid
b. common consent we avoided the /
future; but of the past. or all the past |
in which was not concerned, we spoke |
freely. All the events of her early years !
she now remembered perfectly; she |
could account for everything up to the |
time when her brother was struck down |
after that came mistiness; from which /
she emerged to find herself in strange
room. Ill. and being nursed by a strange |