The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-10-15

ner room all uay, ana the hOuSekeeper,
listening at the door, would hear the
sound of mulflcd sobs.
DR.. Irving apparently took no noto
of any of these things. But he had a
way of seeing and studying much with
out giving any sign of having done so.
He came in one night bringing with
him to dinner young man.
The latter made himself rather
agreeable to Nita and seemed bent up
on producing Il favorable impression.
He returned aftor that many times.
He called in the evening while the
doctor was making his rounds, and
when the doctor found him there he
discreetly disaI peared after few
pleasant words, and left his ward to
entertain her visitor unmolested.
Nita neither expressed pleasure nor
the reverse at this new state of things,
and thus few months passed.
Quite abruptly one day the doctor
said:
"Nita, Henry Payton has proposed
for you"
"Yes, know" said Nita, and said
no more.
"Well." continued DIR. Irving with
one of the rare peculiar smiles his lady
patients found SO fascinating, "what
answer are you going to give the poor
fellowP"
Instead of replying Nita looked
steadily at her guardian moment.
''Do you want me to accept himp"
she asked.
eff you think you might be happy
with hint might be good thing"
said DR.. Irving in quiet matter-of-
fact way.
The girl turned brusquely away.
DIR. Irving took up his newspaper
and feigned not to see that she was
fighting again st one of the passions of
sObs and tears that had become almost
habitual with her of late. .
''Payton," he went on in the same
tone, ''is very fine fellow; he is ex-
tremely fond of you; he is well enough
off to give you most desirable home.
|, my dear child. shall in all probabili
ty not live forever. In ten years time,
when you will be still, as things go
now. counted as a young lady. I shall
prosaic old fellow with look of more
or less comfortable middle age stamp
ed all over me. and plenty of gray hairs
in my head. If anything happened to
me you would be quite alone in the
world. Moreover, might marry my
self some day, and then / could not
give you the same care have hitherto
always been too happy to bestow on
you"
DR.. Irving was 3 very clever man;
he had had a set purpose in his mind
as he talked, but he had for once made
a mistake; he had overdone his part; he
had gone too far. With a cry like that
of a wounded animal. the girl sprang
to him and grasped his arm.
Don't say thatr'-the words came
thick and indistinct between short
gasps-''you shall not marry! No, no
onel Do you hearP You shall not"
The fierce Italian blood blazed in her
great burning eyes, and her thin small
fingers closed over his arm like vice.
"You shall not hurt me so! You
have no heart, no pity, no mercy-oh!"
Her hands relaxed their hold suddenly,
and she threw them over her face.
"What have you made me say?" she
moaned. "Oh, forget it-forget it! for
the merciful Heavens sake! L am not
we'll; don't know what l said!''
DR.. Irving had stood motionless all
through this scene. He looked down
at the covering figure of the girl one
moment. and came to a decision.
Firmly, almost sternly, he took her
by the arm, and leading her to chair,
made her sit down. He waited one
instant standing erect in front of her;
then he said:
''Once, years ago. loved a woman.
Are you listening to me? l have not
spoken of her for twelve years. l
would not now, but that want you 10
understand. She was the wife of an
other man, and she had q child. She
was beautiful. L loved her the first
time my eyes rested on her. loved
her till she died-only one short year
afler--as | never loved before, never
have loved since, and never shall love
as long as there is breath in my mortal
body. told you she was married.
Well, she loved me. She left her hus-
band. She fled in tho dead of night.
She expiated her sin. In a few weeks,
or months, she began to sicken. Re-
morse killed her at the last. 1t was
all wrong. 1 have expiated, too. My
life has been lonely-ever will be. The
skeleton in my closet peers at me day
it back. but it is there"
He stopped; his face was very pale.
"Well. shortly after her death her
husband died. too-died Of a broken
heart The child was left alone in the
world. took it swore to myself
that would be father and mother to
1t. The woman was your mother,
Nita."
There was a dead silence in the room
for several seconds. Then DIR. Irving
moved. and took up his hat.
"Now you understand" he said.
"You understand why you can never
be anything to me but daughter. Nita,
although as daughter dearly be-
loved"
He hesitated a moment, and came
| over to her.
The girl stood up. and put her hand
| in his.
Yes, understand" she said in q
voice that sounded unlike her own.
She bent over his hand, and kissed il
softly. Her lips were cold.
! DR.. Irving went out Nita watched
at the window, hidden behind the cur
tain, till the carriage-deor closed upon
him and the sound of wheels had died
away.
Then she crept up slowly, as one who
walks in sleep, to her own room, and
closed and locked the door.
The next morning Nita was not al
her accustomed place at the breakfa st.
table.
After waiting few moments. the
doctor sent to her room to know if she
were not well.
The servant came down with white
scared face.
The door was fast locked, she said
and there had been no answer, and NJ
sound, when she knocked.
DIR. Irving stood at the bedroom-doo
the next moment With strain o
his powerful shoulder he burst the doc
open.
There lay the girl on her bed, star
and rigid, with her tangled black hal
falling over the small weird face.
On the table beside the bed was
bottle, labelled chloroform. 1t wa
empty.
During eight centuries ones direc
ancestors amount to a far greater mum
| hx, fam nj -