The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-10-09
SYMPATHY AND LOVE.


n New England college, the converse
tion recalled some ofthe friends of our
younger days, and he surprised me
with this remark: "a woman's SYM
rathies lie nearer her heart than her
love-" But he surprised me more by
the story he told to prove it.
81 guess it was seven years." lie
said, "that our chair of astronomy
remained vacant. You know DIR.
Merdon? It was justly that the world
finally gave him fame. Well, after his
death, the trustees were at loss to
fill his place. A weak man would have
been insufferable there.
"Do you remember his family?
Charming wife and daughter. They
spent several years abroad after his
death, and when they returned, not
withstanding that the widow still wore
mourning, the number of our little So
cial events doubled. The daughter
had a string OF millionaires after her
constantly. Female society, perhaps
you know, was limited, and it was
with a foundation OF truth that the
fellows grimly jokcd about calling on
the girls their fathers had courtcd be-
fore them. Charlotte Merdon was as
fascinating IL young woman us her
mother had been, so say the old folks,
and it was to her that Professor Lutz
quoted from Horace, oh, daughter!
more beautiful than thy beautiful
mother!' when he brought down OH
himself the ritlicule OF the mountain
day party. Yes. she could have had
the pick from dozen rich boys, and |
think she would have taken 1t. too, if
she hadn't discovered that hermother
was trying to influence her in their
favor.
At the senior party that year, Char
lotte held court las she did evcrywhere.
She was surrounded by the rich fellows
happy that night. Charlotte had been
unusually gracious, and her mother
had made her favor clearer than ever.
wEd, said he, turning to his chum,
Il tell you what will be great sport.
Bring Seymour up aud formally pre-
sent him to Miss Merdon. 1t will con-
fuse him. He won't know what to do,
and there will be q deuce of q scene
THE cllum complied, and i'll IL mo-
ment he had the reluctant Seymour
by the arm. The scene that followed
must have been all that Elliott desir-
ed. For moment the poor student
stood before the belle. 1T was not TN.
like the begear and the princess. Her
easy attitude fontrasted strangely
withhis painful awkWardness. Elliott
had not miscalculatcd. The effect was
immediate. All eyes were turned to-
ward the couple, and a smile wen:
around.
Charlotte Merdon saw It. and her
cheeks famed. She had OWNED the
heartless joke. 10 the surprise OF
those about her, she begged Seymour
to be scated-insistcd that lie should
be seated. Then she tried to draw
him into conversation. But it was
impossible. Embarrassment seemed
to have driven his wits away. Only
one remark lie ventured to make.
CHANGING at q protrait OIL the wall, lie
stammered out, That's agood picture
of the president The protrait was
taken thirty years before, aud was
anything but a COOL likeness OF tits
president rs he then appeared; the I'M
fortunate remark caused another
smile. Elliott was delighted. His joke
was splendid success. Poor Seymour
twisted about in his chair aid hung
his head. His discontinue was COM.
plete.
Miss Merdon took deliberate look
Mt the picture. and did not smile,
yes she said it is called Il very goo
likeness of him just after graduation.
Have you seen the PRESIDENT ;aowers.
Mr.. Seymour? Let me show them to
YOU
"Rising and excusing herself, she led
.:he young uAn into the greenhouse
adjoining the pafIor.
"The devil!' said Elliott. Il didn't
look for anything like that
Seymour, rescued III this way from
the II ring ordeal, hardly knew what
to do or say. He felt az il IL milestone
had been taken from his neck. The
pain and the snanner of relief worked
strangely on his sensitive nature. He
cit that he was in treat debt to his
companion. lie wanted to kiss the
hem of her garment. He wanted to
cry. He knew he was feeling and act
ing like Il fool. lie felt that he would
make II greater fool of himself than III
the parlor. But some way lie didn't
care. He had lost all fear OF the beau
tiful girl. Her act of mercy had
brought him nearer than years OF
acquaintance could. lie talked rap
idly OF the flowers, for lie knew oi
them. Charlotte listened, listened
wondering wiay she cared to listen, lit
tie thinking tina, her sympathy had
brought the awkward student nearer
than he would have been had she
known him Il lifetime and had navc.
seen him in pain. SO, wlenhe pointed
out the observatory where DO worked,
the qucerly-si,aped building that
showed its dark outlines in the moon
light, inst over the campus on the hill,
she wondered what it WAS that
prompted l,el' to be. him to take ne,
there, to exact tnepromisctl,at on the
very next night III 4ould conduct he,
through the buildings STAT had been
built after her fathers ass,eir:, She
persuaded herself that it WIS y dc>;;!
to see some manuscripts OF lieriatller's
which Seymour told iler had been left
there. Perhaps it was.
Notwithstanding her mothers
mild remonstrance, the next evening
found her with Brent Seymour in the
telescope room of the observatory.
The roof had been let down and she
was watching tho stars.
"I wonder ii father often studied
them from his ROOM said she,
"'Wllenever the sky WAS clear
"1 wonder if lie can see them now?'
"'No, think that thtoug,, one @,
them he i, looking at US
Gar from science and ASTRONOMY.
far, very far from his scholarly stand.
point, the mans chiidisl, reply had
taken him, but it carried hin. nearer
to the heart Of the girl thai. l,1
dreamed.
"Mrs. Merdon's Aisap1Toval of her
daughters visit to the observatory
with Seymour br0adened into anger