Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-09
FAIRY'S PUNISHMENT.
..you love me Fairy2n

You love me. Fairy?"
YES. | love you" I said with q
sigh. But love won't keepu Robin;
so the best thing we can do is to for
get our pretty dream of love in cot
tage, and think Of something more sem
sible."
NV lover is stretched full-length on
the grass ut my feet, and as | speak
my hand falls on his bright young
head with lingering tenderness. 1t is
hard to give him up; but | hate power
ty even more than love Robin.
We are so poor at home, and there
are so MANY of us, and We girls are al
WAYS shabby. l don't know when l
have had new dress or when | can
expect to have one. and if l married
Robin it would be the same, OF course,
for how could he afford to crafty my
taste for pretty thingsP
So il is best for him and best for me
that our engagement such as 1t Is
should be broken of. He will think so
too some day, and thank me for being
so wise: but at present | am afraid he
cannot see the wisdom, hut only the
cruelty of the thing.
Fairy" he SAYS. looking up at me
with eyes that are dark with pain, Il
will work hard so hard-to win a
home for YOU. if YOU will only wait"
"Waitr say impatiently. robin.
how can you talk so foolishlye What
| prospect have you? 1t is impossible
| that YOU can be rich man, and | have
made up my mind never to marry
poor man"
How long is it since You have ar
| rived at this Jecisionp" asks Robin. His
name is Robert. but always call him
Robin. He is getting up now, and his
| handsome face looks white and drawn.
| But there is new dignity about him
that awes me little. The boy seems
to have changed to a man in the last
few minutes.
How long! began confusedly.
while the color mounts to the roots of
my hair.
Don't say any MORE" and Robin
puts his hand on my arm. a know it
is since Lord Westwarren has been vis-
ting the cottage that you have found
out YOUR mistake. You are going to
marry that old man for his money,
| Frances"
Perhaps he hopes / will contradict
this assertion, for be looks at me long
inrlv as he speaks; but cannot, for it
is true that l mean to marry Lord
| WeStwarreu.
"Francesr'
| l look up quickly, pleased at the in
terruption, for / do not wish to hear
my lovers reproaches. and see my lit
tie sister looking down at me with her
grave dark eyes.
..Well, Dolly, what is it?" l ask,
while Robin tears up the grass by hand
fuls.
That horrid old man has come and
is asking for you"
Don't talk like that Of your sister S
future husband, child" cries Robin be-
fore | can speak; and Dolly stares at
him in astonishment, unable to grasp
his meaning. and a little startled by the
harsh laugh that accompanies the
words.
How white he looks, and how miser.
able! | can't leave him like this.
We must part friends, or his pale
face will haunt me all my life.
Say you can't find me, Dolly un
mindful of the bad example l am set
ting my little sister; and the child runs
off to do my bidding with her shabby
hat hanging at the back of her neck
and her short frock makinga a very un'
necessary display of very thin legs IL
black cotton stockings.
pray, why have you despatched
your elderly admirer?" Robin asks bit
terly. What would he say if he came
to the paddock to look after you?"
LAS if he would so far forget his dig
nifty as to walk through this Ions
grass" say, almost laughing at the
idea; miserable as am, l hate him
Robin"
You hate him, Francesm and Robir
gives me a passionately reproachfu
glance you hate him, and yet yor
are willing to sell yourself for gold.
hope you will be happy"
How can you breathe such wish
when you know l shall be wretched?'
Il know nothing but that you have
made your choice in life," Robin an.
swers sadly. Your parents could moi
force you to marry this old man against
your will"
We are both standing up now, and
he holds my hands tightly. looking in
to my face with eyes that seem to read
my soul.
Il love you," tell him in falterine
tones; ''but, Robin, can never marry
poor man.
kiss met is ior the last time, "
he says.
Oh, the pain and passion in hi:
voice!
That kiss! When my time comes
shall remember it as | float into the
unknown sea- Oh, Robin, it is hard tc
let YOU 60!
But how can l bear to be poor and
shabby all my days, to trudge along in
the dust raised by the horses and car.
riagcs of the rich. to see my face grow
prematurely old with care and worry
No, it would never do, and some day
Robin will come to my way of think
ing.
All this / try to tell him; but he
checks me abruptly-almost rudely.
He is sick of that "best for you. best
for me- twaddle. he tells me; for il
cannot be best for him to lose me, and
he will never think SO.
What is the use of lingering over our
parting, or repeating all Robin says in
his bitt disappointment?
1t is over at last. and l go back TO
the house to find that Lord Westwar-
ren's horses are still standing at the
gate.
1t seems that he will not leave with
out seeing me.
| enter the shabby drawing-room
without waiting to look at myself or
smooth nv hair. Lord Westwarren
must take Frances as he finds her. |
am not going to adorn myself for his