Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-12-24


| ~ hollow that he could laugh about me with
this creature and compare met vcfnin
| When he turned and saw me sitting there,
| with my head bent over the book oi pictures,
! never raised II, although ! felt sure ny
| those subtle senses that never betray you,
that no was gazing Rt mo and waiting ior a
| responsive gazo. Hut when Mt NeNers
came wheeling his chair along, ] planced NJ
and smiled aud made room for him beside
mo, although II took all my reserves to SUN.
mon a smile Tor MIR Nevcrs had shown mo
/ a KIND consid GRAFTON In these dark days, and
| many days before, that touched my heart b..
II haven't told you about Mr.. Nevers, u
is time I did. I had known him only iittle
while IN comparison to the length ot time i
had known Mr.. PierrepOint, although ] had,
perhaps, known him better, aud be was al
most old enough 10 be my father, but we
were the best OF friends. Ne lived IN ono
wing OF his great house, aud seldom visited
anywhere but at Mr. Ponsoaby's
Now aud then he had the Psyche put III
commission aud fitted away over seas To
nobody knew what pleasures Sometimes he
was heard OF OIL the lsgoons oi Venice /;
sometimes he WAS In n dabsbesh floating up
the Nile; sometimes he VS. rocking on q
camel over the desert or exploring stone
temples In ldumea and then again he was
unexpectedly seen calmly rolling down his
lawns In his garden chair IA II he bad never
been away. He had wonderful degree of
strength, and perfect heath, lie was a col.
lector OF all sorts al curios, biOD zes, armors,
old chains, Rembrandt ongrayings four
inches square, worth more than a patine oi
bright gold of that siSa, and such books ~
made book making seem an art as fine
~ cameo setting
With all that, he was ono Of the men who,
unknown to the world, are factors In affairs
for, detesting publicity aud politics for him
sell, he never entered their arena but seDa.
tors, and secretaries, and judges, and their
kind constantly sssGi, h;s advice and hardly
a question oil Importance arose that the actors
on the great scene did not seek consultation
with him wherever he was 10 DO found. He
had no near relatives, and seemed 10 stand
alone In the world. Ho had never married.
lie had a face fine, aud strong, and beautiful
but (and i,el ~ II II we're a proclamation and
sacrilege to speak of him ~ though u mat
tered) he was n dwarf, not quite five feet
tall, and with crooked shoulder. Nobody
was 50 delightful to look at when he sat, and
lew people, through the pitifulness OF IL, 40
painful to look AT ~ he when he stood or
walked, which, however, he seldom did.
usually wheeling himself with swift skill
and direo.ness in his char And nobody
WAS ever more delightful than he when he
talked, with all his vast resources, his WIS.,
dom, and his ~it, his gentleness aud kind
When | listened to him | used
To wonder that no woman had ever ielt her
heart moved enough by all that singular
beauty and goodness and know leege to 10.
come his wife and tears filled my eyes 30
that i had tn look away. And once half
sonby, in,order that II Mr.. Nevers liked II so
might make him the happier. | had
singular assurance, tor ali his silence there,
That he would like It 80. And yet-and ye; -
oh, was very sure did not, never could
love MIR. Never-'
"Why do you took at me 40 sadly ," he |
asked once.
81 didn't know | did, answered, star.
led and ashamed. |
al suppose you are plying me-" he said.
Z y N..t
sre happier than l."
"l-l-really-
"Ob, pray don't" he interrupted, ~ ! |
hammered on. 81 have embarrassed YOU |
more than you have me. You are afraid, TOO,
hat you have hurt my feeliuga | got over |
III that long ago. ! regard my misfortune
- OF 80 little consequence beside my better
eAsoD- for content You are thinking il a
'ity no woman will marry me. No, don't
Ieny II can read your mind, you see.
And all her thoughts as fair within her eyes. |
In crystal currents Of clear morning SEAS
10 said. Well, l thought II was pity |
nee, and It coat me come struggle to recon
lie myself To- the fact But | have never |
SIX ed ono. never sbsll II such an i'm.
ossib.e miracle should happen ~ that = good
nd lovely woman should wish, should lie |
Wiling to marry me, and think she could
nd her happiness In 1t, ! AM not sure |
huuld allow it,"
" Not If she loved you ."
" ! should need very deep assurance of
1at, he said smiling, with the light In his
rOwn eyes.
"Oh, how could you ,"
He looked At me 4 moment
" 1t may seem strange 10 you" he said, |
but ! have never allowed myself to love |
oman. II | have found her beautiful or
larmtug, have LETT her out OF hand. Such |
Iings, | early understood, we're not for me-" |
" But-but-l don't thing you are right"
stammerei again. suppose se-it might be
question OF her happiness"
lie laughed like u boy. am afraid that |
ould be impOssiule," he said
But If II were not?" ! persisted.
What? Fun sure | don't know. Well, |
! found 1t were 30, II were able to deceive |
y self into such a blessed hope, II should |
I've her some sign should tell her for in. |
snce, that my pride WAS too great to ask
~ woman to take adetOrmed aud shrunken
d-thst-tbst--it she-oh, irs too alb. |
Ird To talk about :"
" on are absurd - | said. "You will
II her, II she loves you, what ,"
" I'm sure don't know. After the del.
GO what
Tell her, said !, "thsl II she ever tinds |
10 impossible to live without you To give |
yU the sign. Tell her TO take your hard
me day and slip from 1t that ring you
car, the odd stone-it isn't the thing ioT a
,nteman to wear anyway tu put IL on
sr own"
Very well, he said, laughing and turn
x his chair away. THAT will do as well az |
lything. You tell her, II you ever come
ross her.
And stlI laughing, he wheeled his way
Om the ioOm.
AS the days went by now, upon my.word
wondered at MIR. Ponsonby. | knew him
well that | knew what WAS agreeable, |
invaluable to him and Juliet had
)t one Of these things In her possession
le had bold, snowy beauty of the sort
at he didn't prize, aud she had qualities, In
sr rudeness, her seltshness, her temper, her
arse want of sensittveness, and her assur-
lce, that were offensive to him
But yet a million dollars! What that
ould do for the old Ponsonby place! What
at would do for the old Ponsonby name |
I'd If he had political ambition, as he had, |
AT ambition whose qualification needs the
ipenditure yearly OF small fortunes how
uch that would DO for the Ponsonby career |
seemed 10 me that poverty and obScurity
ere thousand times better than such ig.
)ole wealth and prominence, aud again |
id to him in my thoughts, You are despi. |
BILE" But II hurt me to say II for all that
WAS playing some waltz music later in
10 evening, n little crazy tarantella, a quaint |
.votte of Bach, and trying TO forget myself
that wild, sweet Joy OF others. He came and |
sned aga usl the cornerot the mantle gazing
me- ! looked up half second. Such
range, long, sad and troubled gaze WAS his
did not understand 1t. Suddenly the
usic torsook my huGeTs, and pushing back |
10 chair, ! He'd out of the room before | |
lould lose all self-control. My mother
lot me and drew me into her sitting room, |
Id held my head on her knee, stroking my |
air, but saying nothing ttll The clock struck
even.
u Nnw - ah IN aaiy ut Loot n TINA In un n, |