The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-10-22


conviction; but she held her own coun
sci, for she knew that time as well a.
patience does its perfect work.
A few weeks after Mrs. Towns din
ner, the girls attended gay party il
an excursion up the river; dinner at {
suburban hotel, dancing in the even
ing, and a sail by moonlight was the
order of exercises, an order that de
veloped into such a good time as is
rarely enjoyed. In spite of it all, how.
ever, Agnes appeared very sober al
times. MI. Landon was persistent
enough in his attentions to keep Mr.
Young at a distance most of the time
up to the hour of dinner, after which
he proposed walk to some pretty
rocks, and would not be put off by
Agnes plea that she was too tired
Assuming an air of determination, she
Sauntered on with him. When once
seated on the rocks, he began at once in
impetuous way, very unlike his usual
conventional Manner
miss lloyd, letters received yester-
day oblige me to start for New York
tomorrow, and from there l sail for
Europe in August on prolonged bust
ness trip. I beg you will not let me
leave without word of hope that
may come back for you before 1 sail.
l know this is little sudden, but l
could not go without word. All that
l have in the world is yours, and all my
ambition shall be your happiness"
"Mf. Landon, stop! L never meant
it should come to this, indeed 1 didn't!
l did mean to accept you'll have flirted
with you until am ashamed of my
self. l have tried my very best to live
up to my favorite theory and love the
men whom fortune told me I might
marry, but cannot. oh, cannot!
Dont't tempt me fartherv'
Agnes entirely lost her self-control,
and her baffled lover looked in despair,
offered his arm, and silently escorted
her back to the house. Under plea of
severe headache she gently excused
herself from the gayeties, and sat with
some quiet people on the piazza.
When at last she and her friend were
safely in their room, she threw herself
on the floor at Mabel's feet and poured
forth the whole story, closing with:
"My miserable theory has been the
ruin of me! What shall 1 do?"
Mabel was little puzzled at the de-
spairing wall, and attempted comfort
WITH
"My dear, don't, don't feel so badly!
This is not so serious; this is not
matter of lifetime"
ooh, but it u.s. it is! I was so obsti-
nate in my idea, so persistent in my
that 1 could love the
man whom l wanted to marry, that
that 1 crushed my true feelings, I
smothered my love and-and l have
treated cruelty, outrageously, the truest,
noblest man in this world. l snubbed
Paul Y Dung because wanted to marry
money; 1 have told him to go. never
can forgive myself! What shall l do?"
Mabel was in despair, and even after
Agnes had sobbed herself to sleep, she
lay with eyes wide open, wondering
what she could do. OF course, she
must tell Frank, and he would help
in some way; che always does, dear
fellow" With this comfort on her
lips she too fell asleep, and awoke with
a hope that reflected its brightness
little on Agnes's pale face.
But what could be done? No practi-
cal plan presented itself. Paul had
returned to New y ork with his friend.
Mrs. Town had gone to the seashore
and people generally had dispersed
themselves summering in all sorts of
out-of-the-way places in uncomfort-
able quarters. Agnes and Mabel were
arranged for an "outing in the noun
tAins. An "outing" both needed.
Agnes seemed to have lost all her seren-
ity and elasticity. Mabel, too had not
seemed quite the same since that dread
full evening. Agnes had often ques-
toned to herself why Mabel should APP
pear so distressed over an affair not
her own especially, as the affair all her
own had frightened to the extent of
enthusiastic approval and congratula-
lions from her many friends, including
Agnes herself.
At the close of a busy day of prepara-