The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-16

But poor ArnoM did live. He had q
wonderful constitution. unbrokGn, as all
the men who knew him knew, by dis
sipation of any kind. and it is hard to
kill such a man. He lived. and strength
returned to him at last; but no one
would call him handsome Arnold anv
more. He had fallen on his face on tine
horrible, jagged rocks. and during his
illness all his bonny brown hair had
turned gray. No one would know him.
they told me; and so powerfully had his
beauty and his sweetness affected even
men of coarse natures that they uttered
these words for the most part with tears
in their ewes. As for myself L would
rather have seen Il ghost.
Yet the sight was forced on me. One
day received a note from him asking
me to come to the hotel, and it was
signed-Henry Arnold.
[ had no choice. l could not refuse.
/ went to him.
AS / saw him seated in great arm
chair in the room TO which the waiter
showed meas he arose and advanced
toward me, and | saw that he limped
heavily wonder that he did not die.
lfelt the blood leaving my face, and
saw the hot flush rise to his, as he no
ticed the shock it gave Inc.
But he only said:
'.Sit down. 1t is kind of you to
come"
staggered to a chair, and 1 saw
nothing for while; vet through it all
l wondered what he thought of my.
strange conduct and hated myself for
my weakness.
At last he spoke:
II see how I-how my appearance
affects you," he said, very sadly. 1T
is horrible thing that l am trying to
grow used to. l wish l had broken my
neck. OF course. any man would under
! the circumstances. But / did not ask
you to come that / might say that to
you. want you to take note from
me to lady at your aunt's house, if
you will be SO kind. ! chose you be-
cause you are, as it were, one of the
family, and you will be very careful and
and kind, | know. 1t is to Miss
Belle Burton. l had hoped to marry
her one day. OF course. all that is over
now. No one would-no woman could
overlook my hideous appearance"
His voice broke a little, but he went
on bravely.
so have written to her. / do not
want her to see me, and 1 shall go
abroad in a week or SO, and-you'll tell
her you've seen me, you know. l have
loved her very much. l always shall;
and this is terribly hard"
He broke down entirely there, and
took letter from his bosom and put it
into my hand.
Give it to her." he said, and turned
away.
l went straight to Belle Burton. l
found her in the garden. and told her
from whom l came and gave her the
missive. She read it through grayely,
but without tears. Then she looked at
me with eyes that had such solemn.
holy look in them. as one would hope
to see in an angels
Edward" she said. .'he says he is
frightfully altered; is it so?''
Yes" l answered.
"My poor boy" said she. Gas if
anything could change me but change
in his heart. Will you take me to him,
Edward? l must go at once"
Command me-" said.
She caught up the wide straw hat on
the bench beside her and drew on her
gloves and took my arm. never
loved her so well as / did then, but, for
once, it was with perfectly unselfish
love. knew what she was about to do,
and blessed her for it.
And so l took her to him; nv hand
opened the door of his room for her;
my eyes saw-yes and gladly-that
however that changed face might affect
others it only made her love for him
more tender. l saw her rush into his
arms and hide her head on his shoulder;
and then | went softly away and hid
myself where no one could see me, and
cried like a baby.
All! well. that is good while ago,
and they have been very happy. The
big fellow is always as graceful as ever,
and as for his face-I do not think it
| would matter much to me what my
face was if any one loved it as well as
Belle does his.
/ go to see them sometimes, and my
mad fancy of kneeling down and con-
Tossing my share in the horrible affair
of the past is quite abandoned. Be-
sides, Bellies daughter is 16 now, and
if an old fellow of 36-ahI well, who
knows what may happen in the futuref
Only that would be another story quite,
and l need not tell it here. = If it is
written it is written.