The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-20

his heart. he loves you, indeed, indeed
and has never committed a fault since
that which estranged You from him. :"
Harrild's cOuntenance twitched con-
vulsively, and he disengaged himself
gently from Laura, and turned his
face from her.
go on to the end, child" said
Reuben Harrild, quietly.
L have never seen William since
that unhappy night. He wrote me a
few words, saying that he had wit
messed our meeting (of course he did
not know-how should he?-that it
was Arthur, and he went away be-
lieving l had deceived him. l did
blame him little at first for doubling
me. But i have thought since that |
was more in fault than he. I should
have had no secrets from him who was
to be my husband.
And have been the cause of all
your unhappiness," Reuben Harrild
said, drawing his daughter to him.
I" Ny child! if had Known"
"You would have forgiven Arthur"
she asked, in whisper, as she lay upon
his breast.
Eyes, child. God pardon me! would
have forgiven himr'
"And you forgive him, now, father?"
Gully, freely, my dear daughter"
he said. pressing his lips to hers.
81 am SO happy! l can bear my own
sorrow better now; it seems lighter al
ready. Before l go to bed tonight, /
shall write to Arthur and tell him the
good news"
Her grief seemed almost to pass away
as she spoke, and hand-in-hand they left
the recess.
Il have sometimes considered"
Bax was addressing the Woys and the
Wymers, who, with other of Reuben
Harrild's guests, were standing around
him-'I have sometimes considered
whether my experiences or yours are
more full of romance"
MIR. Wymer interrupted him in aston
ishment. Il beg your pardon. Did l
mistake? Yes. surely You did not say
romance?"
Yes, L did, Mr.. Wymer-whether
doctors or lawyers meet with more TO
nance in their careersP"
You amaze me, doctorr' exclaimed
Mr.. Wymer. Romance in our lives"
He raised his hands and eyes, and his
partners followed suit.
Full of romance" said Doctor Bax,
with most positive air. 'tAh, you
may shake your head, but it is so.
Were l a maker of stories, instead of q
member of bodies, should need no in
cidents or characters that do not come
within such an experience as yours.
Have you not, by way of argument,
held the strings of some such case as
poor person coming suddenly into pos
session of a great fortune?"
Yes; but that is not rOmance-it is
reality"
where do you get your romance
from, if not from reality? Contemplate
for moment the passions, the
emotions"
II beg your pardon" said Nh.
Wymer; ''f do not quite follow you"
The fruition of hopes long deferred.
continued DR.. Bax, not needing the in
terruptiOn-"deferred, perhaps, until
the flowers they are called upon to
gather lie withered in their hands.
Passion rs dead; the years have flown,
yesterday, when they were young, they
were poor; to-day, when they are old,
they are rich-and what was then a
garden is now grave. Contemplate
another instance where the sudden
good fortune may have brought to-
gether two loving hearts"
Il beg your pardon" said Mr..
Wymer. determined to stop the flow of
such sentimental nonsense; Il distinct
ly decline to contemplate anything of
the sort. l have nothing to do with it.
1t does not come within the scope of
the law. Loving hearts, indeed
pooh! rubbish! Yes, sir, 1 repeat
pooh! rubbishr'
DR.. Bax's amiability was not ruffled.
He knew that there was vein of
in the lawyers nature, de-
spite all his endeavorS to hide it.
you yourself" said the little doc
tor, "related to me an instance of a
young girl being suddenly and strange
ly enriched by the death of a relative
in Australia who had never set eyes on
her. You yourself told me how this
child had a devoted mother, and
father, a blind musician and a COM
poser, an artist living in his art, and
drawing Joy from it, and whom this
wealth is likely to make famous. Is
there not in this simple record suffi-
cient material for a fine romance? Is
there not"
Mr.. Wymer put his fingers in his
ears.
II can see no romance in the story.
1t is reality-bare reality. Some real
tiles are pleasant-some unpleasant.
This happens to be pleasant one to
the persons interested, their heirs and
assigns. That is all that can be said
for it. Besides, what occurs in the
Antipodes, where the natives walk
about without any clio"
"Ebenezerr' exclaimed Miss Wymer,
in an awful voice.
II beg your pardon. l was saying
that what occurs st the Antipodes,
where everything is topsy-turvy, scarce
ly comes within the region of fair
l have heard of the most
occurrences there-most
Truly" remarked DR.. Bax, "won-
derful things take place there-very
dreadful things too. / read in the pa
pers a few days ago that at some new
yold-fields discovered in New Zealand
iorty men were found perishing in the
snow, and that most of them died from
The long exposure and the trials they
lad gone through. What is the matter,
Laura?"
Her trembling limbs would scarcely |
support her as she tottered out of the !