St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-02
A TALE THAT rs TOLD.

failures these may be duly chronicled; but
was ever pen found capable of tracing the
throbbings of the heart, the longings of the
soul, the inner conflict, with its secret vic
20 tories and defeats, the pleasures of hope,
the terror Of fear, or the agoniZing anguish
of despair?
Sitting tonight by my lonely fireside. all
the hot ardor of youth departed and gone
with the friends of that time, | fold my
ringless hands on my lap and dream of the
days that are no more.
Forty years had glded by since that bright
summer evening, but l can still see myself
as it were some other person, standing in
the roSe-cOyered door, anXiously watching
the bend III the road; for my father has gone
to the station to meet my only sister, who
has for the last two years been in school at
Paris
l had not once seen her during that time,
and am totally unprepared for the marvel
of beauty, who, lightly stepping from the
chaise, greetS me enthusiastically as dear
old Nellr'
Ivy was always pretty child, but now
she is lovely maiden, fair as lily, 1.-the
as a sylph, sweet and fascinating as a siren.
Lively and bright she is, too, chatting gaily
all the way to her room, and arrived there,
placing me in chair, she kneels down be-
fore me, and. placing her little hands, one
on either side of my face, she says: Papa
whispered ME a secret about you, Nellie; is
it true?"
Yes, Ivy, it is true" answer, thank
full that her hands partially hide my bushes
for my engagement to Arthur Grey, though
six months old, is still too precious a thing
to be spoken of lightly.
Let ME see. went on Ivy, in her soft,
musical tones. smooth and flowing as a
French wOman'S, ''were not these the GreyS
who took the Hall just before [ left Lii
bourne? All. what petite l was then-a
mere baby. But have come back to you
grown woman, Nellie, anXiously eager
for lover of my own.
The evening was spent in talking over
old times, recounting changes that had
taken place, and looking forward to new
pleasures in the future, and the next day
Ivy saw my lover. He walked from church
with us, had luncheon at the Vicarage, and
when the afternoon service was over in
sisted upon taking us up to the Hall. After
dinner we three went out into the garden
and lay upon the grassy banks of the river,
Arthur reading to us the while from Para
disc Lost.
Ivy rested her golden head upon my lap,
and. unseen by any eyes, Arthur'S hand
wandered until it found mine, which it at
once covered in its strong protecting grasp.
When we reached home | waited
anxiously for IYy's opinion of my lover
which she gave unasked.
HE is charming" she said. ST could
find it in my heart to envy you, Nellie. He
s the very handsomest man l have ever
SEEN"
And the truest and best" whispered,
as laid my head down Oh my pillow to
inn fhn Of Jo
day.
Before the next Sunday the vicarage was
empty, and Ivy and L were orphans.
When Arthur had asked my fathers con .
sent to our engagement, it had been given
on the express condition that we should not
be married until | had completed my DIST
year, for he said girl hardly knew her own
mind until that age.
When, without sign or warning, he was
taken from us, resolved to keep my prom
Use, and for the intervening year | went
with Ivy to live with sister of our father
whom we had never seen.
She was the wife of struggling solicitor
living on the Chaplain road, and had five
young children of her own.
She received us kindly, but as if she felt
great responsibility In taking charge of
two grown-up young ladies. whose previous
lives in pretty country vicarage might
have untitled them for the dull, mOnotonous
routine of a middle class house in a London
suburb.
After few days Ivy and decided that
we must in some way, at least partially, try
to earn our own living, for we saw only too
plainly that our aunt could i'll afford the adj.
ditional expense which we must be to her
Walking one day in Remington Park we
came to this decision, and then arose the
question, what could we do?
Just then a well known figure passed
across the end of a gravel path we were
walking. and merely saying hurriedly
Nellie, there is Arthur Gray" Ivy darted
from my side in pursuit of the retreating
figure, and in a moment returned with nv
lover at her side.
Nellie would have let you 90 BY" she
said, land then what would have hap
pened?"
Il should have had to go back to your
aunt, who sent me here after you, and to
have begged her permission to await your
return there"
After walking for an hour through some
of the most secluded walks of the park,
during which time Ivy and Arthur had
most of the conversation to themselves, my
happiness being too great to allow of
speech, we turned our steps homework
My aunt requested Arthur to stay for tea.
which he did, and when he left promised
to call again next time he was in London.
That night when we retired to our room
Ivy Was not so talkative as usual but be-
fore we lay down she put her arms round
my neck. and, leaning her cheek against
mine, she said: Nellie. | wonder if he had
seen me before, which of us he would have
chosen.
| stroked her soft cheek with my hand
drawing her nearer to me as did so, and
wondering why such a precious gift had
been bestowed upon me, who seemed so
little worth it.
Time went on, and every second or third
day brought me letter from Arthur.
My aunt and l agreed that Ivy should
undertake the education of our little cous-
ms. thus saying the expense OF their school
ing. and | soon obtained situation as daily
governness to family living in the South
Lambert road.
l also procured some additional pupils
for music and singing in the evenings.
/ was very busy, but very happy; all my
labors were lghtened by the prospect of
the bright future in store for me; through
all the dreary mOnotony of teaching ran a
vein of unalloyed happiness; beneath the
mechanical routine of my daily life sweled
an under-current of bliss, and while my
head and hands were at work my heart was
continually singing song of grateful joy.
But now and then came a little disap-
pointment. Arthur had called while [ was
out. He had waited long time, but was
at last obliged to go without seeing me.
Three or four times this had happened
but at length there came happy day when
returning earlier than usual, and having no
evening lessons, found Arthur in the lit
tie sitting-room and Ivy making him tea
They hardly noticed my entrance, so
merrily were they talking, but in mo-
ment Arthur came towards me and drew
me to the window to see how 1 looked
Nellie you are working to hard" he
said. ''You are getting quite thin and
pale. Give up these evening lessons; the
daytime is quite long enough for work.
A h he knew not that the nrnduce of the