The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-09-23

study, and at the age Of twenty-seven
found myself in q comfortable position
as assistant professor in one of our best
colleges, the salary of which, with my
own income added, making me 60 far at
ease that l decided to devote my summer
vacation to c tour in Europe.
| Equipped with bag an hamper, Au-
gust found me making pedestrian tour
of Switzerland, with special view to the
study of its glacial system and lithology.
l avoided the well-traveled ways, thus es-
Gaping the society of all other tourists,
and was therefore utterly amazed when
one evening, as I drew near the little
house which was my temporary abiding
place, tall form strode toward me out
of the darkness, and hearty voice cried
out:
"Jim Jim Hill!''
"What is it? ?" replied. with half
| nervous start.
"Ah thought it was my old friend.
Have you forgotten Tom Byrne ?"
Of course not, for had met him occa-
aasy es4yy saS ssse 70 we see wsIs y SSXs and
always one of the best of companions.
" saw your name on the book at the
inn," he explained; " was sure it must be
you. At any rate, | thought would
start out to meet you"
" But how came you here | enquired,
"in this out of the way corner of the
world p
" Because it is out of the way. Mabel
and are making trip in search of the
picturesque. You know she is quite an
artist"
SO Mabel was with him. My heart
gave curious thump, and for moment
| could hardly make sensible reply.
"Yes," he went on, she is 80 devoted
to her art that it seems to quite absorb
her life. She has not thought of mar
riage, and does not care in the least for
the ordinary run of society. She will be
glad to see you, though as you are man
Of SCIENCE" he added, consolingly.
We. walked back together to the little
inn, and presently was shaking hands with
a beautiful and stately woman, whose
bright, dark eyes flashed with the inten-
sity and fire that / had never seen in any
other eyes but those of Mabel Byrne.
She greeted me very cordially, and
after we three had taken an evening meal
together, there followed delightful eve
ming in the parlor which Tom and his Sis
ter had secured.
For once in my life felt myself quite
at ease in lady's society. In the first
place there was Tom to keep me in coun-
tenance by a predominance of my own
sex in the company; then Mabel did not
expect me to talk of airy nothings, that
light foam of the social whirlpool which
l had never yet been able to skim. She
spoke first Of my scientific pursuits she
showed so much knowledge of the sub
ject that l really found myself talking
with an earnestness and enthusiasm of
the formation of the country, and especial
ly of the glacial system and the curious
marks of its action borne by the specimens
| had collected.
She in her turn contributed to the eve
ning's interest by telling me of her work,
and showing me her sketches, which were
really Of a very high order of artistic
merit. There was no school girl weak
ness in her handling of the brush, but
force and poetic thought that had won
her honorable recognition in the world of
art.
"And you have never heard of Mabel's
paintings until now?" said Tom.
"No," confessed "You know have
been quite absorbed in my special
studies"
eyes, and you have not seen Mabel
for ever so long, have you?"
"No," replied, mot since that sum-
mer ten years ago, when | was at my
grandmother's.
"Jolly times we had, too," said Tom,
refectively, "Do you remember that
party at Mrs. Edwards'?"
A sudden rush of blood to my face ut
terly confused me. | stammered reply,
and Tom, to my relief, went on with some
rambling "reminiscences. 1t was some Sec
onds before l dared to look at Mabel.
Surely she was blushing, too.
The next morning we all went on a
trip up the slopes of the mountain. Ma
bel was in short gray suit, with alpine
hat, and stout boots, Tom carrying her
and many another, delightful expedition.
Life took on new colors for me- There
was radiance and glory about it that
had never dreamed of before. Every
day l found fresh reason for admiring my
beautiful companion, and our walks
through the deep valleys and up the
rough mountain sides were to me like en-
chanted journeys through a realm of fai-
ries. In this loveliest country in the
world, with this most glorious woman by
my side, was, indeed, as one transfig-
ured by the light of the grand passion
that took possession of my soul.
At first knew not what had befallen
me. l thought only that my pleasure in
Mabel's society sprung from similarity
Of tastes and pursuits, and the charm of
her conversation; but gradually awoke
to the overwhelming fact that l loved
her with the one great love of my life,
that seemed to me now to date from the
days of long ago, to have been always
with me and to stretch out into the fu-
ture to make 1t transcendently glorious
or long despair.
And yet as soon as l had learned my
own secret, my former bashfulness came
back upon me with tenfold intensity, and
l found myself often embarrassed in her
presence, while at the thought of telling
her my hearts story, though my brain
was smitten through with dazzling de-
light at the dream of successful wooing.
vet was 80 overwhelmed that utterance
would, as I was sure, be an impossibility.
And Mabel? Her eyes were very kind
to me. They turned to me with a soft
ened lustre that thrilled me with hope; and
| ro+ ;f 7 attomnted even a commitment [