St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-06
A TALE THAT is TOLD.

|
Philadelphia News
A TALE THAT is TOLD.
| The story of life. Has it ever been
| faithfully recorded? The outward pleasures
and troubles, the visible successes and fail
ures, 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
| 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
rlngiess hands on my lap and dream of the
days that are no more.
Forty years have glided by since that
bright summer evening, but l can still see
myself as if it were some other person,
standing in the rose-covered door, anXiously
watching. the bend in 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 Nellm
Ivy was always pretty child, but now
she is lovely maiden. fair as a lily, 1.-THE
as Sylph. sweet and fascinating as a siren.
Lively and bright she is, too, chatting gaily
ali 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 secret about you, Nellie; is
it true?"
Yes, Ivy, it is true,' I answer, thank
full that her hands partially hide my
bushes, for my engagement to Arthur
Grey, though six months old, is still too
precious 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 [ was then-a
mere baby. But have come back to you
a grown woman, Nellie, anXiously eager for
a 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 u.s. 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 into the garden and
lay upon the grassy banks of the river.
Arthur reading to us the while from
Paradise Lost"
Ivy rested her golden head upon my lap.
and unseen by amy eyes, Arthur's hand wan
dered until it found mine, which it at once
covered in its strong, protecting grasp.
When we reached home l waited anxious
ly for Ivy's opinion of my lover, which she
gave masked.
He is charming" she said. 81 could
find it in my heart to envy you, Nellie. He
is the very handSomest man l have ever
SEEM" o!EohH 30
''And the truest and best" l WHISPERED
as laid my head down on my pillow to
continue in dreams the happiness of the
day. w.
Before the next Sunday the vicarage was
empty, and Ivy and were orphans.
When Arthur had asked my fathers con-
sent to our engagement it had been given
on the express condition that we would not
be married. until had completed my 21st
year, for he said girl hardly knew her
own mind.until that age.
When, without sign or warning, he was
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 Clapham 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 a pretty country vicarage might
have untitled them for the dull, monotonous
routine of middle-class house in London
suburb.
After few days Ivy and I decided that
we must i'll some way, at least partially, try
to earn our own living, for we saw only too
plainly that our aunt could ill afford the adj
ditional expense which we must be to her.
Walking one day in Kensington 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 Grey" Ivy darted
from my side in pursuit of the retreating
figure. and in moment returned with my
lover at her side
said, land then what would have hap
pened?"
81 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 hap
plness being too great to allow of speech.
we turned our steps homeward. 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 around
my neck and leaning her cheek against
mine she said: ''Nellie. l wonder if he had
seen me before, which of us he would have
chosen"
l stroked her soft cheek with nv hand,
drawing her nearer to me as did so, and
wondering why such precious gift had been
bestowed upon me, who seemed so little
worthy of it.
Time went on, and every second or third
day brought me letter from Arthur.
My aunt and agreed that Ivy should
undertake the education of our little cous-
ms, thus saving the expense of their school
ing, and l soon obtained a situation as
daily governess to family living in the
Sonth Lambert road.
also procured some additional pupils for
music and singing in the evenings.
was very busy, but very happy, all nv
labors were lightened by the prospect of the
bright future in store for me; through all
the dreary monotony of teaching ran vein
of unolloyed happiness; beneath the me-
chanical routine of my daily life swelIed an
undercurent of bliss. and while my hands
were at work my heart was continually
singing Il song of grateful joy.
But now and then came a little disap
pointment Arthur had called while l was
out. He had waited long time, but was
at last obliged to go without seeing me.
Three or four times this had hammered