Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-08

iONluR Wohhch hho you, '"t'" :.
"Were YOU ever " she be
gan quickly, then checked herself.
"Was 4 ever in love? Scores Of
times, after fashion. Really in love-
never When / was nineteen 1 wa,
nearest to it boys will be like that, you
know. But we never met again-so here
/ am"
"Did she die ?" asked Dulcie, with
sympathetic eyes. eyes? Oh, am SC
sorry"
"Remember, I was not in love-"
fastened to explain. wondering why !
had raked up that old story for Dulcie's
ears only on the verge of it."
"Oh, yes, / understand" she said.
So she did, OF course. These young
people always do understand anything
TO do with love. You have only to tell
them the first word and they know the
rest of the story.
/ zee good deal now Of Dulcie. She
is by no means so stupid as she imagines.
She has read a good deal, and thinks
over what she has read, which is the true
way Of acquiring knowledge. We were
talking the other day about art, and so
fell into discussion of what is vaguely
called "the Beautiful" and since then
Dulcie has been going through parts oil
Plato's Dialogues with me. She is an in
telligent pupil. and We both enjoy the
lessons. l suppose l am wasting my
time but when one meets a dear little
fellow-mortal whose pleasures IN life are
few and far between what can one do but
try and add TO their number?
Decidedly 1 cannot leave Saltlinn be-
fore the play is played out. | have a
shrewd suspicion that | myself have be-
come an actor in it, taking the Part OF
general confidant, benefactor, and peace
maker, while Mrs. Charleton, as | pro-
phesied, has become prima donna in the
place of Dulcie.
SEPTEMBER 18th.
Every evening we meet-a partie car
rec as Mrs. Charleton calls tin the
widows sitting-room. Sometimes we
talk on the balcony, or play quiet rub
Der Of whist this last amusement being
got up especially for me, believe), but
oftenest Mrs. Charleton sings TO us,
while | smoke my pipe and try to turn a
deaf ear to Dulcie and Aubreys soto
uoce conversation. Now and then Au-
brey cannot tear himself from the piano,
on which occasions have to take posses
sion of Dulcie and try to prevent her
from looking toward her lover. 1t is
lust as well she should not notice certain
chances that pass between him and Mrs.
Charleton. But though Glove is blind, "
they say, love is very keen-sighted when
it is stirred by jealousy, and am afraid
Dulcie notices something. Once OF
twice she has answered me quite Grossly
when endeavored to distract her atten-
ton. L suppose she thinks me prosy
old bore.
This reminds me that the shabblness
of Dulcie's frock is not to be compared
with that of my own costume. Bache-
Tors fall into very slIpshod habits, and
my coat has grown as shiny as ebony,
while it also occurs to me-looking at
Aubrey st. Quintin's irreproachable
neatness-that my shirts are relics OF q
by. gone generation.
Yesterday evening Mrs Charleton posi-
lively sang the poet away from Dulcie
when he was sitting by her near the bal.
cony window. AS Dulcie uttered her lit
tie condolences to him 1 saw Aubrey s
passionate eyes fixing more and more In
tently on the singers face. She was in
great beauty and sparkling with viVacity
and graciousness. He tried to fight
against the attraction, poor boy-I could
see that-and was torn first this way, then
that: his honor bidding him to stay by
Dulcie, love calling him to Mrs. Charlie
ton. OF course love won the day-when
does it not ?-and presently he rose i'm
patiently, leaned his elbow on the piano,
and sighed half angrily. She looked up
at him and smiled-God help him now,
and Dulcie
What miseries these young folks go
through in their love affairs 1t is all
"vanity and vexahon OF spirit, and
some day they will laugh at the recollec-
ton Of by-gone frenzies. But they are
bitter while they last, and am so soft
hearted and foolish that / pity them and
would give my right hand to help them.
When Aubrey and Mrs. Charleton
looked thus at each other, tearing out
each others secret by the very strength
of their love glances, l went closer to
Dulcie. and began to fear that Cinde-
rela's Prince was going to prove a de-
faulter after all.
Poor Dulciel She looked very forlorn
and deserted, and tears were dropping
quietly on to her folded hands 1t was
no use my saying anything so 1 only
made some trivial remark about the
moon and patted her on the shoulder as
a sort of vague encouragement.
"Thank YOU" she said, and gave me
q sad kind OF smile which l cannot
forget
l think / must warn that boy of what
he is doing, lest he break the girls heart
for the sake of what is only glamour.
Nonsense As if hearts ever broke in
this prosaic age. Still they may get
bruised, and bruises take the bloom off
hearts as much as of the ripeness OF a
peach or grape.
All, here he comes. looking as if he
has a confession to make or wished to
ask for advice which know he will not
follow if give it to him.
He says he is a miserable wretch, a
vile beast, q weak-minded ass, and
various other unpleasant things too nu-
merous to be recalled.
l let him abuse himself until he was
tired and paused TO be contradicted.
Finding that no contradiction was forth
coming ne sobered down and explained
his troubles.
In the first place he has been in love
with Dulcie now he is in love with Mrs.
Charleton.
81 daresay she is making fool Of
me-" he said ~ can't help it-there is
no one like her. What ought 10 do &? |
have never spoken of marriage to Dulcie,
but you know the sort OF position we are
in. | feel as much bound as if We had
been engaged in the sight OF all the
world, and don't want to hurt her.
She is so lonely and desolate-any one
ought to be proud to make her bit hap
pier On my honor, when think OF it,
/ am almost in love with her, too and
yet-no there Is no one like the
other-there never can be any one like