Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-10-05


her soul was engrossed with the spirit of
the music and She played with earnest
feeling.
Mr.. Elder and Penn were delighted
with Austin's voice, and Mrs. Elder APP
peared in the parlor before the ballad
was concluded Austin was enthusi
asticallY encored. Lights were brought
and Marcia produced her music. In the
collection he found many songs that he
knew. She accompanied HIM with
ardor, and the minutes flew. Other
persons were present, Austin and Marcia
knew, yet they had a feeling of one
ness that isolated them from the world.
No one asked Marcia to sing. Austin
did not, and his monopolizing Of the
vocal part of the entertainment was done
so honestly that it did not raise the
question of his conceitedness.
1t was dull enough for the party when
he declared he knew no more songs.
Soon after he quit singing Mrs. Elder
slipped away and Mr.. Elder followed
her. Then Penn made an excuse and dis
appeared Marcia and Austin looked at
each other, and straightway the spirit of
banter arose in their hearts. Their
acquaintance had begun in badinage,
and with perverse fatality they persisted
in it.
s'The runaway is tractable at times"
she remarked, as she toyed with her fan.
''And the horse thief becomes a
mounteback," he Iaughingly answered.
"And the pretty maid grinds the
organ"
Her eyes were looking at him over the
top of fan.
''And when we pass the hat, 10. the
audience vanishes!' He was willing,
apparently, to protract the farce.
Like the street Migrants. we have
PLAYED to no curtain" Then, quickly
discovering the feeling of association
that her words intimated, she fastened
to observe, ''yet, unlike the street mu-
sicians, we did not play on the curb"
Here she flushed; words were en-
Holding out his hand, he said:
''Let us be friends"
A declaration of love at that instant
would have surprised her less. The ces-
sation of hostilities almost threw her off
her guard but she replied:
eve really were never anything
else''
She let him clasp her hand. To both
the compromise seemed a mockery, yet
they were glad it was effected. Without
further words they parted for the
night.
Before she came down stairs the next
morning he was gone. A telegram had
summoned him to the city. She uttered
only conventional expression of regret
when told of his departure, and showed
no sign of the sharp pain she suffered.
'It has been nothing but a farce, "
she exclaimed when alone. ga bitter
farce!" she added, honest with herself.
olo but hn
protested that the summons had been
inopportune.
Marcia did not know the handwriting
of letter that came to her soon after
Austin's last visit. She opened it with
out much interest, but read it eagerly
when she saw his signature at the
bottom.
DEAR MISS EDLER-I write it because I
feel that to speak it would lead to misun-
understanding. We have been so strangely
at cross purposes the sound of our voices
seems to provoke enmty between US. 1t is
gOod-natured hostility, but embarrassing. 10
avoid the appearance Of inSincerlty, put 1T
in black and white, aid L hope it will be
clearly legible to you.
| love you honestly, respectfully, fervently.
Will you become my wife: An affirmative
answer will be an assurance of your love for
me. Do not leave me long in doubt. Be
compassionate. Devotedly yours,
Marcia did not reply that night. She
let herself be glad awhile without
definiteness.
Austin waited and waited His letter
was UNDECIDED. At last he exclaimed in
despair:
She firted with me, captured me, flung
me aside. Well, this episode was ex-
pensive in heart tissue"
His laugh was not pleasant. His en-
ployer sent him into the far West, and
silence softened the football of the years.
The 'episode' was his only romance,
and he wondered how human nature
could exist so intensely in a short time
that long years do not wear off the effect
of the tension.
Marcia did not seem herself. She was
i'll. Her eyes had marks under them.
Her manner was hstless. The early
morning never found her in the fields,
and she ~oided the piano as if it were
the plague. She never mentioned Aus
tin. When by chance any reference was
made to him she did not speak.
Once only did she give vent to her
feelings She was in her room, and
spoke relentlessly:
SIT was cruel trap and [ walked into
it. Well, that is the Law of compensa-
ton. set traps for others''
About three weeks went by, with a
weight on every hour. One day Marcia