The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-06-30
" His Love Of LONG AgO."
By GERALDINE rLEMM,Ne.

II suppose ought suppose | nlusl
marry and settle down sometime. It /.
good of you, Diane, to remind me of for.
gotten duties occasionally" said Edmund
Warham, beginning the speech rather ser
iously, and ending in laughing jest.
Diane Medford "a handsome blonde.
naughty and statuesque-felt the hot blood
surging to her wontedly coloress cheeks al
that careless laugh.
She had expected a different response to
the subtly tentative comment she had Just
yentured with all the dexterity and seeming
innocence of which she was capable.
She had hoped for something very decd-
edly different from the debonair and elg-
ible young gentleman who had been so
pleasantly attentive TO her during the whole
season just gone by. And after all her
hopes and expectations, il was quite too
provoking for him to allude to marriage
only as probability of the remote future,
or as possibility which he had never yet
seriously contemplated.
If he cared for her, if he regarded her
with the particular sentiment which she
had purposed to inspire in his heart, then
certainly his response would have been less
Indifferent.
And Diane Medford did not attempt to
conceal from herself that she loved him
with as much strength and passion as she
was CAPABLE of feeling for any human crea-
inrc. II he had been poor and unknown,
she would undoubtedly have denied herself
the luxury of indulging in sentiment; but
he was not only the possessor of almost
fabulous wealth. but his social station was
also 4 lily superior to hers and TO become
his wife would be to attain the acme of her
worldly ambition.
For moment his laughing Indifference
stunned her almost like physical blow.
But it was only for the moment, however;
in the next the handsome statuesque fea-
lures were as color.ess and naughty serene
as before. She forced tranquil smile to
the pale-blue eyes, and the raillery upon
her well schooled lips was as careless as his
own.
81 am glad you like being reminded of
forgotten duties" she said in her silky,
well-trained tones as she adroiily diverted
the conversation to less momentous topic !;
II remember you promised, ages ago, that
you would perform some of my new music,
and there are the poor sheets yet, unopened
and untouched, because | would not at
tempt the difficult passages without hear
ing you first"
It was subtle compliment, such as
Diane Medford was skilled in framing, and
one which sent Mr.. Warham very willingly
to the piano
"Do you not lik songs of sentiment?"
Diane Queried few minutes later.
He had begun simple ballad:
"our hands were clasped, the sun was sinking
low,
My only love-my love of long ago
All, vain the wish The past we may deplore;
Wen meet 10 more-we'll meet In life no more. /"
But in the midst of the stanza his fine
tenor voice had ceased abruptly, and he
had suddenly tossed aside the music sheet.
81 like all sorts of songs, equally alike.
But l cannot sing that" he answered. in
voice so changed that It was totally un-
like his own.
But you sung il beautifully" said
Diane, seeming not TO notice the different
meaning his reply conveyed; and turning to
the near window, lest he might perceive
her dilating eyes and the sudden crimson
for hel cheeks-sgns of the vague and
startled jealousy which his manner had
aroused.
Outside, few large early stars-great,
throbbing globes of every gem-like hue
were glowing in the brilliant, moonless
sky. About the pretty house, all the big,
bloomy garden was dark. dewy, and still.
There was scent of lilacs in the air; and
here and there bush of roses or clump of
hlacs showed their blossoms gIeamly palely
through the gloom.
But Diane Medford saw neither flowers
nor stars; the sweet odors of the perfect
spring time night were unheeded; she was
thinking of the words of the song-the
simple words which had so strangely
moved the man she loved.
81 can now understand his indifference.
There is an only love, love of long ago,
who stands between his heart and mine"
she thought bitterly.
As the thought flashed through her mind,
almost at the instant she drew the silken
hangings back from the open window, she
heard girl singing softly somewhere
among the roses and lilacs in the garden.
The voice was as low and welredly sweet
as the sound of an Eolian harp; so softly
did the notes hoat through the hushed AIR
that one might fancy the sound to be but
the falling of rose leaves, the whispering
of FAIRIES, or the breathing of some wander
ing spirit. And the weird voice was sing
ing the last stanza of the interesting ballad.
Like parted streams which oceans will re-
store,
Though death unite, wen meet in life no
more."
As the last note ceased, Edmund War
ham arose with start and hastily ap-
preached the window. The light, shining
through the opalescent globes OF the great