The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13

4 Il turn out Well-Dut then everybody is so
wise. And what everybody says must
- be true especially when it is upon
subject which nobody understands and nobody
takes to heart but the one poor biped who is
principally concerned. Was everybody right
In my case-and was SO egregiously wrong?
So blind, so shallow, so vain? He who reads
these lines shall judge for hmsslf.
married Cicely Grey when was 40 years of
age and She was girl of ~. An ill-matched
pair, an ill-assorted couple, the beginning of
the old story, May and December almost; the
impulse of youth on one side, the glamour of
the "well-off man. on the other Thai is what
tho world said. My pretty little world Yes, /
was wel-to-do. That is, had attained GER
tain position in my profession, had made my
mark as an engineer, had been successful in
one or two important schemes, was spoken Of
q little-at home and abroad as a clever and
rising man. Almost genius.
had studied hard all my life, it was asserted
had sacrificed everything to the pursuit of
fame or money. 1 was q close, keen man of
business and had let nothing stand between me
and my profession. And then Cicely Grey
stood between-took me into another world,
changed the whole current OF my life, made
me passionate lover in my middle age.
met and loved hcr-loved her all the more
love beforehand laughed at the romance of
youth from the grim seclusion OF my study
wherein l had immured my better self. When
the time came-when l was almost famous
when people pointed me out as Haviland the
engineer, | found that l could love as deeply
as other men, and be as great fool in my own
way.
Size was not then 20 years of age-"old
enough to be my daughter" people said. of
course. They always say that And that was
terribly near the truth But Twas not quite
like other men, and this was my first love. [
had had none other. 1t was new life to me-
Ciceiy Grey had been brought up in seclusion;
she was the daughter of one of my own craft
an engineer who had been knighted by his SOW
eign. She had been left motherless at an early
age, and girls who have grown up to woman
hood without their mothers are to themselves
and 10 other folks three parts mystery. They
are not always to blame, these rnotherless girls.
Was Cicely Grey to blame for marrying me,
for not telling all the truth, for Disgusting
from me the one romanceof her life in which no
one had shared but the man who was the hero
of it? The man Of whose existence had not
dreamed and whose name had not passed her
lips? Was her father to blame, who had some
hay notions of the truth and the mysery of
mesalliance, and had trusted to time and
travel and me-his old friend-to sink past
folly wholly out of her remembrance? can not
say. Ililatter days it was intimated to me that
the father had left it to the daughter to
explain,
We were married in the early summer and
went away for long tour through the most
picturesque portion of our native land.
1t was honeymoon that presaged much of
happiness for us both-all was so fair--life had
nI, T0p of Occ md oil lD,,
our new world was fresh and bright. After
our marriage in town we started from the
church doors for the country.
81 shall be always very obedient, Uric, she
said to me, laughing, land my clever old hus-
band will always have his own way"
laughed too, but the word odd Jared
little. 1t was not pleasant for me to consider
myself Old. OF getting, old, yet awhile, when /
was beginning my real life. 1t was more I'M
ies sa''' sun ''' ''0 S''0"'u 'n'nA 50 eve" !"
There was sightseeing in the little town into
which we first took refuge. Though we had not
barganed for or thought OF, it was a show place
i'll its way. will call it Heathercombe for a rea-
son that have. Here we were to spend quiet,
hacyon week, surrounded by all the beauties
of hill and dale, Of forest and field and in
tensely restful in our own society.
81 am sure shall be very happy all my life"
she had confessed to me, "for know how well
] can trust you"
She had put her hands into mine in saying
this and looked at me unfinchingly and with
all tie clear depths which her great gray, lucid
eyes could express
The emphasis struck me even then.
Have you ever trusted in vain?" l asked.
laughingly. For it did not seem possible that
one could do anything to deceive her by word
or deed
Il have been too imaginative, that is all"
she answered, "too sanguine, impulsive, hope
dul,"
Good faults, one might call them all"
81 have expected too much-set my friends
on too high pedestas, she said young peo-
pie always do
And some Of the idols have been top-heavy
and tilted over was my reionder' All!
never mind, child; they were not worth the
trouble of putting back in their Places
They were not, - she said.
We were wandering in the gardens of this
little town. 1t was our wedding eve. have
said Heathercombe was. to a certain extent
q shO@ place and in these gardens was enc OF
the wonders Of the country. II boosted q rocky
mound over which trickled and spluttered
stream Of water with properties Of tuning
into stone anything exposed to its action for
certain period OF months. Such wells are not
uncommon in England or abroad, / believe,
but Il was anovelty to both of us, and there was
a pleasant testing over il and over the various
articles winch the preceding sghtseers had left
to be petrlfed-gloyeg, feathers, hats and ali
! kinds OF odd tokens, suspended in such a man
ner from tine rock as to bring them in contact
with the stream.
II know" cried Cicely, clapping her hands
await for me, Uric; ] shall not be a minute"
But minute out Of sight then was an hour
Of suspense TO a lOvesick man. Where can she
have gone what can hare happened, l Was
wondering five minutes altcrWard. Nes, Size
was i.upu,siye ct al events and full Of strange
obi couCeits. Presently she returned ilcla the
hotel viii, her wedding bouquet tba. she had
brought from LOEGon-that had sent % her
early tAot morning poem IN fair "hite bios