Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-09-27

TIME WNen the emOLIOnAl nature rises up hliu
overthrows the carefully wrought structures
of the intellect, and asserts its original and
supreme mastery over the soul of man.
Agnes felt sure that every trace of her
love for Oakhurst had disappeared. She
looked in her heart and saw there only the
memory of neglect and un~faithfulness. II
love existed, it was as fire turks in ashes, UNI
recognized. She had conversed freely with
Mrs. Norcross, and learned that Oakhursts
version of the story was a correct one. Still
the original treason remained without an
apology; and she had determined to express
her regret for what had happened, to assure
him of her friendship, but to forbid any hope
of ~re-establishing their former relations.
With this intention she babe him good morn
ing and quietly took a seat.
II did not think that so many days would
pass before / should see you; but now that
you have had time to reflect, | hope your
feelings nave softened toward me-"
"You mistake, if you suppose that giving
me time for reflection has produced any such
change
aThen, pray, forget the past altogether"
~ cannot forget"
SIf your memory must be busy, pray, go
back to the %pleasanter days Of our %acquaint-
ance.n
~ remember the days you speak of; l shall
never forget them; but it is a happiness that
is dead and buried"
"Love win make it live again.
at is hard to recognize love when it comes
like Lazarus from the tomb"
"Still we don't read that the friends of
Lazarus were displeased with his return and
wished him back to his grave clothes"
"You can turn the comparison as you
choose; but it is not necessary that an illus
tration should be perfect in every respect; if
one catches a CLEAN of resemblance, it is
enough"
The perfect command of her faculties, and
the deliberate way in which she sustained
her part in the conversation, thus far, We're
sufficiently disheartening to Oakhurst. He
longed to change the tone, but feared to lose
all by any rapid advance. He answered de.
precatingly:
"But all this intellectual fencing, my dear
Agnes, is useless. love is not a spark to be
struck out by the collision of arguments; !
shall in vain try to reason you into affection
for me. nave already said all | can say by
way Of apology for what | have done. II
there yet fingers any particle of regard for
me in your heart, l would fain revive it. II
it is your pride that withstands me, / pray
you consider whether it is well to make Us
both unhappy in order to maintain so poor a
triumph. | nm already conquered, and
throw myself upon your generosity"
"You would put me in the wrong, then, and
ascribe my refusal to an ungenerous pridei
Is it generous in you TO do SOL Have you the
right to place such u construction upon my
conducts I appeal to you in return. Remem
her, it is you who are responsible for this pain
full interview. | never sought you to cover
you with reproaches. You force me 70 say
what | would gladly leave in silence"
"Forgive ma, Agnes, if | wrong you; but
my heart clings to you and will not be re-
pulsed. would fain believe, that, beneath
all your natural resentment, there yet sur.
wives some portion of the love you once bore
TO me. If it were the first timo / had ever
approached you, a sense of d~elicacy, to say
nothing Of my self-respect, would have pro
vented my importuning you in this way.
But my fault has given me warrant to bt
bold, and if you finally cast me off-but that
is what | won't anticipate; | can't give yor
up. You once loved me--and am / not tht
same9'
"No, not the same; or, rather, you have
proved to be not what | thought"
"You persist in fixing your attention upon
oAAR AAA n oIOLs ~ tRA ACAAAIItAbCA tiliS ltfkitti
ture? 1t has never been out of my bosom
and there has never been but one day il
which l might nave Loyalty carried it there.
At that time, when l opened it, yosr eyes
looked out at me with a tender reproach, and
! was instantly recalled to myself. Il was
only the illusion Of moment, through which
| had passed. Whatever may happen. ]
have one consolation: this dear image WI
remind me of the love / once possessed. ]
shall fold IT, nv bosom tha hr,s that nros
was mine, and strive to forget our estrange-
ment."
Agnes was sensibly touched by this appeal,
and much more by the tone in which it was
made. In the momentary pause, Oakhurst
raised his eyes and saw the struggle in her
face. lie rose, came nearer, and quietly took
a scat on the sofa beside her.
Il heard you distinctly where you sat"
she said, making an effort to keep down the
tumult within, and shrinking, perhaps, from
the influence of his presence.
Il wished to hear you, dear Agnes, and
therefore came nearer. Tell me, are you not
mistaken You have not forgotten me; you
do love me yet. Let your heart speak; if
You imprison it and force the assembling
lips TO deny me, the dear traitor will make
signals; it looks out Of your eyes now"
He seized and imprisoned her hand, and
still watched the current Of feeling in her
face.
II thought myself strong enough for this, T"
she said, trembling, "but l am not. / meant
only to say that we would part-friends,
but that we must part. It is not so easy TO
be calm, when you distract me 10"
agnes, you only deceive yourself; you
love me. You have covered the spring in
your heart with snow, but the fountain still
flows underneath
Her tears could be kept back no longer;
they fell, not like November rain, but rather
like those sudden showers of spring from
passing clouds, while the blue sky still looks
down, and rainbow smiles transfigure the
landscape.
His heart gave a mighty throb as those
softly humid eyes were turned upon him.
He drew her, half consenting, still nearer.
She hesitated, but not long.
"Hard a-portr' shouts the master; and the
h~elmsman, with firm hand, holds down the
wheel. Slowly the ship veers; the sails 1ut-
ter and back, the yards are swung; waves
strive to head tho bow Off, but the rudder is
held with iron grasp; now comes the wind,
the shaking sails fill with the sudden rush,
and the ship bounds on her new course over
the heaving waters.
Shall | find out the ~comparison3 Not for
you, elders, who have seen the struggle of
stacking ship" and have felt the ecstatic
swell Of delight when it was accomplished
Not for tho younger, who must learn for
themselves tho seamanship hat is to carry
them safely over the mysterious ocean on
whose shore they have fingered and gazed and
wishedl
The conversation that followed it would be
vain to report, even if it were possible; for
the force of ejaculation depends so much on
tone,-which our types do not know how to
convey; and their punctuation-marlIs, | fear,
were such as are not used in any well-regu.
lated printing Office. In due time il came &c
an end; and when Oakhurst took his uawill-
ing departure, having repeatedly said good
bye, with the usual confirmation, he could ne
more remember what had been said in tho'
miraculous hour than a bee flying home from
n garden could tell you about the separate
blossoms from which he the Sybarite) had
gathered his freight OF flower-dust.
One thing only he heard which the wisely
injurious reader will care to know. Agne.
had met her cousin, Robert Jameson, til,
4 daV beforp had received n Dropnr Scoldinp