Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-02-09
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BfRfoDWlllS
BY CHARLES ]. BELLAMY.
- Corrugated by the Author, and published
by arrangement with him
BY CHARLES ]. BELLAMY.
[coSTISuED.1
CHAPTER V.
A RUIN by MOONLIGHT.

RUIN DY MOONLIGHT.
Bcrtha lay back indolently in her favorite
armchair, watching tho deepening twilight
from her parIor window. Her eyes were al
mos cloisd, and Philip, affecting to bo inter
osted in Mr.. Ellingsworth's conversation,
thought he might look at her as fondly as he
choso without discovery and rebukc. lie was
s,ro bo WINS not noticed but tho girl was
quite anioying his silent ofering-so long os
be did not guess she perceived it. If girl
must have lover, Philip did very well. But
her lover was no divinity to her; she saw all
his faults as clearly as anybody; not with
tmpatience, however; that was not her tenn
pefament For example, he was too short
nd his shoulders were too slight. She never
Forgot it for an instant But then he always
did what she said, and that was very con-
Renient, and yet she was half provoked with
him for it, A man ought to command wo-
mans love, not try to coax it from her He
4hought quite too much of her for rhat sho
returned him; he ought to be stern and cold
10 her sometimes, and give her chance t.
be something besides an ungrateful recipicnt
But perhaps she would not like him at all H.
that character. She suddenly opened hei
eyes wide and looked curiously at her lover
there is nothing so chilling as such look a.
that, and Philip WINGED under it.
swell, l suppose you two are bursting with
tender condolences" smiled Mr.. Ellingswortb,
as he rose to his feet; II really won't stay q
minute longer.n He moved toward the door,
then he smiled and looked around; he had
thought of something very funny. "NoW
Philip, my dear boy, you mustn't be too sure
of her Just because she seems SO atfectlonate'
That is where young man makes his worst
mistake. AS long as there is another man in
the world, he may have hope, that is, tho
other man."
His daughter looked coolly after him.
"Must you go! Why we shall die of ennui.
We shall have to take walk ourselves. Ex'
cuse me, Philip, while get ready"
Left alone, the young man rose and went
to the window and looked out at the evening
sky. There was littlo frown on his face.
"What an unpleasant way of talking Berthas
father had One would think he believed i'll
nothing. There was no danger of his feeling
any too sure of her; how far away she seemed
to him. The idea of marriage seemed vague
and dreamlike, and yet he had her promise"
"You may adjust my shawl for me-" His
vexation fed, and ho smiled with the sweet
complacency of possession as he laid the deli.
cate bit of lace about her warm shoulders.
Tonight would be q good time to turn his
idea into reality, and ask her when
"But you must promise me one thing" she
said, standing close to him for one moment.
"What is that, Bertha, dcarl" no asked
with guilty uneasiness.
Sho put her soft whito hand in his SO
charmingly that ho was suddenly sure it
could be nothing hard sho would require.
II promise" he assented.
"No love making in tho ruin, if let you
take me there"
"Why, Bertha!' ho exclaimed so sorrow
fully that he showed his whole plan. Tho
girl laughed.
"Yoa are too cunning by half, Mr.. Philip,
but then you know love making in the saw
mill is too common. Why, it is tho rendc2-
vous of all the factory hands. No, couldn't
think of it for moment"
"Then won't insist on taking you TO tho
old saw mill"
''Oh, yes! it is charming by moonlight"
"Ono would think you hadn't any heart y
Philip did not confess the peculiar cha n
this woman's very coldncss had for tr1;
there was some quality in it that was 'rrc-
sistibly exciting to his nature. Perhfps it
was the presence of an unconscious serve
of passion, mover yet revealed, that he felt in
her, that kept his heart ever warm, and his
eyes ever tender for its unveiling.
The round faced sevvant girl had como up
from tho kitchen, aud stood awkwardly at
the door.
"Yes, you may light the gas now, Annie
We are going out" Shelaid her hand lightly
on Philips arm as they went down the walk.
~ must really have maid That Annie is
too clumsy for me to endure in the parlor Oh
dining 70 IN. Oh, yes, probably have got
heart; soTlo timo it will frighten you, per
haps"
They walked slowly along the street, pass.
ing the very spot where Tommie Bowler had
offered his poor little all to Jane Graves only
an hcar or two ago. Their feet trod care.
lessly un the bits of grass the nervous lover
had scattered along the path.
'But yol havelt told me about the meet
ing DID tlaHg....s,or have auburn cuiis, G,
Isad, ln,,4is is to ciearest idea have go,
of q hero"
As he told Icr his adventure they reached
tho ruin and won't in. hcnoonlight pourct
through tho di8-lantlcl roof, and made ;
white track for itself over the uneven floor
having the rest of tho interior in the shadow
Such as remained Of the fallen rafters mad
convenient benches for visitors, who NIGH
Cosily csough imagine themselves in som'
old world ruin. And the young mill owner
son and Bertha, the hem of whose carmen
had never touched poverty, seated themselve
where many penniless young fellow ha,
wooed some pretty weaver maid to share hi
destitution, all for love--soon starved out o
both their lives.
Philip felt all his last nights enthusiasm
coming over him again, as he described tn
meeting of tho hopeless poor and the life o
the family that had taken him in. Hc scenes
to be again thrilled with Curran's eloquenc
as he pictured his noble presence, and trie
to repeat his vivid sentences. Was Berth
listening SO patiently to him or only idl
watching the shadows as they shifted wit
the moonl He hoped she was touched Sh
could help him SO much to do something fo
the thousand souls in the mills il there wa
anything could be done. And then it SCENE
so sweet to have an earnest thought and hor
in common--one more bond to unite them.
aBut what can do, Berthas 1t is all s
mixed up. Do you suppose my father woul
listen to met But If be would, what can
propose? II / tell him the people are poe
and unhappy, he knows all that can't as
him to divide all his wealth with them; tht
wouldn't last so many very long, and the
he couldn't employ them any more-the
would be spoiled for work, and VIC would a
starve together
s.@;cL 7 oo,,ld GOO hin, y caid Tho sri