The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-05-17

SPOKE VI uuuSudl dSltdllOu' hc dH
swered him somewhat bitterly:
Emotions of the heart should b,
alien to such as l, for l should have bu
poor chance of success. You, tall
and stately. not debarred of YOU
natural proportions, need fear no re
pulse from 'lady-fair.'"
DO you think SOP" said Gilber
eagerly, drawing an arm through Per
cy's, and commencing TO walk witt
him up and down the spacious room
al am glad if that is your real opinion
| for YOU are sensible fellow, anC
| ought to know; and then, Delma
an uninterested looker-on can see bet
ter than the parties themselves"
Percy's lips curved into n bitter smile
| as Gilbert said this, but he made no re
ply, and his friend went on:
The truth is, Percy. I'm head ovel
heels in love, and, for the life of me,
can't summon courage to speak out
She-you know who l mean-is so diff
ferent from most of the girls one
meets, that hardly know how to take
her. This I'm sure of-that She;
the most bewitching creature that evel
charmed a mans heart out of his keep
ing. You are above this kind of weak.
ness, old fellow, and l want you to use
your influence with her. She sets you
up on pinnacle, and word from you
would do wonders"
Little thought Gilbert, as he talked OF
his hopes and fears to his friend. of the
tide of passion which ragged beneath
his calm exterior. At last, however,
the torture was over, and Percy was
left alone, the guardian of note to
Alice which was to bring matters to a
climax.
Percy rang the bell, and gave it to a
servant; then he mounted his fayorite
saddle-horse, and rode away, squirting
the animal until its pace kept time to
its masters whirling disordered
thoughts.
Alice had been spending some time
as a guest of Mrs. Delmar. At first
she had wondered much at the change
in Percy's demeanor to her-his little
friend of other days. He had seemed
SO strangely cold and Indifferent
Several times she made a resolution
to break down the barrier between
them; but one glance at Percy's face
handsome and noble, but as impassive
and emotionless apparently as that OF
Greek statue-would repress the i'm
pulsive words with which she had
meant to greet him.
So the distance between them had
widened. until. to see them together,
one would imagine them to be strang-
ers, so strictly formal were they in
their intercourse.
Percy showed his ignorance of a
girls heart in thus abandoning the
field to rival. Physical beauty
counts as nothing beside talent to a
true woman. The first is of the earth
earthly; the other is-godlike! But
Percy dreamed not of this, and let the
golden chances pass by.
His strong though self-repressed ma
ture rose in rebellion, however, and
when he returned from his frantic ride
he was i'll in body as well as mind.
He thought of Alice as the promised
wife of his friend, not thinking that she
might have refused him. At last one
never-to-be-forgotten morning bunch
of fragrant violets was brought to him
from Alice, and amid the flowers a tiny
note was thrust. He opened it and
read.
DEAR PERCY,-Let us be friends again as
in the good old days. May come in and see
you with your mother so that 1 may know
how sick you are! If your head aches, maybe
i can soothe the pain by passing my hands
over your forehead, as l used to do when
was your little friend ALICE"
He laid the note down with sigh,
and took up another which the servant
had just brought in. Thus it ran:
DEAR DELMAR,-Im sorry you're sick, as
I'd like to have a parting shake OF the hand
from you. I'm off to-anywhere-so can get
lac, artT0rv (Nr-nNr hno
She's a noble girl, though; she didn't glory in
her conquest ut all. The tears absolutely stood
in her eyes when she saw how cut up was
God bless her! if she isn't for me.-Yours.
GILBERT"
The two notes acted like an elixir.
Within an hour Percy was dressed, and
on his way downstairs, intending to
take the family by surprise.
As he entered the library, the soft
pile of the Persian carpet smothered
his footballs, so that they were unheard
by Alice. She was standing by the
window, holding miniature in her
hand.
Suddenly she raised it to her lips
and murmured some tender words as
she kissed it.
Percy's heart gave sudden throb as
she turned, and with glad little cry,
sprang towards him, forgetting in her
surprise to hide the picture.
Involuntarily, his eyes sought it, and
it was his own semblance herecognized.
Dear Percy, are you better? 1 have
been SO unhappy about you"
''Alice," he said, taking both little
hands within his own, II read your
note, but we can never go back.to the
old times. We must be more than
friends, or we must be strangers.
Alice lookedup wonderingly, but the
passionate love-light looking out of
Percy's eyes told her the true meaning
of his words.
''Oh, Percy" she whispered, ''then
you do not hate your little friend, after
all. Why have you been so strange
and cold to me all this sad, sad time?n
"Hate you! Oh, Alice, it twas my great
hopeless love which made me avoid
you. How it is that l, deformed and
stunted as l am, have gained courage
to tell you this know not; but l can
no longer bear the torture of uncer-
tainty. Oh. my darling, my darling!
my own priceless treasurer
For Alice had crept softly into his
outstretched arms, as some little bird
that has found haven from the storm.
After a moment of silence, Alice
whispered softly:
1.-The wonder to me is that l, SIM
pie girl, have won even your passing
notice. Much will be required of me
from the world as your wife, Percy,
tor'-and her face glowed with an ex-
ultant pride-''you are a poet, and
will live for ever in the hearts of men;
while I-ah! any natural life can meas
ure the limit of mine"
Darling" said Percy earnestly, .'for
your dear sake l will henceforth work
with will, so that you may prove a
true prophet of that fairy future into
whose charmed precincts our willing
feet are entering"
Percy kept his word. He is one of
the worlds sweetest singers; but if his
works outlive him, Alice also will not
be forgotten, for her influence has per-
meated his daintiest creations, even as
its perfume hints the roses presence,
though invisible.
Justice to the Country Editor.
1t is regarded as something quite
smart for metropolitan newspaper scrib-
blers to sneer at country editors. Horace
H. i