Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-09-19

n;.,:5 WIZ
| TOGETHER THEY WALKED.
close curtained apartments seemed TO say
in their lonely hooks and corners: eve
mourn, we mournw
| And, Miriaml Wen, she was so changed,
with her great grief weighing her down.
Together they walked out over the
grounds, Arthur and Miriam, as they used
of yore, but the heart of each was sadly
changed-hers with her sorrow, and his
with his fears.
How palo she was; the deep mourning Of
her gown rendered her more ghost-lil1e, if
possible. Her dark, expressive eyes met
his with strange yearning tenderness in
their depths he had never seen before
Such an unconscious, preoceupied gaze, as
one might sec when a broken heart looked
| forth from its portals.
Miriam grew unusually confidential and
| friendly as they talked. Poor girl, with no
one To whom she could go with her burden
of sorrow, no wonder she chung to this
| friend of hers thus.
And Arthur in turn, before he was aware
of what he was really saying, had related
the whole story of his altered circumstances,
and their cruel hedging him out of society.
Here he stopped suddenly, for to go fur
Their and speak of what had been the dear
est dream of his life was something he
dared not do now, he thought.
Miriam had been listening attentively,
walking along with one dainty hand rest
ing on his arm, but he did not know that
her sore heart was only waiting to be com
forted by his love- Seeing strange look
of decision cross his handsome face, she
guessed instinctively that the declaration
he certainly had come TO make was reso.
lutely deferred because of his low finances.
"He thinks l will reject him because his
wealth has been swept away" she unused.
Then looking down at a bordering of rare
MOSES, now browning in the sun, she made
reply:
II have heard of it," she said, "but such
things, although very much to be deplofed,
ought never to make differences between
friends. / am sure it would not with me. "
Arthur could have bowed in happy thank
fulness and kissed the pale, perfect face
for this speech alone, but his heart failed
him, and he dared not yet commit him
self
After slight pause, as if she wished to
give him time to consider her words, she
continued in low, weary tone: lit is GER
ldthil idIu AOI Sudy MI A tAlt idA3 buS JpdA
trouble is nothing compared to mine, at
last nothing to mine," she repeated al
most desperately, closing the trembling
hand over his arm and looking up with
swimming eyes.
"AlaS ~ she burst out, vehemently, "what
is property Without friendP'
"a FRIEND" he repeated after her, meet
ing the upward gaze WIKI the secret of his
soul shining in his clear, honest eyes. ~
would be more than "a friend to you, Miri-
am, if you would let me. But | am
afraid and his tones grew bitter, ''that
have no right to that one blissful dream Of
my life now; presume it ought to go with
the heyday of fortune, with the glamour of
goldl Circumstances and social position
are all, it seems, there are to measure a
man and establish his worth. l never
thought ON this matter until have been
measured and found not worthy Of social
position. And-l must remember itn
you have thought of-Md,, have your
she questioned almost in whisper, tight.
ening her clasp on his arm, but not look.
ing up.
He felt her assuring hand; he heard the
anxious, impetuous voice, and took cour-
age. lie took the trembling, black-gloved
hand from his arm and held it in a worship
full way for some minutes. What should
he saya
This beautiful, sorrowing girl, 80 far re.
moved from him socially, was all the world
to him; but did she realize that the sting OF
poverty was keen, was more than she could
bear?
Il have thought Of this a thousand
times" he answered, chokingly. Chow
can 1 help thinking; thinking until each
thought goads me to almost madnessl
have loved you, oh Miriam, 50 long, and
you have grown as dear as my soul to me.
But now 1t seems objectionable that !
should indulge in the one blissful dream of
my life after my riches have taken wings.h
"You need not have it so,' cried the
desolate girl, clutching his arm excitedly.
"You shall not go away and leave me in
this prison-house, now that l know you
love me. Never! Arthur Fairfax, take
me with you or | shall go mad and do
something desperate. Here have none to
speak to, as you know; none but the serv-
ants. And none to love me; no, not one.
Think of that, Arthur, think what life I
will be obliged TO lead at the Hall now that
mother is dead'
'You have forgotten your father, Mir
lam"
"No,' she returned with an earnestness
Arthur had never seen her exhibit. "No,
have not forgotten him, but he has ignored
me-he hates me! Oh Arthur, you surely
are aware of the strange fatality of the
| house of the Percivaisi And it is this
cruel destiny which makes us enemies,
father and me. This desperate antagonism
existing between US our bereavement only
serves to strengthen instead of nullify. Oh
! Arthur, you have no idea how wretched
ami
He put his arms about her then and she
sobbed out her pent-up sorrow in a parox-
ysm of grief on his breast, And thus, in
anguish, in bitterness of soul and in tears,
their troth was plighted.
| Thus, too the child of tears, the inheritor
of fathers displeasure, cut the last filmy
| thread OF affection existing between her
proud, austere parent and herself, and in
Cured the lasting hatred Of the paternal
heart for her affianced husband
But, with the arms Of him whom she
| loved with her whole soul about her, it was
| doubtful whether she felt or cared in ref
| erence TO her fathers wishes. To get
| away from the doomed doors and loveless
| shadows Of the rooftree which held only
| vague, uncertain destiny for her, and to be
with one who, she was certain, cared for
| her, was now the whole wish of her sorrow
| stricken heart. Failing in this, she should
''do something Desperate as she had con.
/ fassad m har lovpr