The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-02-14
THE ROCK BESIDE THE SEA-.

.sHow absurdly disagreeable you
can make yourself, Jack. But there
I'm not going to quarrel with you.
How much longer are you going to
keep me up to abuse me?" and Ruby
laughed aloud in her usual saucy, tan
talizing manner. JACK looked at her,
his face black as a thunder-cloud, on
which was written a stern determina-
by it. On the contrary, she looked at
him gayly and carelessly, as if she
were perfectly Indifferent to him or his
moods.
Miss Howard" he began. ''Miss
Howard" she mimicked mockingly;
.-since vixen, prayP How ceremonious
we grow. to be sure"
He resumed, as if she had not inter-
rupted him; II will not detain YOU but
a moment longer. While | am con-
vinced that at the present time you are
perfectly heartless, owing more to the
unhappy way of your bringing mp and
to the Influences and fashion of society
than to natural hardness of heart"
.Oh! thanks, thanks awfully, are too
good" she broke in again, laughingly.
It was all as good as burlesque to
her, accustomed as she was to lovers
rantings. II am as firmly convinced, :"
he went on, ia so calm tone, that it
should have warned her that this
meant more than iin ordinary tiff: "that
you love me; but, with your uatural
peryerseness, will ueitherackuowledge
It to yourself nor me-"
As he said this-with an air of q
Judge pronouncing sentence on some
unhappy prisoner--witlI his grey eyes
liked on iier face with the sternest
gaze they were capable of-in spite of
herself the bloom on her soft round
cheek deepened to bright red aud for
Avn instant her saucy, mocking eyes
fell before his. A transient smile
passed over his gloomy face at this
evidence of his power, and left 1t even
oloomi sr than before. As he regarded
the lovely, half shy face before him he
commenca cad again bitterly: And why
will you not yield to that love and
make us both happy? will tell you.
You do not wish to be tied to one; to
receive the love and homage of one IS
not to YOUR taste. Oh. no; not for
wears to come. If would wait pa
tiently and in the meantime be always
ready to dance attendance on all your
whims, not noticing any one else, and
ALWAYS keeping in the background
when q desirable Irritation came up.
then, perhaps, if you didn't meet some
one you preferred to me, after keeping
me in suspense all that time, you might
graciously condescend to marry me.
But decline to become the slave OF
any woman; and, as much as love
gou, am going to leave you forever =
..Ha, ha!'' and her sweet, low laugh
rang out like a chime of silvery bells.
The plot thickens. Please go on; II
is as lovely as a play" 8
"I know and feel" said Jack earn
e stiy. -.that We are especially suited to
each other, and believe that in time
YOU will realize the truth of what say
and will regret me, even as l regre'
Won now-but no more. I've already
said too mueh-more than / intended
Goodbye" and with a deep bow ht
turned and left.
| "Well, of all things!" she murmured
Forever! Fudge. I'll see him tO-mor
J, row ON the promenade the same Al
u,sual. He is delicious. do like hin
the best when he asserts himself. Ill
is O., and when he gets enraged. Ill
Iootx SO stern and glares so, and is 81
mann, ,oachable that l am almos
afra;d =, him-the darling. II l don
look out l. will end in making IN
marry hin, before the season is over
OF course + 'han't marry any one else
hn. I'm nor going to hurry myself
there's plenty time" After whicl
a. o., co,r.Ius;9u she went up to he
room in say sph its. thinking of th
sond time She Won ID have in making
IN Will lack "a she had done mum
The next day Miss Rnby failed t
meet lack as usual, Il, fact weel
passed, aud ia all that Il. mo lie hau no
called. She had missed his presenc
from ball and opera, and every piac
that she had graced with her prign
presence. At last. making 10" ~
auiries she found that Jack was ou
somewhere on the ocean on hls "uy
China to Join his brother, u tea mel
! chant, and was likely to be absent
! term of years.
Although outwardly Ruby manage
ito conceal tho shock she had received
she could not conceal from her ow
Il heart that something had gone ioi
4 her that she missed and lonSed IL
with an indescribable longing and
regret. 1t was all the more mad
.denipe that no one was to blame fC
her sorrow but herself. The old place
had lost their charm. Everything an
I.everybody |. was insipid, flat and mono
3.onous. Ah! if he would only return
;Ehow gladly would she acknowledge ht
iElove, and how gladly would she MARI
iI,him at the earliest date he might mel
I,tion. Had she known his address
athat time she would have written
saell him of her love and penitence.
I Four years after Jack was gone Rut
Iwns at q fashionable watering plac
'She was still the belle of every assef
\ ihlage. Her indifference and utt
I,earelessness, combined with her ra
l,beauty, brought her scores OF adm
i.srs. whom she drove almost mad VI