Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-03-07
THE ROCK BY THE SEA.

make yourself, Jack. But there-Pm
not going to quarrel with you. How
much longer are you going to keep me
up to abuse meY and Ruby laughed
aloud in her usual saucy, tantalizing
manner. Jack looked at her, his face
as black as thunder cloud, on which
was written stern determination, but
she was in no way APPALLED, 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 mirnicked mockingly;
since when, pray? How cermonious
we grow, to be sure. ....
He resumed, as if she had not in
terrupted him; Il will not detain you
but moment longer. While l am
convinced that at the present time you
are perfectly heartless, owing more to
the unhappy way of your bringing up
and to the influences and fashions of
society than to natural hardness of
heart oh, thanks, thanks awful
ly, you are too good she broke in
again, laughingly. 1t was all as good
as burlesque to her, accustomed as
she was TO lovers rantings. Il am as
firmly convinced, be went on, in so
calm tone that it should have warned
her that this meant more than an
ordinary tiff; that you love me, but
with your natural perverseness, will
neither acknowledge it to yourself or
me- @%
AS he said this, with an air of q
Judge pronouncing sentence on some
unhappy prisoner, with his gray eyes
fixed on her face with tho sternest
gaze they were capable of; in spite of
herself the bloom on her soft, round
cheek deepened to bright red, and
for an instant her saucy, mocking eyes
fell before his. A transient smile
passed over his gloomy face at this
evidence of his power and left it even
gloomIer than before. As he regard
ed the lovely, half shy face before him
he commenced again bitterly: and
why will you not yield to that love
and make us both happy2 will cell
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 years to come. If I would
wait patiently, and in the meantime be
always ready to dance attendance to
your whims, not noticing anyone else,
and always keeping IN the background
when desirable Irritation came up,
then, perhaps, if you didn't meet some
one you preferred to me, after keep
ing me in suspense all that time, you
might graciously eondescend to mar
my me. But decline TO become the
slave of any woman; and, as much as
love you, | am going to leave you
forever
'Ha hal and her sweet low laugh
rang out like chime of silvery bells.
The plot thickens. Please go on; it
is as lovely as a play
4 know and feel, /, said Jack, earn
estly, that we are especially suited to
each other, and I believe that in time
you will realize the truth of what
say and will regret me, even as l re-
gret you now-but no more. I've al.
ready said too much, more than 1 in
tended. Good. bye and with deep
bow he turned and left.
We'll, of all thingsl' she murmured.
Forever! Fudge. I'll see him to-
morrow on the promenade the same
as usual He is delicious. 1 do like
him the best when he asserts himself.
He is grand when he gets enraged.
He looks SO stern and glares SO, and
is SO unapproachable that I am almost
afraid of him-the darling. If I
don't look out he will end in making
me marry aim before the season is
over. Of course shan't marry any
one else, but I'm not going to hurry
myself, there's plenty time After
which sage conclusion she went up to
her room in CAV spirits, thinking of
the good time she would have in max
ing up with Jack as she had done a
number of times before. 3aGtE
The next day Miss Ruby failed to
meet Jack as usual. In Fact, week
passed. and in all that time he had
not called. She had missed his pres
ence from ball and opera and every
place that she had graced with her
bright presence. At last, making q
few inquiries, she found that Jack
Was out somewhere on the broad
ocean Oh his way to China to join bis
brother, tea merchant and was like.
ly to be absent term of years.
Although outwardly Ruby managed
to. conceal the shock she had received
shescould not conceal from her own
heart that something had gone from
her that she missed and longed fol
with an indescribable longing and !
wild regret. 1t was all the mort
maddening that no one was to blame
for her sorrow but herself The olC
places had lost their charms. Every
thing. and everybody was insipid, fa
and monotonous. AIT IL he woulc