The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-04-04
A LOVE TALE.
The Sad, Touching Story of Mi
RAM Douglas.

Many years ago-so many that do not
care to particulariZe-I was engaged in pre-
pairing for college, under the tuition of q
clergyman in small village in Eastern New
York. In the same place was a young
ladies' seminary at which, during several
months OF the year, there were gathered
from seventy-fve to one hundred Young
women.
Tho son OF q farmer in the vicinity, ig-
norant OF the world and unused to society
other than such as was afforded by the
muscular girls Of the sparse farming COM
nunity, it may easily be faucied that the
seminary students seemed to me, with their
line dresses, their sprightly faces and en-
gazing manners, to be beings of superior
order. They were, in my esteem, veritable
passing in their attractions
For months was content with a distant
worship TO stand on the piazza of the
Tavern" on Sunday mornings, and watch
The long, double lines of youth, as they
moved on their way to the church, was d
felicity that for the time gratified NV most
ardent expectations. At the outset nv
vision was 80 dazzled that saw only wind
ing, sinuous line of exquisite color and
beauty. In time the glowing whole began
20 be resolved into details; black eyes and
blue; golden and raven locks; blondes and
orunettes; laughing mouths and slender
forms manifested themselves as single stars
nebulae under the inspection of a tele-
scope.
Many of the girls were commonplace in
appearance, and others became so only after
long observation. Many of them were DOS.
sessed OF average charms, while there were
hal1-dozen or so of superlative attractions,
One OF this class attracted my especial
aotlce, not merely on account of her beauti-
lul lace, graceful motions, and tall, slender
1gure, but mainly on account of sadness
that almost perpetually pervaded her coun-
:enance. Her hair was black as ink, her
complexion that of an octoroon, her eyes of
sspecies Of purple black, all of which was
ssort of setting Of mourning for the melan-
choly face.
Certain evenings at the seminary were
given to social diversions, at one of which I
made the acquaintance of the possessor of
The triste countenance. Her name was
Miriam; Douglas. She was about seventeen
years Of age; and, as later discovered, an
accomplished singer, llnguist and CONVERSE
tionalist.
SIZE was so unlike others in her appear
AntSe, so marked in her melancholy, so gen.
Ito in her converse, and so brilliant at the
piano, that became powerfully attracted
to her, and when circumstances permitted
we were together: lido not now think that
our acquaintance matured to the ripeness
Of love, on my part at least, and yet the
liking conceived for her was not remote
from profound affection. think that nv
sympathy with her sadness, the mystery of
her life, my respect for what saw to be a
pure life and beautiful nature, NAV have
approached In warmth and tenderness very
near in appearance and the manner of exhi.
bition to ardent love.
No actual declarations Of passion were
ever made. She seemed to need me, to lean
against me, and to prefer me to all others of
my sex. IT there was no actual announce
ment of love in words, it was suggested in
looks, attitudes, tones and thinly-vailed de-
lusions.
When the time came that her school term
ended, we parted one night on the piazza OF
Of the seminary. All the other pupils had
gone and we were alone. 1 tried a score OF
times to say goodbye, but each time failed.
''You will write me as soon as you get
homer" asked.
'Yes; and you will answer, won't youT'
well, must 20. God bless you" Her
neaQ dropped ntCle forward, ner lips came
close to mine; kissed them and vent away.
III.
We exchanged letters with regularity and
at short intervals. Her letters were re-
strained in tone, and often strangely at
variance with the situation. She wrote Of
books. her occupation, the gossip of her
friends. She seemed to be nervously ap-
prehsusive that she might touch tho theme
Of tho passions: she carefully avoided my
illusions to our parting,