The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1890-02-07
AFTER THE PARTY.
An Explanation That Was Alto
gether Satisfactory.

He-GoOd-night. Miss Wilmott
She-YOu are not going?
He-lt Is hard to tear ones self
away from such pleasure, but 1t Is
late; most OF the guests are gone.
She-Stay till they are all gone
He-I am afraid 1 will
She-You are easily frightened nolc
You toiH wait. i must speak to you
She-At lasti Thank heaven, they
are gone
He-Why such a sigh of relief 1t
has been delightful party.
She (wearily) itP / don't
doubt it has been delightful TO yo;l,
except for these last fifteen minutes
He They have been. so far. the
happiest
She-of course you had to say that.
know you wanted to go.
He-DOn't let US talk nonsense. You
told mo-
Shell told you wished TO speak to
you-since you will not speak to mo.
He-What do you mean?
She-Do sit down. You make me
nervous, standing there, posed Ike a
statue. with those searching eyes look
ing through me-
He--They're looking for something
that is not there.
She-I suppose you want me TO ask
you what? and then you will say, a
heart. I've had so much Of that, so
very much Of that; and expect some
thing better from you.
He-You are bitter this evening.
She-Tell me-what have l done to
you?
He-Done to me?
She-Yes- Have / offended you7
Have / been rude to you?
He-No. / don't know OF any thing
you have done. You could not be
rude.
She-Then you have been.
He-Il How, when, whereP
She-Wil you turn some OF those
lights DOWN. The glare hurts my
eyes
He-Wnl you not take the easy
chair? You look more natural in
that
She-What have / done7 For two
years we have been friends. close.
warm friends-almost brother and sis
ter.
He-Yes. We are friends still. are
We not?
She-I never used to go anywhere
that you dId not find me and come TO
me. If it was only for a moment, only
TO shake hands, only TO look at me.
You came here very often-and it
seemed as If you could do nothing.
think Of nothing, without telling me-
He-Yes. l remember that
She-You remember thati You
speak as If it were something OF the
.ar past Yet it was only last year.
He-Only this year.
She-Suddenly it all came TO an end
Suddenly you began to avoid me.
Every thing. even the grasp OF your
hand when we did meet, told me you
had changed. What was it?
He-I have not changed
She-You know, for the last three
months, you have never come near
me. Tonight. even, in my own house.
you have avoided me all the evening.
you have devoted yourself to others-
To another.
He-I didn't want-that is
She-Why do you hesitateP You
did not want to tell me you had
wearied Of my friendship-that 1t has
become a bore TO you
He-Edith! l beg your pardon-1-
She-Speak out / am a woman.
but do not live on compliments l
can bear the truth sometimes
He-But l could not
She-What do you mean7
He-How it blows outside used
20 like the storm Do you remember
how one night last winter we sat here
and talked. and as we talked we
heard the wind rise and howl around
the house. and then the rain came
dashing against the window until the
storms great charm put n spell upon
Us and We listened in silence till IL
grew quite late. and "a 1 stepped out
into the wild night your face close 10
the window-pane In this cozy room
seemed like picture of an angel7
She-I do remember that hour OF
dreaming-but not the angel part Of
II
He-l was very happy in those
days There was one summer day
out in the redwoOds. you and to-
gether. We sat under a tree, and the
sun made fantastic figures that danced
on the carpet OF dead. brown ferns.
and the bees were humming all around
US
She Tin a low voice)-Yes- re-
member-I have never forgotten The
world seemed so beautiful and life
such a blessing. i remem-
Der. You told me what your ambi-
tions we're. and L
He-You-you held out your hand
20 me as if you would have led me 20
their fuIfIlment