Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-29

was compelled 10 be content. Lii hean
| was not banished to her relatives, and
she continued to carrya sore little heart
in her bosom, and to place the choicest
offerings of the season in Sho Mails
apartment.
This episode opened Sho Mails eyes
to more mysteries than one. The
| thought of love once put into her head
| and her own feeling for Ii Xii wore its
mask of friendship in vain. And the
shreds of its disguise We're torn away
| not long after when Ii Nuen Wy,
having broken the ice of such discus
sion with Sho Mai, yentured to speak
with her of an alliance which he had
planned for Il Xii with maiden of the
village. How she wept that night.
Thus did the venerable philosopher
avenge his daughter better than he
knew, and another heart in that little
home began to ache for love. Sho Mai
| had left her fathers house to learn the
lessons of life, and they were being
taught her in a way of which she had
not dreamed.
Amidst all these troublesome shoals
| on which hearts are wrecked Ii Xii
sailed meanwhile with favoring breeze.
Sho Mails great eyes looking into his
would knock upon his hearts door
once in awhile, but the feeling was but
transitory, and of course he knew not
why it came. SO he said to himself
that he loved Tien better than any
other man on earth, for the time when
he should make that confession to his
heart in more comprehensive terms had
not come, though it was not far away.
In few weeks both were busy pre-
pairing for the examinations at the col
lege. Both were candidates for that
distinction which permits the winner to
engage in the all-important competition
at Picking. Both worked hard and well,
but Ii Xii was not Sanguine of success.
He felt that Tien would outstrip him
in the race. He knew that his attain
ments were equal to his friends so far
as facts and the knowledge of books
were concerned, but he perceived in the
other that reaching out beyond the def
initely ascertained, that inspiration
which the teacher so loves to recognize
in the pupil. His heart told him that
this would win the day, and he was not
grieved at the prospect, though it
meant the postponement of his most
CutIISDtu IOI)tSs 1oL iiIotIltL S[AdAli4lld-
ton was not to occur till the following
year, and but one of the coveted diplo-
mas would be given.
On tho other hand Sho Mai had
learned greater modesty in viewing
her own mental qualifications at the
same time that she had learned the les
son of love. Ii Xii had always been
| brilliant young man in her eyes since
she first came to know the strength of
his intellect, but iG the light which had
recently flashed out from her heart
with no uncertNn radiance she viewed
him as q marvel of wisdom. She had
no thought of winning against him and
she was glad that She could not. Never
the1ess she did. The great day came
and brought her triumph, and when the
result was announced no hand graSped
hers with heartier congratulation than
did that of Ii Xii.
She was daZed by her Success and by
the realization of what it meant to him.
All the overmastering desire for the
great honor now opened almost immedi-
ately to her efforts went out OF her
heart when love finally asserted his
complete dominion there. She would
have confessed her secret; she would
have hidden herself in the uttermost
part of the earth rather than have
crowded Lii Xii from the place which
she regarded as his by the divine right
which a woman sees vested in the ruler
of her heart.
Fortunately before Sho Mai was led
to carry any of these desperate resolves
into effect way opened whereby such
recourse was unnecessary. The in
structors of the college, in view of Ii
khi's unusual standing there, decided
to hold a special examination within
three months, 4 course only adopted in
rare cases. That Ii Xiii would win in
this second trial was regarded as a GER
tainty: and, indeed, with no such rival
as Sho Mai 60 oppose him he did win
easily.
The rapid migration OF these events
may give some idea of the way the
time flew by for those principally
concerned in them. When the day
came that both could prepare for
the great journey to Picking they
fairly caught their breath in think
ing of the way the hours had hurried
past. But week must pass before they
could sail and these few days they da-
voted to rest. a way had been devised
in which Ii Yuen Wy could secure
some assistance in his teaching during
their absence. and, indeed, in his pride
at the prowcss of his two sons rs he
had come to class them, he did not
shrink from the prospect of increased
toll for Il little while.
In these days Sho Mai and Ii Xiii
took many pleasant rambles through
the country, and in one of these they
visited the cave and passed out through
its gloomy corridors, moved by a COM
mon impulse to see once more the place
where their eyes had first rested upon
each other. They paused beside the
pool from which the captains body had
long since been taken to better rest
ing place, and Sho Mai could not repress
a tear at the memory of the man who,
though many sins We're doubtless upon
him, had yet proven her savior in dire
extremity.
At length they merged upon the shelv-
ing rocks facing the ocean.
1T was here that | stood, Tien," said
Ii Xii, advancing to the edge.
And l had just come from this crevice
at the left" said Sho Mai. Let US en-
act the scene again just as it transpired.'
So the girl hid herself between the
rocks, while Ii Xiii, folding his arms,
looked down into the sea as he had done
on that memorable morning, and tried
to picture what life would have been