Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-01

I TllDX HDDuI II. ne never even EAfC q AAtAS -
! his hopeless conditicn, though, OF course,
Beatrice OWNED something of 1t as soon as
she came to years of discretion. But there
grew up in Owens silent, lonely breast a
great aud overinastering desire 10 make this
gray eyed girl mis- wife. He measured time
| by the intervals that elapsed between his Wis
ions of her. No period in his life was so
wretched and utterly purposeless as those
two years which passed while she was at her
training college. He was a very passive
lover. as Yet his gathering passion did not
urge him to extremes, and be corld never
make up his mind to declare it. The oox was
in his hand, but he feared TO throw the dice.
But he drew as near to her ss he dared.
Once he gave her a flower: il was when she
was seventeen. and awkwardly expressed
hope that she would wear it for his sake The
words were not much and the flower was not
much. but there was "A look about the mans
eyes, and a suppressed passion and energy IN
his voice that told their tale to the keen
witted girl. After this he found that she
avoided him. aud bitterly regretted his bold
ness For Beatrice did not like him in that
way. To a girl of her curious stamp his
wealth was nothing. She did not covet
wealth, she coveted independence. and had
man would not bring il to her. A cage is
cage, whether the bars are iron or gold. He
bored her: she despised him for his want Of
intelligence and enterprise. That man with
all his wealth and endless opportunity should
waste his life in such fashion was to her
thing intolerable. She knew if she had half
his chance that she would make her name
ring from one end of Europe 10 the other. In
-, d. Iatl inn Iaaplt~ in
tempt as her sister Elizabeth, studying him
from another point Of view, held him in rev
erence. And putting aside any human pre-
elections, Beatrice would never have mar
ried a man she despsed. She respected her
self too much.
Owen Davies saw all this as through a
glass darkly, and IN his own slow way cast
about for means Of drawing near. He dis
covered that Beatrice was passionately fond
Of learning and also that she had no means
TO obtain the necessary books. So he threw
open his library to her 1t was one of the
best in Wales. He did more. He gave or
ders 20 London bookseller to forward him
every new book Of Importance that appeared
in certain classes of literature, and all Of
these he placed at her disposal. having first
carefully cut the leaves with his own hand.
MS wis "a hilh Silt CPhlu ubl lt>isl. oht
might dread or even detest Mr.. Davies, but
she loved his books, aud If she quarreled
with him her well of knowledge would
simply run dry, for there were no circulat-
ing libraries at Bryngelly, and If there had
been she could not have afforded TO subscribe
10 them. So she remained ON good terms
with him and even smiled at his futile at
tempts to keep pace with her studies. Poor
man. reading did not come natural to him;
he was much better at cutting leaves. He
studied The Times and certain religious
works, that was ALL But he wrestled man
fully with many detested tome in order 10
be able to say something TO Beatrice about
il, and the worst Of il was that Beatrice al
ways saw through il, and showed him that
she did. Il was not kind, perhaps but youth
is cruel.
And so the years wore on, till at length |
Beatrice knew that a crisis was at hand |
Even the hardest and most retiring lover
must come to the point at last if he is in earn
est, and Owen Davis was very much in earl |
est OF late, TO her dismay, be had 50 far
come ont OF his shell as 10 allow himself to be
q member Of the school council |
OF course she knew that this was only TO give
him more opportunities of seeing her. As |
member of the council he could visit the
school of which she was mistress as often as
be chose, and indeed he soon learned 10 take
a lively interest in village education. About
twice a week he would come in just as the
school was breaking up and offer TO walk
home with her, seeking for favorable oppor-
tunity 70 propose Hitherto She had always
varded of this last event. but she knew that
1 must happen. Not that she was actually
afraid Of the man himself; he was too much
lfrad OF her for that. What she did fear
VAS the outburst Of wrath from her father
md sister when they learned that she had re-
used Owen Davies. Itncver occurred to her
hat Elizabeth might be playing hand Of
Ter own in the matter
From all Of which it VIII be clear, if indeed
{ has not become so already. that Beatrice
granger was somewhat i'll regulated young
woman, born to bring trouble on herself and
N connected with her Had she been other
wise, she would have taken her good fortune,
md married Owen Davies, in which case her
history need never have been written