The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-01-04

Vanitas vanitatum, ia "a ia, whateyeii|
isl
The dance was over, and we loo
about for some place where we wouldhe
unseen. Tom knew of little balcmS
outside one of the windows, and n.
quickly made our way there, passingb>
DIR. John as we did so.
Give me pin. Now put your h9d
way over on the other side. Look hee.
keep your hands to yourself! Now, Tn
no cheating" The pin bent and "a
to get another. The band struck up ii
next dance. 1 put up both handstnd
had almost put thefin securely thrdph
the stiff, starched linen, and we wee
laughing softly, when figure darkensd
the window and DIR. John stepped otk
For an instant his eyes met mine, al
then the handsome face was distortad
by an expression of the bitterest Sorn
In the semi-darkness he could seethat
my arms were appraised to Toms necl,
and that our heads were very neas
81 beg pardon. 1t was not my aten-
ton to intrude or interrupt. l nsrely
came to claim the next dance. Vnder
the circumstances, of course, waie all
rights"
Hang the man." burst out To, as
soon as DIR. John stepped back in, the
room. "What can he mean? He-bh,
ha! ha! ha! that's good joke. The
idea of our spooning, Percy-you Id
He was in dead earnest, too. E6ll,
come inside. There's one good
about it anyway; there'ffbe sons&,SsS
fellow the happier for it." ~
mo, Tom, am little tird, and I
think I'll stay here. Tdl my next
partner where to find me-
danced as much as everand was very
talkative going home. lid not cry at
all, but lay quite still ans wide awake
all night. The next morning l did not
and my eyes were unusually bright.
Two days later l lay unconscious with a
consuming fever. Those were sad times
for mother, and there were days when
she held my hands in hers and breath
lessly counted th9 beaings of the vacil-
lcllllS DulSt. l. lux hOS bCCll WILL lOuc az
all, only one nfht had sighed contin-
ually, and kepcrepeating; Goodbye,
Percy" in sof, monotonous voice until
day-break. Fc the rest of the time
was simply unconscious. When l was
getting better mother told me DIR. John
had been kind as only such dear heart
could be, andkept her courage up I'M
faggingly win his hopes and reliance
on my strong,onstitution. She also told
me incidentally that Silver Brooks air
did not seem % be agreeing with him,
he had grow so pale and thin.
AS for myelf l was shocked when |
saw the CHANCES disease had made in me.
Every body allied me the prettiest girl
in Silver Brooks, and, though far from
being vain, sill found a good deal of
satisfaction in the bright, rosy image
reflected in ny loolking-glass. But now
my skin WIS of dazzling whiteness,
and my eyes seemed to be all over my
face, while the light played almost mys-
teriously on my yellow hair,
The purity dear" old Mother Gerkins
had said, wiping the tears out of her
eyes with her apron. The purity dear!
All. but she's like the angel in the pict-
chure in the chur-ruch."
As soon as | was out of danger DR.
Johns visits ceased. Weeks passed be-
for I saw htfr again, ana theHWe ~
met and bowed politely and passe6on.
And so it happened many times, andthe
slow summer dragged on again util
October.
1 was sitting in my room one ay,
writing to distant friend, when l aw
the Brownlow man servant coming hat
the gate. How it happened l do rot
know. In firm, clear hand was written
on fresh sheet of paper:
DIR. John, please come to see me-"
And l rose, still without though,
and making my way down stairs, gavtit
to the man Che had come on a mesSge
to mother) with the request to delier
it right away. &
In the evening when the sun had set
l wandered down into the garden to CIT
some roses that were rich and SWEET
with the dew of twilight. Mother hid
gone out to neighbours, and it WIS
lonely in the house.
had stopped down low to train ter
der vine that was straying about fG
support. and when rose, DIR. John stool
beside me.
you wanted me, so I came"
His voice was richer, sweeter than
ever, and came to me like mamma in the
desert. l had not realized before how
hungry | was for the sound of it.
"1es, yes; that is, I" My hand:
CROPPED blindly for my head, and
pressed it firmly between them. A be-
wildering sense of it all came over me-
of all l had suffered, uniustly, yet
through my own fault. Had l but tolt
him that day when l kissed him that hi
was all the world to me, that l loved
him above my very life, ali, then al
would have been we'll!
John, oh DIR. John, it has all been ;
mistake-right from the very first.
love you, only you-with all my strength
with all my strength love YOU"
/ guess we were both little insars
for the next half hour. Anyhow, sign
language was enough for US just then
and neither spoke word.
but Tom Woods?" asked my grea
big-hearted lover, with little furrov
down the middle of his forehead.
laughed little, and cried a LITTLE
and-and-well, l don't care if did kis