The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-03-08
ton, he gave 1t up; but only to find 1t
@ yer recurring to his mind.

nSE .I'"H't, Wuihtu anu Jdlhcu WlJn Jnt
entertaining, thoughtful stranger, whose
wit, wide experience, easy courtesy, ant
good-humorod cynicism made him 6
charming companion. In converse with
him, they wandered in broader fields O
thought, far above the stratum of small
talk and trivialitics in which so many
very respectable people pass their lives
Indeed, so far removed from the. ordi
nary were the themes of their converse
ton, that, by tacit understanding
they usually changed the subject on the
approach of others-came down to the
laughing, frivolous level of the gay
young people summering in the village
Gradually it began to dawn on Mel
vile that the morning seemed long and
tedious in which he found no oppor-
tunity to chat with Laura. OF course
he could read or write letters, or talk
with other well-informed guests of the
hotel; he could do these things If he
wished to; but the trouble was that he
someway didn't feel like it--found him
self more inclined, in Lauras absence,
to take a solitary ride or ramble, in the
course of which his meditations were,
loI Jllt lllOSb DdTU, dDOuU HIS ldSb OE HIS
next meeting with her. He knew she
was engaged to Charlie, and assumed
that she loved him; and, knowing this,
he would not admit, even in the depth
of his own heart; that he was or would
ever be any thing more than her loyal
friend; while as for her frankly acknowl-
edged friendship ever deepening into
any warmer feeling, he had too little
vanity to give such possibility seri-
Gus second thought.
So the month went by, and the cooler
autumn evenings became an unwelcome
reminder that he must soon leave the
village: and with this began to come
sudden pangs, sense of impending
loss, which somehow robbed the future
of hope and incentive to action. Re-
volving this one evening as he paced to
and fro on the deserted porch of the
hotel, he for the first time looked the
matter squarely in the face. What did
it all mean? All! he could deceive him
self no longer; his FOOLS paradise was at
an end; he must pay for it now with a
long struggle to forget. Yes, he was
in love, though he had been calling it
JlldU Ullc HtW
name he gave it made it different
thing.
He loved woman who loved another,
who was TO be welded in less than
month: and, moreover, he had known
all along that such was to be the case.
He must leave her, must go away i'm
mediately; nothing could be more evil
dent; but should he not see her again
once more before he went? All! there
was the rub; and if he saw her, how
should he say: "Good-bye?"
After long doubt, he resolved that it
would be wiser not to meet her-to be
called away suddenly and write her his
adieus. He could certainly wish her
Joy on paper; his handwriting would
tell no secrets. whatever his face and
voice might show. In this resolution
he next morning met two young ladies
of the village, who had called to invite
him to a lawn-party.
You must be sure to come" they had
said: but, knowing whom he should
meet there, he pleaded, on the spur of
the moment, the necessity of journey
to the near city as possibility which
illlHhb pItN'uU lllS diCt VI OItlE
kind invitation.
Pcrsisting in his determination to
avoid Laura, he did leave town that
afternoon, though not, as he had con-
for the city. In the mood
he was, he wished to be alone with his
thoughts; and to that end boarded lake
steamer, found quiet seat on the upper
deck, and, with unread papers in his lap,
in melancholy reverie until
the boat was far on its way. Then,
glancing up, his heart gave quick leap.
Fate, it is fate said he; for Laura
had just passed him, and was now sitting
alone, her elbow on the rail- gazing out
over the bow of the boat.
Uncontrollably drawn, he went for
ward and took seat beside her. "You
On this boat? How strange it ISL said
he.
Her surprise equaled his own, but
she gave it no voice. 81 am going TO
she replied simply, ''to meet
a school-friend who is coming to visit
me-"
After this, little was said, each one
seeming to be occupied with somber
thoughts. Finally, pleading too cool
breeze, she went below, and they did
not meet again until on the return boat
Laura's friend had not come. Fate had
thrown them together alone again, but
only few commonplaces were inter-
changed.
To Melville it was evident that Laura
had some reason for wishing to avoid
him. "She has fathomed my secret-my
love for her." he thought, ''and this is
hor just reproof." In this belief he re-
mained moodily in another part of the
boat, through all the homeward trip.
Reaching the wharf and seeing Charlie
waiting there for Laura; Melville made
no effort to see her; and on the follow
ing morning, quilted the village-for
the West, he said, but really caring lit
tie where he went, since every way
seemed dark.
For Laura, also, the glamour of life
was gone. Malicious people had limited
to Charlie that sit was really remarka-
BILE that Melville and Laura should have
happened to take the same aimless trip
on the same afternoon" and Charlie,
secretly Jealous was easily influenced
by their insinuations, and petulantly
charged her with preference for his
rival, with faithlessness and duplicity.
Here, Charlie, take your ring" she
replied, not unkindly. you are only a
boy; We never could make each other
happy. once thought that we might