Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-03-20

Il will give it to him to post" she
thinks. as she listlessly takes up the
evening paper.
For second or two she glances
inditferently over it, and then she reads
earnestly, while her face scftens, her
eyes fill, and two h :avy tears fall on the
paper as she drops it on her lap. Only
couple of verses, with no beauty or
power beyond their truth, and yet they
can send her thoughts back over eight
years-such a lorg, long time out Of
one youth and make her heart ache
with pity for the difference between the
woman of twenty eight who Is to marry
Brian Chester and the girl of twenty
who loved 80 foolishly and so tenderly
that the ghost of handsome, fond, false
face can come between her and her
future husband even now.
"Ie wraps me round with his riches,
He covers me tip with his care,
And his love is the loye ola manhood
Whose life is living prayer.
have pighted my womans affections,
have vowed my all in ull,
And the flowers of daily Contelitmcnt
Renew their lives ere they fall"
'l'ut yet, like an instrument precious
That playclh an oldcn tune,
Ny heart, in the midst of its blessings,
Goes back To u day in June
Toa day :" hen, beneath tie branches,
stood by u silent stream,
And saw in its bosom an IMAGE,
AS one sceth Il face in dream"
Sl5yl Van Eyck Is a young woman
usually very appreciltIve of the advan
tage Of becoming surroundings, but ust
now she Is quite unconscious that her
fair head and slender fglr in its pale
blue trailing dress make picture very
pleasing to Il man ) eyes az she lies bac X
IN crimson chair in the soft warm
glow OF the fire. Her thoughts have
gone 50 fer and 80 fast that she does not
hear the door open aud c.o,e, nor a
mans quick step on the thick carpet
She has forgotten that she ought to be
expecting Mr. Chester, until he scat'
himself beside her and tales calm pos
session of one of her hands. She comes
back to the present then with such 1
start that he laughs.
you look as if you had forgotten all
about me - and then gently kissing the
hand he has taken, he lets 1t 90, aud
leaning back IN his chair, makes him
self comfortable alter the fashion, more
easy than elegant, Of our generation.
She colors like chool-gl.l, though
she is twenty eightanl such drea (tul
airt,' and she puts the paper out OF
sight under the train Of her dress.
And if had, SIP she asks, lightly
i dare say you forget me, often enough,
for much more than five minutes ?
Never he says, rather shortly; and
then, after An instant, "What were you
crying for just now?
DO not you know that we women
Cry for anything or nothlng?'
Not YOU but do not tell me unless
You wish to do 80.
I assure you have no such lnten-
ton, she says, gayly. Does your
lordship think that | shall make you
my confessor =
Some day-yes.' he answers, quietly,
and looking not at her, but at the fire.
Very quickly she lifts her eyes to his
face--a very frank and pleasant face,
with look that shows its owner well
content with the world and himself, but
Just now little graver than its wont,
and she wonders, with thrill of the
same pity she had felt for herself,
whether be too in the years which lie
behind him has missed something Of
life's completeness.
You and | are too old and worldly
wise for that, she says, rather sadly.
"Old you child" his eyes meeting
hers with a smile half amused, half
tender. i am awars that you have
reached the awful age Of twenty eight,
Miss Van Eyck, and that you have had
enough experience of the world to make
you wise, but, for all, you are child,
and child in some things you viii re-
main as long as you live
All! you DO not know how much
nicer | was ten years ago, she says
laughing nervously.
If have the BAD taste to be content
with you as You are do not See that 1t
is of any consequence he says, again
taking her hand. "Besides, do not
believe it,
I wish she begins, wistfuIIy, while
tears stand in her eyes--I wish that we