Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-09-04

fair and right that you should know"
"How could it have been otherwise,
Mrs. Vincent? Is there any man quite
worthy of her? Is there any station in
life too high for one like her? | never
dared hope that your consent could have
been so freely given. do not dare hope
that she can possibly care for me-yet.
81 will not keep you longer, then,
said she, smiling through her tears 81
will see you after while, perhaps. Ma
bel is In the library. Now I'll leave you.
With unanimously throbbing heart.
he softly entered and quickly glanced
around. The tiers of almost priceless
volumes, the antique furniture, the cos:
" Persian rugs and portieres, the pic
lures. bronzes, bric-a-brac-an were
valueless in his eager eyes. They sought
one object alone, and found it in de.i'
bay window across the rooR- There.
leaning back in a great easy reading
chair, with a magazine in her lap, her
fair head pillowed on slken cushion.
reclined the lady of his heart, smiling a
sweet welcome to him, while the rosy
color mounted to her brows as he came
quickly forward and took her soft, white
hand How he was treJphlingi How
his kind gray eyes were glowing! She
away. She had begun some pleasant lit
tie welcoming speech, some half laugh
ing allusion to the flowers, but she stop
ped short In the midst of 1t. A knot of
half faded roses-his roses-nestled in
her bosom, contrasting with the pure
white Of her dainty gown; and now
those treasured, envied flowers began to
rise and fall, as though rocked on the
pillows of some clear lake stirred by
sudden breeze. What he said, he did
not know; she hardly heard, though her
ears drank in every word. She only
realized that both his hands were
tightly clasping hers, and that, scorn-
ing to seek a chair and draw it
to her side perhaps, too, because
he could not bear to release even for an
instant that slender little hand-perhaps
still more because of the old time chiv-
airy in his nature that had prompted
him to ask parental sanction before tell
ing her of his deep and tender love
Capt. Lane had dropped on one knee
close beside, and, bending over her, was
pouring forth in broken, incoherent
words the old, old story, of lovers
hopes and fears and longings-the sweet
old song that, day after day, year after
year, ay, though sung since Gods crea-
ton of the beautiful world we live in,
never, never can be heard or sung except
in rapture. Even though she be cold to
him as stone, no true women ever lis
tened to the tale of mans true love
without thrill at heart.
Once. only once, i'll the lifetime of men
like Lane-yes, and of men not half his
peers in depth of character, in intensity
of fceling-there comes a moment like
this, and. whether, it be in the glow and
fervor and enthusiasm Of youth or the
intensity and strength of maturer years,
it is the climax of lifetime; it is the
date from which all others, all scenes
trials. triumphs, take their due appor-
tionment; it is the memory of all others
that fingers to the very last, when all,
all but this are banished from the dying
made the building of her capitol the eli
max of mundane history: everything in
her calendar was ANTE urbem condi-
tam" or the reverse. The old world
measured from tho food: the new world
our world-measureS from the birth of
him who died upon the cross; and the
lifetime of the man who has once deeply
1x-1 &c oii
in the thrilling moment of the avowal.
Have You no word to say to me, Ma
sel?-not one word of hope:-not one?"
ne pleaded.
Then she turned her lovely face, look
ing into his deep eyes through mist CT
tears.
81 do like YOU" she murmured; II do
honor you SO, Capt. Lane; but that is not
what you deserve. There is no one, be-
ieve me, whom so regard and esteem;
butt do not know-I am not certain Of
myself"
LET me try to win your love, Mabel.
Give me just that right, Indeed, indeed
have not dared to hope that so soon
could win even your trust and esteem.
You make me SO happy when you admit
even that"
1T is so little to give in return for
what you have given me-" sheanswered,
softly, while her hand still lay firmly
held in the clasp of his.
"Yet it is SO much to me. Think,
Mabel, in four days at most I must go
back to my regiment. ask no pledge
or promise. Only let me write to you.
Only write to me and let me strive to
arouse at least little love In your true
heart. Then by and by-six months,
perhaps-Tn come again and try my
fate. know that an old dragon like
me, with gray hairs sprouting in his
mustaohe-"
But here she laid her fingers on his
lips, and then, Selling both her hands,
he bowed his head over them and kissed
them passionately.
The day of parting came, all too soon.
Duty-the mistress to whom he had
never hitherto given undivided allie
glance called him to the distant west,
and the last night Of his stay found him
bending over her in the same old win
dow. He was to take late train for
st. Louis, and had said farewell to all
but her. And now the moment had ar
rived. A glance at his watch had told
him that he had but twenty minutes in
which to reach the station.
She had risen, and was standing, a
lovely picture of graceful womanhood,
her eyes trimming with tears. Both her
hands were now claspedin his; she could
not deny him that at such time; but
but was there not something throbbing
in her heart that she longed to tell?
l. GOD h. r,n,rr h