The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-03-13

friend; while as for her frankly acknowl
edged friendship ever deepening into
any warmer feeling. be had too little
vanity to give such . possibility a seri'
GUS second thought.
SO the montl 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-
volying 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
friendship-had thought that the new
name he gave it made it different
thing.
lie loved woman who loved another,
who was to be welded in less than q
month: and, moreover. he had known
all along that such was to be the case
lie must leave her, must 60 away inn
mediately; nothing could be more EVIL
dent; but should he not sec her again
once more before he wenta 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. lie 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 q 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 a journey
to the near city as possibility which
might prevent his acceptance Of their
kind invitation.
Persisting in his determination to
avoid Laura, he did leave town that
afternoon, though not, as he had con-
templated. 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,
remained in melancholy reverie until
the boat was far on its way. Then,
CHANGING 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
pensively 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. Il am going to
Wayland." she replied simply, ITO meet
school-friend who is coming to visit
me-"
After this, little was said, each ono
seeming to be occupied with somber
thoughts. Finally, pleading too cool
breeze, she went below. and they did
not met 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. land this is
her just reproof." In this belief he re-
NAMED modify 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 yillage-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 lit was really remarka.
| BILE that Melville and Laura should have
happened to take the same aimlcss 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. 'lou are only Z
boy: we never could make each other
happy. once thought that we might
but it was not to be; so let us part good
friends, now, while there is nothing t.
regret or forget"
Angry and wounded in vanity, Charlie
left her at the gate. free, and went away
free himself. But this was the least o
her sorrow: the tears that dampened he
pillow that night were not for low,
that was lost, but for love that hat
never been told. What said she I,
herself WAS the meaning, the onl,
possible Interpretation, of Melville
embarrassment at finding me on tn,
boat. his constraint and subsequent
avoidance. if not that he didn't wish t.
meet me, having discovered that Will,
! wore the ring Of one. had given m,
heart, unasked. unwanted, to another
He despises me for my weakness-woult
not attend the lawn party because b,
did not wish TO meet me. And yet ",
were to be such friends: he warned ID,
that we were to be nothing more. Il
is easy to be lovers or haters.' he said
but harder to be nothing but friends
| \
All the people were now gone
Even Charlie had left. to pass the white
in the city: and the village became agai
monotonously dun. Maple-leaves gre,
red and drifted to the ground, the sno,
came and faded again from the hills
and the clover-blossoms followed: blu
nothing occurred to vary the joyles
dreariness of LaIra's life. In hote
corridor. however, of a distant city. Me-
vile now by chance encountered Char
lie, who was beaming with happines
and holding out his hand frankly as b
advanced.
II once had grudge against you, oil
fellow" said he, twas awfully jealous
but it's all over now that Pm married
Come up and see my wife. Yes, yo
; really must" and taking him by tn
arm and refusing mo" for an answe
he led him to the parlor.
1t was with the utmost reluctance thu