San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-15

That ne was TOOL and had only escapeu
the penalty of his folly by the interven-
ton of kindly perverse fate.
"Well," he exclaimed, fretfully, Il
don't see for my part what you all find
so uncommonly bad in Clara Willis.
maintain that she is a charming, happy
hearted, lovely little lady, even if she
did jilt me- One would think l had Just
escaped from a railroad accident, or
| come home from the wars, by the way |
am congratulated
Excuse me, Windward, said Stevens,
| 81 would not have you misunderstood
me. am very sorry; regret it. / ap-
preciate how terribly you must feel-ap-
preciate more deeply perhaps than you
imagine. can't think of anything more
painful or more dreadful than to fail in
love. synpathize with you absolutely.
| At the same time say, and say sincere
ly, that don't think Miss Willis is
worthy of you.
well, haven't SO high an opinion OF
myself" said Windward, somewhat mol
Lifted, yet disposed to be testy; sin fact,
don't know anything better calculated
to take the conceit out of a man than to
| get the mitten."
"That is So" replied Stevens very
seriously 81 have thought that matter
over a great deal If a true man truly
loves and then fails, don't believe he
ever gets quite over it. Ship builders
say that if ship isn't built right to
start with it can never be made over
and fixed up so as to be as good as new.
And | shouldn't wonder if it was so with
hearts. A broken heart may be mended,
very likely: but, after all, that is going
to sea with a patched boiler. l suppose
it is possible to love again. but, If we
can love twenty times, we can love for
The first time only once"
'"That is not very encouraging" said
Windward, with lugubrious air.
mot if you really love Miss Willis"
said Stevens, soberly. But if you love
her with your pride instead of your soul
that's soon over, and very likely one is
better for his lesson. What l hope,
Windward, and what l think is, that
Miss Willis hasn't sunk really into your
SOUL"
Maybe not" replied Windward, 'but
the cut is deep enough to hurt, | no
tice."
Eyes, | know" said Stevens, land
they say that flesh wounds are often the
most painful, but they heal and get
well, that's the difference"
"Well, we shall see," said Windward.
Just now it slnarts, that's certain, and
makes me ill. want to get out of this,
and in fact I've about decided to quit. l
: don't see as the claim is helped much by
my being here; probably the old thi6g
$ will rumble along Just about 50 whether
Ipush or not And you have got hold
I of something better to do, so I've great
mind to pack up AMI SO hack to New
York and settle down to l,gitimate bust
ness"
This was alarming news! Evidently
time pressed; it might be now or never.
He would speak if it killed him, and he
felt as if it would.
"Windward," he said, with falter-
ing voice, while his brow grew moist
from excitement, "you may be right. l
shall not advise you, because l can't
l am so anxious for you and the family
to stay here AS to your love affair,
that is of course of great Importance;
and if you feel as l do on like matter
it's the only serious thing in life"
"Indeed?" said Windward, surprised
and excited now in his turn.
eyes" replied Stevens, and the dig
nifty of the crisis made him formal and
grave. "Windward, l can't express to
you the feeling have toward your sister
Florence That glimpse had of her at
college, years ago, showed me what hap
I piness there might be in prosperous and
worthy love. 1t unsettled me forever
= unless am settled right see now that
l cherished her image unconsciously for
= years. She set me up a standard, an
ideal, that made me captious, Indifferent,
and in a certain sense frivolous, with
j other women. | saw why when l met
her here again.
l "Now, Windward," he continued, lay
ing a cold and tremulous hand upon his
friends arm, Il want you to understand
t this thing exactly. l mean to be abSo-
! lutely and pitilessly truthful. see you
are surprised at my declaration. | pre-
sumo your sister would be also, though
women have keener perceptions in such
matters than we men folk. But what L
mean to say is that | have never made
Q love, as the phrase is. l haven't felt
< justified in doing so. Your sister is all
e that men wish il woman. needn't
speak of her charms and gifts and graces.
: What | am | know very well. Your
S Judgment would be very partial. but
even YOU could not but say, If obHged To