Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-09-06

~ had rather not answer that ques-
ton"
He looked grave, and as 1 glanced at
him frown passed over his face. "He
is thinking, doubtless" thought L, that
il is who have done something wrong,
and am trying 10 miSlead him; or he Is
rejecting how wise he was not TO oHer
himself 10 a woman with whose ante
cedentS he Is uuacquainted. lie mis-
trusts me at the first hint OF suspicion,
and would sacrifice his love on the altar
Of conventionality." Cautiously enough,
| seemed TO take IL for granted that ne
was in love with me.
"Aud you must go tomorrow? ne
asked.
Tomorrow, without fail.
"But you will return soon?'
~ do not expect 10 return at all.
impossible. You cannot go!' he
said, with a sudden outburst, but he cor
rected himself In a restrained voice: II
do not mean, Of course, that you cannot
20 il you choose"
Il am quite aware, Mr.. Prime, that
this will cause you great annoyance,
said l. "If it were possible for me TO re-
main until you could find another as
slstant without neglectinR duties that
are still more important, l would do so"
He made a motion as though TO wave
that consideration aside. "No one can
take your place. But that is not all.
Let US sit down, Miss Bailey; l have
something to say to you. l had meant
TO say il very soon, but it must be said
4
trembed like leaf at his avowal;
did not even yet know why.
Il love you from the bottom OF my
soul, he said once more, and how his
words were poured out in a passionate
flood, to which listened with a strange
Joy that thrilled me through and
through.
"a have never loved before. You are
the first, the very first woman in the
world who has ever touched my heart.
did not know what it was to love until a
few days ago, and could not under
stand how friendship should seem so
sweet. But last night, when l saw you
almost trampled under foot and swept
away forever from me, knew that what
l had begun TO guess was the truth.
at is impossible for you TO love me. l
am merely a poor friendless girl, with
out fortune or position" murmured.
Eyes, yes, you are; and that is the
strange and wonderful part Of il all. l
love and adore you in spite of theory
and principle and the Judgment Of wise
men. But 1 defy their laughter and
their sneers, for can point TO you and
say, show me her match among the
daughters OF the proud and wealthy.
She is the peer of any / diSbelieved
I'm the power Of nature TO initiate the
excellence Of women, and lam punished
for my lack of faith. And how sweet
and exquisite the punishment IL only,
Alice, you will tell me that my prayer is
granted, and that you will be my wife"
"Ah! but | should only be burden TO
you. can bring you nothing, not even
an untarnished name, for though you
see me as am, you do not know what
others whose blood is in my veins have
done"
"What is that to me?" he cried fierce
ly; cit is you that love-"
''But you are striving to become rich.
Ii is your ambition. Have you not told
me so? Money is the greatest power on
earth. You said that too.
"And IL was lie. had never loved.
What is money to me now? But, no, l
am wrong. IL is my ambition, and with
out your sympathy and affection shall
never attain it,"
He gazed at me imploringly, and yet
though my eyes were overlooking with
tears in the fullnesS of my new found
happiness, l still shook my head.
Listen to to me, Mr.. Prime" l said
ouietly, after short silence between us.
Il am very grateful to you-how could
I be otherwise-for what you have said
/ to me. Yours were the sweetest and
most precious words to which l ever lis
tened. You have asked me to become
YOUR wife because you loved me for my
| self alone; that can be sure OF since
| have nothing but myself to bring you.
l makes me more happy that / dare
| think Of; bus In spite OF all you have said
/ TO me, cannot accept you sacrifice.
| cannot consent to mar your hopes for
the future with all / lack. You think
YOU love me now, and believe you, but
| the time might come when you would
see that you had made q mistake, and
| that would kill me. / am not OF your
opinion as to the power Of nature to imi-
tate the excellence Of woman. You
were right at first. Ladies are born, not
made, and were you TO marry in the sta
ton of life in which you see me, the
scales would some day drop from your
ewes and you would know that you had
been deceived by love. No, Mr.. Prime,
I should not be worthy to become your
wife were to accept your offer. The
! difference between us is too great, aud
the banker and his hired female clerk
will never be on an equality to the end OF
the world. lam sorry-ah, so sorry
20 worry you thus, but / cannot permit
YOU 10 throw your life away"
ssThen you do not love me?" he asked,
with piteOuS cry.
Love you?" gave little joyous
laugh before 1 said. AZ shall never love
any one else in the world"
1t would take too long to repeat the
efforts Mr.. Prime made to lead me &c
reconsider my resolution. Meanwhile
was racking my brains to ind way Of
letting matters rest without derrlyina
him utterly Of hope. As he said, the
knowledge that my heart was his only