Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-03
CHAPTER XXI.
ADELAIDE REcoLLEcrs.

-
That dGTt1lg, deUtltSh soldier lad tDlO
stabbed her lDtth bdpoflet.
Rosalie found it difficult to know
what she ought to write to Edgar Julian,
II she ought to write at all, He had
been SO kind to her, and she respected
his honorable frankness so much, that,
even if she could not say she loved him,
she felt generously anxious not to wound
him. But she really longed to see him.
He had filled a large space in her life,
and had revealed to her most interest
ing contrast as his ultra northern traits
of character struck sharply against
southern obstacles; not that she had
traced and defined this contrast or drawn
any conclusion from it, but she had felt
his superior knowledge of affairs, his
sturdy truthfulness, his faith in the
future of America, his belief in the value
and nobleness of labor, his genuine re-
spect for the common people, and, on
the other hand, his rich imagination and
his tender c'oquence. She could not
realize "a i ter memories nursed by
her lister touching the dark
etrugl ,ost Cause. She had no
past to r,ol9 {. The future and the
present '.e , She naturally enough
had falle "a I've with northern ways.
1t seemed to her that the world was
made for earnest, persistent people to
take and enjoy; she believed in freedom
as the war had fixed it-in free educa-
ton, free thought, free men and women,
had influenced her to believe in these
things the doctrine seemed quite as
much her own as the old Provencal
cross; Julian had been simply restorer
Of things lost--a reviver of things in
allegiance. Rosalie keenly realized what
her answer to Julian's letter must de-
eide. She puzzled her mind to discover
some happy way out of the dilemma
She asked herself over and over again,
"Do love him?" and just as often she
shrank away from the responsibility of
saying yes or no. Her heart trembled,
she hesitated faltered, dreamed, So the
days went by while Edgar Julian shiv-
cred through the Chicago snowstorms
waiting for a letter. He, too, was wres-
| tling with a problem. He did not shrink
from acknowledging his love-he gloried
In it-but he did not feel safe in rushing
DacK to savannah. nor did he feel con.
tent to stay away A man in love must
be allowed some latitude of foolishness
and we ought to consider that each in
stance of love trouble has its sentimental
peculiarities. Julian had uttered the
simple truth when he wrote that he was
"unft for business since returning" No
man could have been more preoccupied
ell the time. more restless. more inclined
to wave affairs aside and to give him
self over to his fancies.
The letter he was waiting for was a
long while coming, and when it did
come it only gave emphasis to his diff
Guilty.
''Your letter." Rosalie wrote, 'has
been here for good while You will
forgive me for not answering it sooner
when say frankly to you that | have
been dreadfully at loss as to my duty
In the matter. very much desire to be
kind and good to you, bIt my sel6shness
has interposed itself all the time. On
one hand must not, cannot, tell you
to come back; on the other hand should
be delighted to see you and talk with
you. did not know until returned
that you had gone away, and | missed
you 80 much that became restless You
had better not come back, think, for it
would be unpleasant to you, unless you
could repress and forget everything be-
yond our charming friendship. prize
you above all my friends, and frankly, |
hardly know why, unless it is because
you have humored my selfshness and
fed my Provencal fancies as no one else
save papa ever has shall be very un-
happy if lose you, and yet it would not
be right for me to make you hope for
what might never come
Il respect you too sincerely not to be
precisely frank If knew how; but have
vainly tried to make up some phrase or
other expressive of my feelings. The
best can do is to say that | hope you
will not come back till you have deter
mined to be my good, strong, generous
friend. and nothing beyond. could not
bear to have you come in any other way,
and yet hope you will come Our little
garden is full of flowers and the air is
very sweet with their perfumes.
Papa and my sister Adelaide are here
with us We are going to Europe in July
to Provence, of course. Aunt Margue-
rite is going along as guardian and chape-
ron for Adelaide and me- Won't you
write me and tell me those things about
Chateau Chenier that you say you forgot
to tell me while you were here? am
sorry to have to refuse you anything, but
I cannot see how any good could ever
come of permitting You to return, SO
long as you feel as you say you do. You
wouldn't enjoy being here, and that
would make me very unhappy. My cen
tury plant is in bloom. Give my love to
Mrs. Largely Your friend,
X "RosALIE CHENIER."
Julian read this letter with a queer
mist in his eyes. Hecould not find much
comfort in it's half girlish, half stilted
~a,,<ox,<,oa ay,d xa% ha xrny,ld not havo