Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-30

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 a lugubrious air.
Not 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 1 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, 1 no.
tice."
Eyes, l 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 smarts, that's certain, and
makes me i'll Iwant to get out of this,
and in fact I've about decided to quit. 1
don't see as the claim is helped much by
my being here; probably the old thing
will rumble along just about so whether
push or not. And you have got hold
of something better todo, so I've great
mind to pack up and go back to New
York ana settle DOWN to legitimate 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 a falter-
ing voice, while his brow grew moist
from excitement, you may be right. l
shall not advise you, because l can't
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 1 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, 1 can't express to
you the feeling 1 have toward your sister
Florence. That glimpse had of her at
college, years ago, showed me what hap
piness there might be in prosperous and
worthy love. 1t unsettled me forever
unless am settled right. Isee now that
l cherished her image unconsciOusly for
years. She set me up a standard, an
ideal, that made me captious, indifferent,
and in certain sense frivolous, with
other women. saw why when 1 met
her here again"
'NOw, Windward," he continued, lay
ing a cold and tremulous hand upon his
friends arm, Il want you to understand
this thing exactly. 1 mean to be absO-
lutely and pitilessly truthful. l see you
are surprised at my declaration. l pre-
sumo your sister would be also, though
women have keener perceptions in such
matters than we men folk. But what
mean to say is that 1 have never made
love, as the phrase is. l haven't felt
justified in doing so. Your sister is all
that men wish in woman. l needn't
speak of her charms and gifts and graces.
What l am l know very well. Your
Judgment would be very partial, but
even you could not but say, if obliged to
be candid, that have disappointed your
expectations. In plain words, 1 have
been running to seed. No-let me fin
ish. have wasted the best years of life,
and at 80 am poor, obscure, backward
and nobody. Moreover, l am not an
agreeable man from a lady's standpoint.
am good enough and all that, but not