Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-12-21


And thereupon our interrupted gay.
| city broke out anew with more spirit than
ever. The child was christened Claire,
but from its earliest years il displayed a
temper so sweet, disposition so loving,
that il earned and received the pet name
Of Pearl. Father made a wise invest
ment of the little fortune, and by the
time Pearl was i6 il had more than dou.
| bled. She was now q maiden of rare
physical loveliness. For several years
had been watching the unfolding of this
/ fair bud. and had resolved, come what
may. to make Pearl my wife. My love
for her was not an ordinary attachment
1t was an alteration. deep and soulful
yeaTning. / could not put il in words.
was afraid 10 speak TO Pearl. | was
afraid I'd frighten her. and so Went
about with this thorn in my breast.
"Uncle Francois had died just a year
previous TO this time, and now father WAS
stricken with apoplexy. was hastily
was thick and broken, but. oh, God,
understood him only too well.
any dear son-I have long been aware
of your love for Pearll" he gasped, but
| it must not bel can not tell you all
| PeaTl-your wife-must not.
With this terrible must not on his
lips he relapsed into a stupor and never
spoke again.
Pearl was sent to a convent. l mar
ried shortly after, and upon mothers
death my wife and asked Pearl to make
her home with us, and she did, coming
\ to us with that old time smile so
sweetly sad, loving and caring for our
children real pearl in our household.
| AS God lives l thought that love was
dead within my heart, but month in aud
month out woke to find it still there.
Struggle as might could not rid my
self of it; il would not 60. Thirty-tive
years have not killed it. 1t will never,
it will never die, sobbed my poor cousin
piteousy.
took his hand and then spoke few
comforting words to him, and then |
asked
| But why did Pearl never marry?"
She did not care to marry, she said,
/ replied my cousin. mo one suited her
exactly, although she had many offers
! Gaston's wife now called us, but his
eyes were so swollen and red that it was
impossible for him TO return to the draw.
ing room. l hastily poured basin of
cold water, recommending him to bathe
his face and compose himself while re-
joined the family.
need not tell you that Mile Pearl now
more than ever awakened a sympathy
within me strangely tender and sweet.
/ could not keep my eyes off her. The
delicious sadness lurking in her round,
blue eyes enthralled me. / followed her
from room to room, inventing excuses to
/ speak her name. longed with yearn-
ing that oppressed and panied me to look
into her heart, TO know if she really had
loved CASTOR so deeply, so fervently, as
to say, Thou or no one.
At last we were left alone in Gaston's
workroom. a charming little den, quite
shut off from the rest of the house. Never
had Pearl seemed more deliciously gentle
and feminine. There was playful mel
ancholy in her manner that drew me to-
ward her more strongly than the witch
cry of a maiden of 1S. l must have
kissed her hand with more ardor than al.
lowable, for was aroused from my dream
by feeling her tugging to get it away
from me and hearing her say:
"0h, n. Jules NJ Jules |"
"Ah, Mile. Pearl, 1 exclaimed. "If
you could have seen Cousin CASTOR weep
ing this morning! II you could have
heard his confession I"
She caught her breath, her waxlike
face grew whittier and her clear blue eyes
lost their summer like serenity.
Seen him weepingl" she repeated in
tone of wonderment.
"Yes, yes, said l, this morning, only
a short while ago, upstairs, when we
were all alone.
But why?" she almost whispered.
What has happened?"
"Ah, Pearl" / replied. taking her
hand, still strangely young and girlish,
"Iknow all; something did happen many
/ years ago. CASTOR has told me Of his
love; know the secret of his life"
But look at Pearl silenced me- A
deathlike pallor had overspread her face,
her eyes were closed, she had risen and
was clinging to the back of Gaston's
chair. She seemed ready to fall, when
that instant Gaston's voice rang out:
Cousin Jules, Cousin Jules, where are
your"
As he entered his den in order to get by
me he was obliged to close the door par
TALLY. He gave it little stronger push
than was necessary. 1t went completely
shut with low click. We three beings
stood there absolutely alone, shut out
/ from the rest of the world.
A strange expression, half joy. half
/ pain, had oyerspread Pearls face as Gas
| toms voice sounded in the next room.
1 Their eyes met-hers wet with tears, his
red and swollen know not how it all
happened, so bewildered was /, so en-.
tranced at the thought Of what might
happen, but / heard CASTOR cry out !.
Pearl, Pearli and saw his arms stretched
out to her, saw her throw herself into
them with smothered exclamation OF
Joy, saw their lips meet Then looked
away.
The next moment was startled by a
wild cry of CASTOR:
Jules. Jules, come quick. Pearl has
faintedls
wheeled about just iu time TO he of
assistance to linn. We laid her on the
sofa and turned to get a glass of water,
/ when an agonizing cry snote my ears: