Evening journal., 1891-08-11
MY LOVER HORACE.

4 Horace IraVcfS ana nad been engaged
year. During that time had seen him
but oncel But when spring came round
Horace wrote me that the whole month OF
May should be mine and his.
My father went into the town on some
! errand later In the day, my mother with
! him, and our servant girl went out Co
! evening church. leaving me alone in the
house II grew dusky by and by, SO / could
not read, and j drew my chair up TO the
\ window, where ! could look through the
, door At the stars coming out one by one In
I the sky, and wondered If Horace could see
I them too.
1t grew quite dark at last, and lit the
lamp on the table and returned to my book
/ For a time read on; then the air grew
chilly, and intending TO close the door
rose from my chair and looked out.
There, in the hall door, as had seen him
few hours before, on his departure, stood
Horace Travers.
iwent back into the parlor and sat down
reasoned. scolded and argued, but could
not rid myself Of the icy shivers which ran
through my frame, or the leaden weight
which fell upon my spirit
My mother came in at last and sat down
| with some trifling remark on the beauty Of
the evening When she looked up she
crossed over to me in alarm, and taking
my hand cried out: my child, what is thl
matterl You look as If you had seen
| ghostF
81 think have, mother,"I said. trying
TO smile, but bursting into tears, and then
! told her all.
"Now, my darling Laura" said she, go
TO bed and take a good nights rest, and
my word for u you will be troubled with
no more alarming glimpses OF Horace ex-
cept In dreams, when his presence is agree
able rather than otherwise"
took my mothers advice.
The next day / was ready to look at the
whole occurrence in the same light.
But when IL came near the time when
expected letter from him / began to he
very impatient about him. The letter, oi
course, would SETTLE my mind effectually
But IL did not come In fact il never came
and that was the last, last sight l ever saw
of Horace Travers
All, those yeafs-those weary weary
yearsl How each day dragged its slow
length alongi How the weeks and months
crept away-how the years tortured mel
Each day ! said, Surely ! shall heal
from him at last"
Each night i went to bed saying, 81 an
/ one day nearer 70 the tidings which must
/ come at last"
But never heard from him and waited
for the tidings vainly.
! But though | thought time moved Sc
! slowly, still 10 moved on and brought me
! to my twenty fifth year. Then began te
I go back TO che friends | had so long neg
! lected. Society received me with open
arms. had outgrown old or faded mem
cries; my thoughts of Horace Travers wer
| growing bitter and ! longed for some di
version to take nae from them.
My engagement had never been made
! public; it was my wish that our marriage
should be the first announcement Of il, 50
was spared the questioning of friends
The life took up now was busy one.
Our family was so small, there was so lit
tie home work 70 do, and had grown so
tired OF solitary reading and music that
took 60 the change kindly.
At all festivities l noticed the presence
OF tall, distinguished looking gentleman
who had settled in our town nearly yeai
before His name, / knew, was Edward
Hatch, and his business was that which
Horace Travers had followed This is W hat
hadinterested me at first; and afterwRrd,
when came TO understand that he noticed
me closely, yet persistently avoided an in
PRODUCTION, my curiosity was piqued, and
watched him still more closely. He wa.
: past his first youth, was unusually re
served, almost gloomy; but when he threw
, Off the depression Of spirits which troubled
/ him he could make himself the life ant
soul OF our company.
The only thing did not like was the at
mosphere OF reserve which seemed TO clos
around him now and then. | had out
grown that romantic age when a myster!
Is charming. had suffered bitterly enougl
4 from one mystery.
= It came 10 pass in the course Of yea
I that married Edward Hatch.
: The gloom and reserve OF Edward Hatch
: character took a tangible shape at last
I Night after night he paced the floor stead
4 lily, uRtiringly. Day after day he went 6
I his business, his food untasted and th
darkness Of night on his face.
Edward said /, one night, "are 20
angry with meS | cannot bear this cold
, ness and separation. ! am your wife fo
Z. better or worse, and would try to max
y you happy il ! only knew how"
:, He came and sat down by me. He too
y my hand and said: Laura, dearest. hay
y no fault to find with you. But wronge
! you terribly by marrying you, as you wi
know some day. Oh, heavenP he erie
= wildly. Il wish it were all overt Whi
pangs have not sufieredp'
Then he flung my hand away, aud bega
he the old monotonous pacing.
nv i made no further attempt to break dow
he the barrier between us after that, bl
". drifted slowly into separate life, with i
ce own pursuits and pleasures.
r. One day my husband came In with
is hurried, determined air. He threw hir
self into a chair and said Business cal
me TO c. Immediately. l may make
lengthy stay, and as have a house thel
ry you may as well come with me- Laura
n, "a house in C-l You never told 4
is you had lived there"
ir, He looked at me with a strange, burnii
hn look in his eye; then bit his lips aud sa
or. carelessly;
ne "What do you know OF CO mig
have mentioned it had known the mai
had any special interest sor you"
"It has" said ~ had friend the
vas years ago. His business was the same
AZ yours. II WIS more than eight years a
] that he took leave Of us, and we never s.
nv OF heard from him since. II you COZ
throw light on his fate it would be son
thing Of relief after all these years.
a ., THAT can hardly dc. / left c. nea
- ten years ago, and have only been tn
~. since on flying business visits like this 0
- However, II you are going, you had bet
49, 49, lose no time in your preparations. AZ
,' ,orr you get there you may meet some one
a'e knew your friend BY the war, y he add
''K1n haYR not msntions4 his mama yea