Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-06

aires and bring them here as prisoners!'
Elsie. Elsie cruel, cruel! What would
! become Of me?1
We'll, perhaps you'll be marrying a Bos-
ton belle one of these fine days.
Perhaps, Elsie-if You go out as sl.ir-
nl,sher''
80 that's all nonsense; you are only
teasing; and besides, L am not smart
| enough to GO
Suppose
''Yes, whatl''
Suppose You did go, and suppose YOU
! were TO tnd riches, and pleasure, and fiat
| terry. and have all these poured at your feet
II you would give up your English Hfe-and
! love-"
Elsie tried hard TO assume the nearest
possible to frivolous air as she turned her
face the other way and jauntily replied:
II ifs and ans were pots and pans.
There be no need OF thinkers"
"Come and let's have some music"
Her dainty fingers barely seemed to touch
| the keys rs she played the accompaniment
| to song after song, sung by them alter
| nately and in duet. chiefly the fine CID in
spired ballads which viii o,tlive most Of
| our artiicialiy manufactured nominations
! They neither heard nor noticed the eager
| undertoneS in which Blarnaby absorbed the
| attention Of Lady OSSulStone. They We're
! seated IN the farther corner of the spacious
! apartment in the shadow cast by one of he
| mead Craned towards his listener, though he
! was not aware of i. Her eyes were fixed
| upon bracelet which the fingers of her
right hand We're turning round and round
| aud round again on her left wrist with slow
| mechanical regularity.
Believe me, speak frankly. Nothing
| could have been more completely foreign 70
| nay thoughts when I accepted the honor Of
| this invitation than the position I tinC my
self moved to assume. Your hospitality.
! your converse, your self, have been i revcl-
| alton 10 me. | wish---I pray hcayen--th2t
! only with the thousanGth part Of
! tho force You have upon me.
| We are not children in such things.
| Nor do 1 lightly speak of atfinities, for if
| they exist they assert themselves. What if
| they doS Let US be cautious ard ponder
| everything deeply. Hlsty fancieS do not
| betit those of our age and experience. But
| if | were not assured that there are subtle
| sympathieS which draw me- to YOU Is have
! never been drawn before, ! could
! not have dared to speak thus.
! Love breaks barriers down, even
/ such barriers as conventional lie
! places between al old aristocracy and
! young democracy. And Yet, believe ne, !
! viii bow TO whatever consideration appears
! II you paramount | press fer 10 reply
| nOw-lt Is my duty to terminate yOur lady
| ships peIplcXity under this irreprcssib.c
ness. Yet 7 implora you to devote one
| thought to the possibilities of new nappi-
ness in q new world. where | picture
! you the beloved leader Of demo-
cratic sciety already much utilized to repair
the fading glorics Of European ariStOcracy.
I Think of the splendid opportunity, priv
lcGas-aye, duty-tnat awaits the woman
who can, by one word, heal every Oueof the
ranking sores that are kept open Simply 10
ruin the peace Of our frateIuIl peoples.
Was ever the sclfshnesS Of love hLllowed
b. so sublime = sanction rs this Of ourmU-
tual patriotism.
He paused His voice was tremulous
with the Intensity of feeling; for the n&2r-
pitnde Of the issue doomed larger in MS con-
seriousness aS he spoke.
Lazy Ossulstone sat for few moments
Is on" rapL in some vision. Slowly. very
slowly, she came 10 herself with a sigh, and
her head gently turned as ifSeekiug another
object for her gaze. Perfectly seli-pos-
sessl 4 she was. and had at no time lost per
ctpton of the situation. despite the potency
Of The spell she had been under. Stranger
still. her surgiug thoughts had hcan Of the
coolest practical sort. The romance 0E
iiealism charms the unsOphisticdted girl,
but women of the world are affected only
by the romance of realism. present or 20
lential. She well knew the infinite posi-
biities of the situation so impressivcly
fore-sketchei. The contrasts flashed unon
as she SAW it, and future power used for
The MODEST ends. Is it wonderful that Lady
OsSustone was mute with pe"plcXity?
Dear mamma do you know the time2
We have been so long At the piano I'm sure
neither OF US thought how we must have
been worrying you. Do forgive me, Mr..
Blarnaby, for it all my fault"'
Why, my child, ] have been blaming my
self for talking so loudly all the time. I /,
fear. Sir John, l shall be obliged 10 spoil (
our rubber this evening, as my favorite |
headache gives me hints Of lis nearness. /
You viii, / am sure. forgive ne, Mr. Barn /
ably, for retiring earlier than I would"
II VIII come, too mamma darling, but | :
don't suppose I shall be miSsed.'
And 50 the ladies withdrew, each with /
her heart full of its own secret anXieties /
The gentlemen went into the hilliard-room !
and PLAYED a desultory game. Then they |
had pipe. and far from hearty chat over !
things in general-the weather, the crops, |
the Laramie and Yellowstone railroad. rhe !
quality of tobacco and whisky. everything /
buJ what was burning their brains so fierce |
ly. When the first pipe was finished they !
lit their candles and assembled the gh0Stly /
staircase to their rooms. Blarndby flung
himself INFO the embrace of the mighty
armchair, and seeing a letter which the /
maid had placed upon the writing-pad. one /
the cOachman had brought from the village
postofice late that evening. he opened it !
mechanically without noticing the envelope. /
Now it was his turn to look rs though he
was dazcd. This is what he read:
80 Fourth AVENUE, NEW YORK. July %
My DEAR FRIEND-Onlv brief word
Does not the sweet whisper OF memory re-
call the happy days we spent together when
we made our first trip years aGo-yOu the
seeker of fortune, l OF literary fame2
Those of our then party who knew OF our
mutual affection are wondering if we are
parted. They cannot be told by me that
the renewal of our engagement only awaits
the GROWING of your ambition with sue
cess. In its humble way my pen ever
la6ors TO further that end, for we are no
longer youthful, and your busy brain
should seek timely rest. Ever your de-
voted EUPHRMIA ]. SHICKsPER
ITO BE CONTINUED.l