The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-05-15
r. Otherwise Mr.. Hall was often

| Some people called him prig, but he
was not. His finer feelings were-but all
his feelings were finel They used to say
Shat once when he was walking through
the country he met poor woman who
was an epileptic. Just after he had passed
her she fell into fit. He turned to help
her, and the story was that he was discov-
cred sitting by the side of a brook, to
! which he had carried the woman, waiting
! for her to recover, and gravely sailing his
hat in the water to amuse her little boy.
This sounds somewhat like Kenelm Chill
lingly, but he did not in the least resemble
that half legendary hero.
Although my wits had been sharpened
| by reason of greater familiarity with
/ the subject, never suspected him of be-
ing in love with me, and he certainly
never showed his affections in the way
that other young men do.
| One evening we had arranged some tab
leaux at the hotel, and it was decided to
| finish the entertainment with that clever
/, little sketch, Place aux Danes" was
Lady Macbeth. Now, Lady Macbeth has
| to say somewhere or other Il forget exactly
how it goes) that Ophelia, who is always
! quoting what .sHam says talks as if she
were sandwich, for she never says two
words without putting a slice of Ham in
between.
When opened my mouth for this biting
sarcasm on Ophelia (who was played by,
/ oh, such a lovely Baltimore girlD looked
over toward the windows of the dining
room in which the stage had been set up,
and at one of them, just down by the foot
| of the stage, gracefully resting his elbows
| on the ledge and leaning in, was Mr.. Boull-
| ter. Mechanically I went on with my
speech, but was suddenly aroused by hor-
| ribly amused smile on his face to the con-
| seriousness that had declared that Ophelia,
/ who was giggling at the side scenes,
| couldn't say two words without putting a
slice of Bran" in between. For moment
| was covered with confusion, but recov-
cred myself and went on stoutly, putting
| myself out to look more Lady Macbethian
than ever. I don't think anybody but
| Ophelia and Bran himself noticed my lit
tie slip. Certainly Juliet didn't, for she
asked me afterward what made me blush
SO violently.
After the play was over Bran came up to
me and said that had been numbering
| his Sleep for the last two weeks, and that
| he proposed to do execution on little of
mine in return. "You mustn't go to bed
| yet" he said. "Come and take turn or
| two on the porch before you turn inn It
was night for romance, if eyer there was
one. The moon hung high in the dusky
heavens, and anybody who has ever been
to Rhode Island knows how black and
smooth its swelling tide can be, how bright
and mysterious are the reflections of its
lights dancing on the water, how warm
and full of whisperings is its gentle breeze.
1t was but q step from the hotel to the
beach-but that step cost AS we sat to-
| gether in front of the row Of bathing
houses Bran's voice became more and more
intoxicating, his face drew nearer and
nearer to mine, and closed my eyes and
said to myself, s'H he chooses to kiss me-
| why he may-that's alli'' And Of course
| he did.
| am simply stating the facts as they oc-
| Cured and am not attempting to excuse
myself, but if all the girls. whom Bran
| Boullter has kissed were to own up Ii Is
my private opinion that the list would be
enormous.
As opened my eyes, and while we were
still, to say the least, in very unconven-
tional position, a figure in bathing costume
came slowly out of the little alley Just be-
side us, halted for a brief instant In sur
prise at seeing us there and then FASTENED
down to the waters edge and sprapg into
the breakers. pressed Bran's hand, which
was somehow or other clasping mine, yio-
lently in my emotion and then tore nv
| own away, gasping out, 'iGoodness he
must have seen us' Bran took things
rather calmly, and in fact began to laugh
in what considered very callous manner
| But he only laughed for an instant and
| then said:
'It's only Middleton Hall. entirely
forgot that that queer lad indqlges his
| natatory predictions whenever there Ia
| moonlight. Bless you, he never saw you,
being at present meditating philosophy,
which does not make him uncommon
lively in his perceptions, and if he did see
! you," he continued, In more serious tone,
''he could not by any possibility have rec
| ognized you"
was Gained after a little while by
Bran's assurances, and by the fact that it
| really was quite dark under the roof of the
bathing houses, but my moral nerves had
received too great shock to permit of my
continuing the Irritation, so we returned
| to the hotel, which Bran said he was loath
| to do,
Shall ever forgive myself for my follyf
The next day we went on a drive to the
Lighthouse. Mr.. Hall Joined me as, after
leaving the carriage, we were walking to-
ward the rocks. Somehow or other some
thing was said ABOUT swimming, and /
promptly remarked that I had seen him
taking one of his nocturnal swims.
could have bitten my tongue off. He
| turned and looked at me quickly in a
curious manner, and all at once began to
feel my old fear of him entirely possessing
me. hlushsd- ! simply stood still and
| blushed; and as felt the hot color burn
| ing my cheeks could see the look in his
face turn into one Of pain and astopish-
mept, and then his forehead contracted
into frowp and he half turned away, By
this time was in state of dreadful
nervousness, and, scarcely knowing what
did. stammered out;
"Oh. Mr.. HALL please don't think-please
don't sayn-
He turned to me again, and began to
speak in low, digniied tone
II beg" he said, that you will overlook
my great want of self command. Ifyou
will allow me to speak for a moment of
matters upon which really have no right
to touch you will perhaps pardon my lack
of discretion. must begin,n said he.
frowning a little again, "hy telling YOU
what l had at times hoped you had dis
covered, that my attention to you arose
from serious admiration of your generous
disposition, your great reflnement' (this
was the result Of my demurenessD s'and
tine attractive qualities Of your mind. But
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