Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-05-11
Mrs GainsbOrOugh's DIAMONDS.
BY JULIAN HAWTHORNE.
Copyrighted by D. Appleton & Co, and
published by special arrangement.

puolsneo Dy speclal arrangement
'"You shall not call me Mr.. Gains.
borough IF you can't call me tom,
call me nothing; but will never be sMr.
Gainsborough' to you againI"
81 thought we were to have no more
never againsP" she rejoined, with a
passing sparkle of the old playfulness in
her air.
''None Of yours, I meant"
81 will call you Tom if you please,
ON one condition"
"What condition.
"That you let it be tjust this once"
SKATE, do you love me?'
"Oh, you are cruelp' she cried with
passionate emphasis, slipping her hand
from my arm and facing me with glow
ing looks. "L.wish / could say hate
youI You are a man of the world, and i
a poor girl from convent, who knows
nothing. l am trying to do right, and
you oppose me-you make it hard and
bitter to me. If you loved me as las l
would love if were man, you would
not press me So tell you it must not
be-
"What is, shall be, Katel Dear Kate,
we love each other, and who in the world
shall prevent it or forbid our being mar
ried?' g.
'Hushl hushr' She came step nearer
to me and caught my sleeve with her
little hand as timorous child might do,
glancing nervously over her shoulder as
If something fearful were hidden among
the trees. "Did you hear nothing?' she
whispered. ibid not some one call me?"
"Only have called you, dear.
called you Kate and now l want to
call you wife,"
She continued to stand motionless,
with that frightened, listening express
sion still on her face; and yet my words
had apparently passed unheard. What
was it, then, that her ears were strained
to catch2 To my sense the forest was
full of shadowy stiffness, tempered only
by faint whispering of leaves, and now
and then bird note high overhead.
Gradually the strange preoccupation
left her. Her breath &c. which had
been irregular and labored, now came
evenly and gently once more. She
then with swift, tender movement she
came yet a trife closer and laid her
other hand upon my arm.
AOu1-AOL1S uOdTI 4 WILL say IL, IOT
we shall be parted soon; and then, if l
am alive, shall be comforted little to
think that did say it. Listen-Tom,
dear, love you'll Never forget that I
said it-Tom, 1 love you"
I was taken deliciouslY by surprise.
You must not expect me to tell how
felt or what said. I can only remem-
Der that l took her in my arms and
kissed her. The bird that warbled over
our heads seemed to utter the ecstasy
that felt.
Presently we began to move on again.
don't know why didn't speak. Per
haps thought that our kiss had been
the seal of her surrender, and that there
fore words were for the moment imperti-
nent. By and by the converse would be
renewed from a fresh basis. Besides,
my thoughts were flying too fast just
then for speech to overtake them. was
thinking how singular had been the
manner and progress of our acquaint-
ance. It was scarcely in accordance
with what believed to be my normal
temperament and disposition to plunge so
abruptly and almost recklessly into a
new order and responsibility of life. l
had fsncied myself too cautious, too
cool headed, for such an impulsive act.
But it was done, and the fact that Kate's
feelings had responded to my own
seemed to justify the apparent risk.
We were meant for each other and had
come together in sheer despite of all
combinations of circumstances to keep
us apart.
Knowing, as we did, scarcely anything
of each other as worldly knowledge goes,
we had yet felt that inward instinct and
obligation to union which made the
most thoroughly worldly knowledge
look like folly. What would my mother
say to it? How would the news be
relished by her father cared not. /
foresaw difficulties enough in store, but
none that appalled, me. After all, an
honorable man and woman, honestly in
love with each other, are a match
against the world, or superior to it
Union is strength, and the union Of low
ing hearts Is the strongest strength Of
all.
'.And do you want to marry me,
really, TomT'
We had gained the summit of the
steep hill and were now pacing along
the ridge. The narrow, winding valley
lay sheer beneath us on the right, with
the white road and the dark stream ly-
ing side by side at the bottom of it. The
crest Of the opposing hillside seemed but
short stones throw distant; the aroma
Of our privacy was the sweeter for the
pygmy drosky, with its manikin inmate,
which was crawling along through the
dust so far below. We commanded the
world, while we were ourselves hidden
from 1t.
81 should rather think did, Kate"
al thought Englishmen only married
as q matter Of business; that they mar
ried settlements and dowries, and rank
and influence, and added women merely
Is a matter Of custom and politeness."
81 am satisfied to marry for love; if
that's un-English, so much the better
for me-"
"You would take me without any
thing but just myselfY'