Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-21
and sister usually accompanied them

|
part of the way home.
Thorne was fond of these informal
visits; his interest in Pocahontas had in
creased; the chord, instead of merely
vibrating. was beginning to give out
faint, sweet notes, like a far off dream
of music, just stirring toward embodi-
ment. He took keen, artistic pleasure
in her, she satisfied him, and at first he
was almost shy of pressing the acquaint-
ance lest she should fail somewhere. He
had been disappointed so many times,
had had so many exquisite bubbles float
before him, to break at a touch and
leave only dirty soapsuds. He let him
self be interested slowly, drawing out
the pleasure and getting its full flavor.
Then, when he found that it was true
metal and might be worked at will with
out fear of baseness or alloy, he gave
himself up to the pleasure of it. Then,
his instinct being always to draw to
himself what he desired, he strove to
awaken an interest in her. He was a
man of unusually brilliant attachments
and he spared no pains.
He began to seek her society, and,
when in it, to exert himself and appear
always at his best, trying to fascinate
| AC4 do oA4C VIC AACO11SOAOuSAHP DSS4un1uk
to fascinate him. He would entrap her
into ventilating her old fashioned ideas
and prejudices; her primitive notions of
life and conduct. Her straightforward
ness, simplicity, absolute truthfulness
struck him as quaint and delicious; even
her romance and almost German senti-
ment were attractive to him. He felt
like scientist who discovers old truths
in an absolutely new development. Ear
ly in their acquaintance he discovered
her fondness for old legends and her
perfect acceptance of and faith in them;
and it was his delight to beguile her into
relating tales of her kindred and of the
olden times so dear to the hearts of Vir-
| ginians. Her remarks and comments
! often touched, always interested, him,
! although sometimes they well nigh con-
vulsed him with amusement. To the
mind of the man of the world they ap-=
peared so-almost obsolete.
Pocahontas was generally willing
enough to tell her stories, unless indeed
Norma happened to be present, and then
the improvvisatrice was dumb Poca-
hontas was not in sympathy with Nor
ma. Norma thought old stories great
rubbish, and did not scruple to show
that such was her opinion, and Pocahon-
tas resented it. One evening in the be-
ginning Of their acquaintance the three
girls had walked down to the old will
lows at the foot of the lawn, and Poca-
hontas, for the amusement of her guests,
had related the little story connected
with them.
II think it was all great foolishness,"
Norma declared. eff she loved the man
why not marry him at once like sensi-
BILE woman? The idea of making him
wait three years and-watch publishing
little tree just because his brother would
have made a scene. What if he did
make a scene? He would soon have SUBJ
mitted to the inevitable and made
friends. The lady couldn't have cared
much for her lover to be willing to put
up with that driveling probation"
''She did love him." retorted Poca-
hontas with annoyance, land she
proved it by being willing to sacrifice a
little of her happiness to spare him
the bitterness of a quarrel with his own
brother. The men were twins and they
loved one another, until unnatural riv-
airy pushed family affection into the back
ground. If the matter had been settled
when both were at white heat an es-
arrangement would have ensued which
would have taken years to heal-if it
ever was healed. There's no passion so
unyielding as family hate. They were
her hnsmen, too, men of her own blood;
| she must think of them-outside Of her
self.
1.-The welfare of the man she didn't love
must be considered as well as that of the
man she did love-more, if anything,
because she gave him 30 much less.
How could she come between twin
brothers and turn their affection to
hatred? She knew them both-knew
that her own true lover would hold firm
for all the years of his life, SO that she
could safely trust him for three. And
she knew that the lighter nature would,
in all probability, prove inconstant; and
if he left her OF his own free will there
could be no i'll feeling and no remorse.'
Norma laughed ,derisively. "And in
this fine self sacrifice she had no thought
of her lover" quoth she. "His pain was
nothing. She sacrificed him too"
"And why not? Surely no mar
would grudge paltry three years Out
of his whole life's happiness to avoid 81
dreadful thing as i'll blood between
) twin brothers. If she could wait for hi
sake, he could wait for hers. A woman
must not cheaper herself; if she is wortl
winning she must exact the effort"
81 think it is lovely story" Blanche
interposed decidedly. "'The lady be
! haved beautifully, just exactly as she
! should have done. A quarrel between
brothers is awful, and between twir
! brothers would be awfuler still"
In her eager craftsmanship, Blanche
language was more concise than elegant
s but she wanted Pocahontas to know tina
l she sided with her.
Norma regarded her sister with amuse
ment not unmixed with chagrin. Thes'
, new friends were stealing away he
follower. Blanche was becoming enan
cipated.