The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-10-27

TO JOIN IN such pleasures, still there is
no pang OF bitterness mingled in the
deep regret which must surge into her
heart at such q view.
Young, ethereally fair and heiress to
a fine fortune, she was poor enough in
her powers OF enjoyment to envy the
pale, meek girl who served as her COM
panion, read and sang for her, or lis
tened to the imPassioned fantasies Of
the burning young heart which had
ever pulsed rebelliously against the
cruelty of fate.
Tonight she is unusually tranquil;
she does not even hold her hand over
her throbbing heart to still it's frenzied
beating at such a sight, tor over her
shoulders, closely folded, is the shawl
which Francis Stanover had lately
placed there just before he went to
one have waltz upon the grounds.
81 would much prefer waiting with
YOU" he had whispered; but with q
generous impulse she had urged him
She closes her eyes to try and realize
all this new Joy, the JOY that her deep
love Is answered; that, frail and
crippled as her poor body is, Francis
loves and would make her his wife.
She dreams a moment of the future
they had pictured together in far,
sunny chimes, where even though she
must ever halt and lean upon him, he
will exult in The fullness and purity OF
her love.
Then, somehow, she pictures him
out there upon the lawn, dancing with
Others, young and fair like herself,
but oh, how much more fortunate! A
sudden pain creeps icily into her
heart. She must not be selfish, so
she will go away, where their fl ee,
light mlrth cannot taunt her.
just thenHa servant passed with a
tray OF ices. A word and he has
transferred his charge to another and
soon wheels her along the veranda
and down the gradual incline, Especial
ly built for her wheeling chair, and in
the fresh, inviting cool of the lconser-
vatory she leans back and tries to
stlfle the sob which would rise to her
throat.
She had been placed in the shelter
OF a low, dropping, tropical plant,
and in the subdued light is only half
visible. One or two guests stroll by,
commenting in listless fashion upon
the warmth and beauty ofthe evening:
then a low, familiar voice sounds lust
beyond palm at her right, and in an
instant the invalid sits erect, With
blanched cheek and dilaUed ewes.
Escape without aid she cannot, and
remaining she cannot avoid hearing.
10 the dancers outside the last few
moments of the waltz were a lapse of
Joy, to her they seemed age, dragging
on clogged wheels, and her heart crush
edln each slow revolution. The whole
truth came with cruel and sudden in.
tenslty. Francis had never loved her,
1t was onl y a deep pity, and when her
strong attachment had become ap-
parent he had resolved to make her
happy. ... -. = - -
On, the pity, the humiliation OF it
all! They had long loved one anoth-
er, Francis Stanower and Mary East
burn, her companion, but one moved
ina world OF fashion and the other as
proud as she WIS poor, and poor
Marion could only wiring her hands i'll
dumb despair w6an she remembered
how dearIy.but hopelessy she loved
him. She remembered now how pale
Miss Eastburn had grown, but that
she had declared that those of our
world had no barrier to their happi.
ness. But the heiress is doomed now
to know OF the sacrifice her compan-
Ion had made for her, and how Fran.
cis had come to tell her that TO him
she was the fairest, purest and dearest
of all womakind.
Beyond the palma the lovers
bade each other farewell, and
there is catch in his voice and an
audible sob in hers, but Marion was
compelled to sit there in dunk, tear
less despair, and feel that this, the
one boon in life she had craved was
denied her.
Half an hour later they Snd her and
carry her to her room. Francis asks