Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-02-13
III.


LII.
A night Or two before 10 reached New
York ! was standing in the gloom. half
hidden by boat on the davits amid
ships. enjoying nay vsspsrtinl cigar IN
the cool Of evening. and between the
pulls ] caught from time to tims stray
snatchss Of esnvsrsation going On soft
ly in the twilight between Bernard and
Melissa. / had noticed Of late, indeed.
that Bernard aud Melissa walked much
on deck IN tho evening together; but
this particular evening they walked long
and late, and their conversation seemed
to me Gf / 4sght judge by fragments)
particularly confidential. The bits Of IL
caught were mostly, it Is true, on Me-
lissas part (when Bernard said anything
he said it lowerl. She was talking an
Enthusiastically OF Venice. Florenes. Pisa.
Rome. with occasional flying excursions
into Switzerland and the Tyrol. Once
as she passed ! heard something MUIR
INJURED low about Bottcelli's "Prima-
vera" when NEXT she went by it YVES the
Alps from Nurren; third time, again.
it was tho mosaics at st. Marks and
Titian's Assumption" and tho doee's
palace. What so innocent a. art In the
moonlight on the ocean!
At last Bernard paused Just opposite
where stood tfor they didn't perceive
me). and said very earnestly, ''Look hers.
Melissa, r-he had called her Melissa al
most from the hrst moment, and she
seemed to prefer it, it seemed 20 natural
Look here, Melissa, do you know
when You talk about things like that,
you make me feel 80 dreadfully ashamed
Of myself"
"why 50, Mr.. Haneookr Mslisa
asked ipnocently.
"Well, when think what opportuui-
ties I've had, and how little I've ussd
them," Bernard exclaimed with vehs-
mence, "and then reflect how few you've
got, and how splendidly you've made tho
best Of them, just blush, tell you,
Melissa, for Ey own laxiness."
Perhaps" Melissa interpossd with .
grave little air, III one had always bsen
brought up among it all, ono wouldn't
think quito 50 much Of it. It's the nov.
city Of antiquity that makes it 20 charm
ing to people from my country. sup.
pose 1t seems quite natural now to you
that your parish church should b six
hundred years old, and have tombs ia
the chancel with ElizabethAn rufus or it,
door inlaid with Plantagenet brassssL
To Us, all that seems mysterious and in
3 certain sort Of way one might almost
say magical. Nobody can love Europe
quite so well, I'm sure, who has lived in
it from child. You grew up to many
things that burst fresh upon Us ct last
with all the intense delight Of . nsw
sensation."
They stood still IS they spoke and
looked hard at one smother. There was
= Minutes pause. Then Bernard began
again. "Melissa," he faltered out In =
rather tremulous voice. ''are you sorry
to 90 homo againys
~ Just hate i'll" Melissa answered
with vehement burst. Then she added
after . second, But I've enjoyed thu
voyage"
"You'd like to live In Europer Ber-
nard asked.
81 should love itr' Melissa replied.
I'm fond Of my folks, Of course, and
should be sorry to Leave them; bat
Just love Europe. shah never g
again though. shall come right away
back to Kansas City now and keep stors
for father for the rest Of my natural 81
igtenee."
1T seems hard,- Bernard went on
muuing. that anybody like Jon. Ne
Essa, with such = naturaLlove Of art and
Of al beauriful things-anybody who
can draw such sweet dreams Of delight
- thoss heads you showed az after Fl.
Hppo Lippi--anybody who can appre
ciats Florspcs and Venice and Rome =
you do-shoald have to live all her life
In = far western town and meet with "a
little sympathy a. you're likely to find
there"
THAT'S the rub. Melissa replied, look
ing up into his face with such . con
nding look. or any pretty girl had
looked mp At me Ike that. shoud have
known Whist to do with her. but Bernard
was twerty-fcur. and young mea an
modess) That's the rub. Mr.. Hancock.
I like--weil. European society % vefJ
much better. Our men are nice enough
IN their own way. don't you know, bui
they somehow lack polish--sk least oui
west. l mesn--ia Kansas City. Euro
pesns nayn't be very much better when
you get right At them, perhaps. hus %
tho ootssas. snywaY TO me. they're morv
attractive somehow
There wss another long pauee, during
which felt A. guilty - ever esvesdrop
PER before me. yet / WAS glued 10 th,
spct. I couId hardly escape Al LAT
Bernard spoke again. Il should like 4
have goae arsand with yoa On your tonS
MelssAz. he cad. !" don't know Italy.
aent suppose by mynssf esnid even ~
prsciase IL nas II ysa wers By ny I'D
yoa'a have tsaxst me sa2s Ii ell meant
and then taink night perhaps anler
sand H.
Melissa drs~ = deep breath II wfsh
<said tzke Il al over again. she al
sw<Fsd. bsf IS -. AID aidEs ss.
Ns1sss sishss 4sszt as great sss4p
lsssassa<&s / skeald hike s., k&vs $50
Nsesss. ! ns<s eaafess. - - - tnsw