Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-11
CHAPTER XXI

CHAPTER XXI
HIove on nv heart from heaven fell,
Soft as the dew on flowers of spring,
Sweet as the hidden dropsthat swell
Their honey-throated chalicing."
Yesterdavl What a long time it seems
since yester lay! dayton, who had passed
a sleepless night after that encounter with
the dog, tells himself it must surely be
week ago since he had dragged Mrs. Clarke
from the brute's teeth.
Mrs. Clarke! Clarke. Surely that is not
her name! Almost from the first moment
he tells himself he has known that that
could not be her name But had he so told
himself?
At all events he had not told himself
then that he loved her. Now it is in vain
for HIM to deny the fact. He has given up
fighting against it He is hers body and
soul if she so wills it He had not really
known it until that moment when-the
dog killed-he had run back to her to ask it.
she lad been bitten. That moment!
Would he ever forget ii? The horror-the
anguish of it, And then-the relief!
1t was the relief that had told him.
Strangely enough 1t was the relief rather
than the misery The madness of joy that
beset him when he knew she was free from
harm BETRAYED to him his secret. Yes, he
loves her.
He has grown impatient with rest that is
no rest, and out here in the garden 1t is SO
much easier to think than indoors
Thoughts run more freely when the hours
are Young And this days youth! Was
ever dav so Young?
In spite of the TACT That August is reach
ing its close, there is still something in this
lovely morn that spe:-ks of early spring.
There was a shower last night, and now
everything looks washed, and fresh, and
Epotless. The tall and stately hollyhocks
are swav!ng with The gentle breeze, shak-
ing their lovely Feads to free them OF the
rGindrops still lin gering on them.
six Sciock tolls from the old belfry IN
the ward, startling tie rocks in the tall
elms beside it. "Cawcaw," cry they with
a huge clappinC of wings, and sudden
rising; and now dark mass floats between
Dravton's head and the blue sky, hiding
great Phebus for little time, who already
''begins to show his glorious head.
The rocks have gone, fading away into
the woods below, and far, far up over his
head, a lark bursts into song. There is a
very delirium of delight in its singing. 1t
thrills Drayton He stands still to listen
How splendid is the world-how good a
thing is lite And still the birds sing on.
Uarl., now the cheerful birds do chant their
And carol of loves praise.
The merry lark her mathis sings aloft:
The thrush replies: the travis descant plays
The onzel shrills; the ruddock warbies soft.
So goorlv all agree with sweet consent
To this days mcrTlment.
All, NV dear love, why do you sleep thus
long?
AM why indeed! It seems to Drayton
hat It would be more than sweet TO meet
apr uow-iust here, among the dewy leaves,
the oBeniug buds, the JOYOUS pecan of these
winged songSters. What joy 10 have her
bere to
Wearken TO the birds love-learned song
The lewy leaves among.
They. perhaps, might tell her what he
hardly dares to tell. They perhaps, might
teach her the mighty power of love.
lie hardly understands himself as he
walks through the wakening garden. He
feels glad. miserable, happy, unhappy,
heavy in spirit, and uplitted, all in such q
short, short time. Fears seem TO crowd upon
hcues, and hopes on fears
Nov q warm, a sweet delight rushes
through his veins. born of he knows no:
what (though surely it is ever through some
thought Of herr, and now dull despondency
and chilly despair seize on him. And now
a-ain delight has him. He lifts his head,
he draws in the sweet breezes, he has the
whole earth at his feet.
Was ever man in love before? No. Never.
Never. A Thousand times never No man
ever vet felt as he feels. This wonderful
new iov is sacred to him alone. No other
LIVING thing ever vet felt the ecstacy that
he has been privileged to feel. OH that il
NAV be given him to teach "her' to know
it.
Yet WHY should it be given to him alone
TO know such pure delight? Why should
he be blest above his fellows? How clear
the answer seems Because to him has
been given to know the sweetest woman
unOn earth-the most faultless.
Thou hastno faults, or no faults can spy
Thou art all Deauty, or all blindness l.
These lines come to his mind, but ht
dismisses them almost angrily. They seen
10 throw q doubt upon her Be he blinc
or full of light, she must be always beauti
ful and faultless as we'll
He has come now to the inner recesses o.
the garden, that contain those bounteou,
beds-half hidden behind the Saringas-
that are still gag with pinks and poppies
The day is growing older, and the noise o
the insect life increases in volume They
have to hurry, these poor insects, theil
hour is so verv short. Drayton listens Il
them with 9 dull delight He only hal
hears their music. The dragon fly passes
him unheeded, and only the hum of the
rifing bees, those lawIess thieves that know
no law nor order-compels his attention.
Blood-red and snow-white roses, las
tokens of a loving life, drop leaf by lea
upon his path, going TO reluctant death
And here-here coming to him through tt,
archwav that leads to the larger garden be
vond-iS Rhoda.
'-Your' says she, seeing him and stop
ming short. Her tone is faint. Her whole
sweet body expresses surprise, great anC
undesirable
.'It Is 1, indeed" says he. ooh! Tn
glad to see you." His lace forbids her t.
disbeiieve his words. 'Now l can hea
IRON YOUR own lips that you have not SUI
fered through that horrible scene of Yester
Gav."
He goes to her He holds out his hand
For one moment-a moment OF forgetful
ness-a moment fraught with old memories
old usages, she makes a movement as if sh
would return his salutation In kind, a. il