The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-01

rests heavily on your mind now, Wal.
ters Why, what ails your You look as
glum as IL you had lost every friend in
the world
LOSING had turned and risen as the
young girl spoke, and the light stream
ing upon his face showed it indeed to be
n mirror OF every thing gloomy and dis
heartening.
ut isn't law case that is troubling
me; would it we're only that he re-
piled with a sigh that was almost
groan.
"what is then? Has any mi.fortune
befallen your"
"Yes. a misfortune indeed; or at least
1t seems to be now. Doubtless ID is all
for the best
"What are you talking about? Why
don't you tell mo what is troubling
you?"
II came for that very purpose, that I
might tell you. After this evening we
must not meet again.
"Not-mest-sgain?" Nellie Sharp re-
pested the words slowly, as il she could
not grasp their full meaning. The color
surged to her cheeks aud then receded,
leaving her very pale. "What do you
mean. Walter? What has happsnsdl
You cannot be In earnest
Walter rather incohersntly recountsd
what Judge Sharpe had told him Of the
case, Lewis VS.. Lewis, and the comments
he had made on that case.
And is that all:" asked Nellie, when
he had finished.
She smiled little as she asked the
question, and a close observer would
have noticed that sigh OF relief passed
her lips.
"All? Is it not too much? Knowing
that your father holds this view, can
do otherwise than give you up?'
II thought you had more pluck" said
the young girl, with just suggestion of
scorn in her voice.
ut is not matter Of courage, but Of
conscience-of honor. Can I 20 to the
man who gives me such advice as have
received, who tells me never to marry q
woman who is beyond my station finan-
cially, and ask him to give me his daugh-
ter, who is dearer to him than all else?
ain poor; have none but the most
problematical prospects, while you
well. l need not say more; you can
readily see my position.
"Bnt can't see it in the light in which
you place ii. thought you had suffi-
cient faith in me not to believe that I
would do as that dreadful woman did, Of
whom my father told you. Your pros
poets are certainly better than you rep
resent them. Furthermore, my father
would yield to my wishes.
II do not lack faith in you; Heaven
knows how strong that faith is; it is be-
cause l would feel that had acted
treacherously toward one who has been
my best friend if held you to your
your promise, that l have decided to
do that which will take all the happiness
out Of my life"
Probably it never occurred to you
that the happiness Of any one else might
suffer: it seems that am not considered
at all"
"You will soon forget; you will be
happier than could ever make you.
~Oh, certainly; we women forget so
easily; it is only the men that remember
only the hearts of men that are broken.
However. since you wish it so, it is not
for me to object
at is not what I wish; it is what
must do"
But suppose should refuse to accept
your decision; suppose l should assert
my rights? Suppose l should insist, at
least, on your trying, for term Of years,
to bring your financial condition up to
what you consider the proper Standard"
1T would be wrong to keep you bound
by promise TO one who would have to
struggle, perhaps for years, and m ight
fail at last
II see it is vain to reason with one who
is unreasonable; it shall be as you wish."
Just then Judge Sharpe entered the
room, and the painful meeting was
abruptly ended.
A few months after, Judge Sharpe's
clerk came into Walter Lossing's office
one day and told him the judge wanted
to see him.
1t seemed to Walter that the Judge
looked unusually stern when he re-
sponded to the latter's summons few
minutes later.
Come in here, want to talk to you,"
said the judge, as he motioned to Wal
ter. "Sit down. will come TO the
point at once. am instructed by a eli
ent Of mine, to bring suit against you.
We have the clearest kind of a case, and
should certainly win in the courts, but
we desire to give you an opportunity to
compromise the matter"
"A suit? Why, who could want to
sue mei l owe nothing, there is no
cause"
"Never was more serious. There is
cause, and a good one; as you will
learn presently, my clients case is flaw
less, She"
"She2 All! see. Some blackmailing
schemes some adven--"
~There, there, don't get excited; it's
nothing of the kind. The plaintiff in the
case is eminently respectable, as you will
admit.
"Who is she? What is the cause Of
action? Why don't you tell me at oncs?"