The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-19
THE RIGHT ONE.

4
tips of her new slippers she said: II wish
that had lover; Pm sure that could
manage one," the mother took another
stitch in the dainty cambria and re-
marked: "There is plenty OF time yet,
Harriet mine."
Harriet started up in such haste that
the little chair was set violently rocking.
Going to the mantel she raised her pretty
arm over her brown head and contentedly
studied the fresh young face in the mir
ror.
"Well," she laughed softly in the midst
OF faint yawn, "Pm dreadfully anxious
for him to come. Pm tired OF this do
nothing life!"
"Let him come when he may, and let us
pray that he come in Joy and peace" was
the quiet rejoinder.
That had been less than month ago,
and now Harriet stood before the same
mirror; but IL was different face that
the glass pictured nova perplexed brow,
scornful lip, and yet mist OF pity
struggling to the gentle gray eyes.
schoolboy's note was the cause Of 1t all
little hastily scrawled note, but hot
with unframed passion. And its frank
despair was what hurt her most.
know that you cannot forgive me, but
/ Y
am not strong enough to beat it back. 1t
is burning me up, Harriet, even If am
boy. think that this will make man
of me. AT least, it will put mans heart
in me.
Harriet read it over and over, and each
time there rose before her vision OF an
honest young face and tears lying in the
eyes hardly dry as yet from the grief over
! the lost ball. Mrs. Clarkson said never a
! word, for she knew that the confession
would come i'm good time At last Harriet
tossed her the note, and, throwing herself
on the couch, she buried her face In the
soft pillows and sobbed.
"Oh, why did ever want a lover? And
| why did he do it? / knew that he liked
me, but never dreamed of his loving
me-"
! Mrs. Clarkson read the poor little note
] with a sigh; then drawing the brown
head to her shoulder, she said: 81, too,
! am sorry from the bottom of my heart.
But he and you are only the instruments
! of fate. Every boy some time in his boy
hood loses his heart TO a woman older
than himself. II is his first love and his
own great sorrow. 1t does put mans
heart in him. But he gets over it-that
is, the sting is gone-but he always re-
members it, for the first love is the sweet
est This is your first lover, and he has
not come in JOY and peace. Be woman
and deal gently with him."
Harriet dried her eyes as she went to
her desk. But womanhood seemed to
have suddenly opened within her and she
was surprised at her own gentleness.
Women are both womanly strong and
womanly weak, and the tender, almost
1 4 l,at Oh. IL,
an example of the first, while the big,
round tear which splashed unexpectedly
on the address was only betrayal of the
latter.
And SO Harriet in her twentieth year,
away.
Four years went by. The curls had be-
come a little more controllable and a
sweet dignity had begun to soften the
old-time girlish joys. 1t was the day be-
fore her graduation, she was hurrying
4 through the hall on her way to the library,
when Prof. Palmer appeared before her.
A little paroxysm of pain seemed to go
! over his sweet old face, as he hesitated.
puzzled light CLEANED i'll Harriet's eyes,
for she did not understand why his face
| should pale.
"Miss Clarkson," he at last said, Il" il
you have time / should like TO see you in
my Office a moment"
She followed him wonderingly, and yet
half in dread, but it was not till he had
held open the door for her to pass, in that
stately, elegant old style of his, that he
said:
81 fear it is wrong but cannot help it.
i cannot let you go away without telling
you that love you. i know that i am
selfish, but am not so old after all-only
sixty-five." And unconsciously deep
pleading crept into his soft, old voice, and
his trembling hands clasped.
Again a mighty pity filled her heart.
How she loved the kind old man, with
his handsome head and wide-opening
heart! And yet, not at all as husband,
but as an instructor, an adviser, friend,
whose gentle concern had done so much
towards making her college life a success.
Her lips trembled as she faltered
"Dr. Palmer, am truly sorry. can
not be thankful enough, either, for / am
not worthy of such rich love as yours.
But shall be frank. l do not love you
and never can love you as you wish"
He sank into chair at his desk, while
already a calm resignation had begun to
steal over his features.
see, you IL WAS NlCkeu
for man of my age to wish to possess so
young and beautiful a woman as you"
Harriet demonstrated at this, but he
only said:
"No, go now, and forgive the weak
ness Of an old man."
His head fell forward on his arms, and
Harriet waited only long enough to
reverently press her lips to the snowy
hair. Then she glided swiftly out, with
her hands pressed tightly To her throb-
bing temples, murmuring:
az once thought that it was woman's
hour OF triumph when a man told her of
his love-"
so Harriet wept over be-. second love
and turned from him.
However, no one dreamed how her
heart ached as she was saying good-by TO
a group Of school mates, when the hand
some young Grant Conway took her hand,
with the same ease and pure friendliness
nothing more, nothing less-as the rest.
A travelling veil hid a very pale, tear
stained face as the train drew away from
the little college town, but twenty four
...I.