Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-05-26


himself to a responsive cheerfulness. often
feigning an interest he was far from feel
ing in order to avoid disappointing her.
But as he grew accustomed to her minis
trations the effort relaxed. and he fell
into gloom and bitterness once more.
There was in the man sense OF
wrong as well as failure. Life had dealt
hardly with him-the bitterness had been
,yrung ont to him 10 the very dregs. In
all things-whether his intentions had
been noble or ignoble-he had alike
failed. He could not understand 1t. In
his eyes the conduct of the two women
whose influence had been potent in his
life, while springing from different
causes. had resulted in the same effect
uncompromising hardness toward him.
The diverse properties of the solutions
had made no appreciable difference in
the crystallization.
His love for Pocahontas had suffered
no diminution; rather, it had increased.
His longing for her presence, for her
love. was so great at times that the
thought would come to him TO end the
intolerable pain by stopping forever the
beating of the heart that would not break.
Her second refusal had been cruel
blow TO him. He had seemed TO himself
SO patient, so tenderly considerable; he
had made allowance for the conserva-
tism, the old world principles and preJu-
dices amid which she had been reared;
he had given her time to weigh and con-
slider and plead. That the verdict should
have gone against him, admitted, IN his
mind. but of one conclusion-Pocaho
did not love him. Had she loved him,
she must have proved responsive; love-
as he understood it, did not cruelty it
self for principle: it was more prone to
break barriers than to erect them. And
this point of hers was no principle; 1t
was, at noblest. an individual conscien-
tious scruple. and to the man of the
world it appeared the narrowest OF
bigotry.
His mind slowly settled TO the convic-
ton that she had never loved him as he
had loved her-as he still loved her.
Then began a change for the worse. The
doubt of her love begot other doubts-a
grisly brood of then-doubt OF truth,
doubt of generosity and courage, doubt
of disinterestedness. doubt of woman
hood Thorne was getting in bad way.
Over the smoldering fires of his heart a
crust Of cynicism began to form and
harden, powdered thick with the ashes
of bitterness. What was the worth OF
loye?-he had found it but fair weather
friend. A storm-less than storm-a
cloud. though but as big rs a mans
hand, had sent the frail thing scurrying
to cover. All ended in self--the ego
dominated the world. Righteousness
and unrighteousness arrived at the same
result The good called it self sacrifice,
and blinded and glorified themselves;
the bad We're less hypocritical; they gave
it no sounding name and sought it open
~. Self-frcm first to last, the same
under all names and all disguises Nay,
the wicked were truer than the good, for
the self seeker inflicted no lasting in
iury on any save himself, while the ar
dor with which the self immolator -four
ished the sacrificial knife Imperfect other
vitals than his own.
lIulNs was kAAAAAA1 AANN "a W.
bad way. His was not the nature that
emits sweetness when bruised; it cank-
cred and got black spots through it. And
he knew no physician TO whom he coula
go for healing; no power greater than
his own to set his disjointed life straight.
Love and faith alike stood afar off. The
waters of desolation encompassed his
soul. without a sign Of olive branch or
dove.
Norma, watching him with the eyes
of her heart, as well as those of her I'M
derstanding, learned something of all
! this. Thorne did not tell her. indeed, he
talked little in the days they spent to-
gether. walking or sitting on the warm,
| dry sand of the coast, and of himself not
at all His pain was prisoner, and mis-
breast its Bastile.
| But Norma learned it all the same.
and learned, too, that never while that
stormy heart beat in living breast
would il beat for her. She faced the con-
clusion squarely, accepted it and took
her resolution. Norma was a proud wo-
man. and she never finched; the world
| should know nothing or her pam, should
never guess that her life held aught of
disappointment.
A letter from Blanche to Berkeley,
written within the following month,
contained the result of Norma's resolu-
tion.
"You will be surprised" Blanche
wrote, 'to hear of Normas sudden mar
riage to Hugh Castleton, which took
place three days ago, at the house of the
American minister here in Paris. We
were amazed--at least mamma and !
were-when Hugh joined MS here, and,
after long interview with Norma, in
formed us that he had cabled father for
consent and that the ceremony was to
take place almost Immediately. Hugh,
as perhaps you know, is brother OF
Mrs. Vincent, Norma's intimate friend,