The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-03-05
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+, Sunday afternoon in Kew Gardens, it
seemed very dim and far distant She
could hardly recognize herself in the
girl who had sat under the larches and
| had been so passionately miserable that
day.
Alb, she would ask Michael to take
her to the gardens again when he had
time enough to spare. She must have
been in a foolish mood when they were
there last, or his headache, perhaps,
| had made him fractions. His letters
were so affectionate and kind that her
doubts were all beginning to disappear.
He had been hardened, absorbed; every
nerve had been strained in his long
struggle, but now that the end was
gained there would be peace. Yes,
and leisure for thoughts Of others and
good deeds and gentle words
The one cloud in her bright sky was
Aaron. She had written to him once or
twice but there was no reply, and he
never fulfilled his promise of coming to
see her again. Jane was beginning to
despair, but Olive still wrote to her in
:. cheerful strain, begging her not to
| give up all hope. Surely something
| could be done for Aaron by and by;
and if Michael still refused to come
| TO the aid of his old friend Olive re-
! solved to take the matter into her own
| hands. In some way or other Aaron
should be helped out of the slough o:
despond.
| She was so busy with her OWE
! thoughts and hopes that although Sea.
! ward Aylstone came several times tt
the florists shop she scarcely noticed
| him. AS in dream she heard his calm
! voice, ordering sprays of ivory an6
roses. and in a dream still she wove t}*
flowers and leaves together. She die
not know that his glance always turned
| 90 the corner where she sat with he7
pretty curly brown head bent over he1
work. She did not know that he lin
gered long at the counter in the vair
hope Of seeing her lift her eyes or o:
hearing her speak Another girl Less
absolutely true of heart would have OBJ
served his frequent comings and going'
and have drawn her own conclusions
But Olive was under a potent spell.
At last, when the days were sultry
and still and London was emptyine
fast, Michael came to see her again
He came, as he had been wont to do. OF
| a Sunday afternoon and found Olive il
| the parlor upstairs. At the sight O.
him the Wakes, husband and wife, dis
creetly vanished. And they said tt
each other in confidence that they hat
never seen him look SO worn ant
strange. Olive, too, was struck will
this ''strangeness'' and met him will
an anxiety that shaded her joy.
'sDear, you have worked too hard,
she said, =
Yet as she looked at him again SHE
saw that he had gained something b,
the loss OF his fresh color; the PABLO
gave a new refinement to his face. Hi
clothes, too, seemed to be worn in {;
new and easier fashion. He moved les
stifdy and spoke more quietly.
81 believe should have broken dow1
entirely" he said, '$if it had not beef
for the sea breezes. The Battersbys ar
at South sea, and have been running
down to see them.
:'Then you are quite intimate will
them now, Michael? Are they MIC
people? Is Mrs. tersby a. good
motherly woman? Are there an.
daughters? Oh, am so glad they ar
going to be kind to u.s. cried poo
Olive in her simplicity.
An uneasy look fitted across Michael
face.
my dear girl, you should not Il.
into raptures on small occasions" h
remarked, coldly. GLOW is one to an
swer such string Of questions? Firs
of all, there is no Mrs. Battersby And
as Mr.. Battersby is q feeble old mai
whose mind is failing, cannot get yer:
intimate with him.
oh" said Olive in disappointed
tone; land there is no daughter?''
"Wen, yes, there is a daughter" H.
admitted the fact with a curious reluc
lance. ''But she is good deal olde
than you are; and-and you would no
find her sympathetic person, think
''Then she is not nice, is she2" Div,
asked.
II really don't know what you NEAR
by 'nice;' it is woman's word"
Michael tried to smile naturally, ant
only produced a strange contortion o
the lips.
"But if people are not sympathetic
they can't be NICE" persisted Olive un
wisely. ''You think her horrid, ant
don't like to say So"
He flushed angrily.
81 have never thought anything q
preposterous," he said. Il only mean.
that Miss Battersby was calm and sen
sible, and not given to romantic dream
ing
The speech was spoken in tone thai
panied Olive deeply. She strove to tall
on as if nothing had hurt her, but sht
was not able to pretend a cheerfulnes
that she did not feel. Michael had no
said word about their future plans
he did not tell her that she must soor
come to new home. He talked in {
vague way of changes at the works, ant
of old Mr.. Battersby's uncertain life
and said that Edward Battersby hates
trouble and business. And then b.