The Press., 1892-03-03
"rdo not deem it desirable that thee

"Tdo not deem it desirable that thee should finger in Friend Morton's garden after thee has finished thy task, she was saying, and he answered:
 sIm not likely to do so, grandmother I've got my appointment. I'll be miles away before the week is over. shall not be at home again for three years.
 Then silence fell upon the old keep ing room" where they sat. The voice. of the tall clock in the corner made itself audiblev-tick -tack-tock, tclS-tack-tock. Both listened to it. It seemed to be say ing something cruel.
 "Peradventure l may. lie beside thy grandfather before thee returns" said the Widow Fairfax. ''I have passed the allotted threescore and ten"
 s.It is the sort of thing a civil engineer expects" the young man said. II am lucky to have so good an appointment so early in life" But the tears were in his eyes. For the first time he realized what exile from home would be to him. How dear this quaint old Quaker grandmoth- CT was to his heart! How sweet the stolen meetings with Doris. He had half mind to decline this position for which he had worked with all his might and ask for the vacant clerkship at the store, and stay at home with these two beloved women. Only it was too absurd, and he would reproach himself all his life for missing that tide in his affairs which'might have led on to fortune.
 "You would not be so lonely, grand mother" he said, Eff you would let Do- ris come to you now and then. She is your nearest neighbor." But the old lady's only answer was:
 "I do not deem it desirable that there should be intimacy between Matthias Mortons people and our own. Thee knows that, Franklin"
 They conversed very little that even ing. The old clock did most of the talk ing and said many things to both of them, and its mind seemed to be full of Doris, poor Doris, who by the light of smoky kerosene lamp was reading aloud the political article in last weeks paper which old Matthias had appropriated at the store, while the moonlight and the flowers made out of doors so pleasant. and only the rail fence and the fragrant little box hedgerow lay between Frank lin Fairfax and herself.
 If Frank got his appointment she must lead this life for three long years. And she made up her mind to it. Who shall say there are no martyrs in this century, Doris did not know of the big letter with the waxen seal that evening, but it was no surprise to her, when before breakfast Frank came to the fence and whistled .
 "For heavens sake go into the or chard," he said. 'sI will come to you there. The letter came last night. shall have no other time to talk to you"
 Her heart quailed and her very lips grew pale as she heard the news, and how she sobbed, down there under the apple trees.
 Three years! Three eternities!
 "I don't see how I can live through it." she said. II have nothing but you." And then she felt, perhaps, he too un- derstood how much there is for man besides his love, however true. How little for women.
 "Letters, darling, letters" he said. "And we will be together in heart, and when it is over, we will almost forget that we have ever been parted" "When it is over! An, me!' was all she. answered. And neither of them spoke of her little dream of going on the stage
 To Franklin it was too absurd to be regarded seriously. To Doris, 8 beauti- full thing forbidden, for she was sure that MT. Gold,nark meant every word he uttered. 4 --.