The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-11-09
Give me your am as r~r as my house,

Give me your am as 1.r as my house,
Mr.. Leland, she said.
He obeyed her, and they continued
their walk toward the house. the light OF
which they soon saw.
They did not exchange q word-only as
they reached the gate, Mrs. Denton
turned and made him a slight gesture
with her hand. in sign of adieu.
In return, Leland bowed low, and with
drew.
This man had been sincere.
| When true passion surprises the human
soul, it breaks down oil resolves, sweeps
away oil logic, and crushes all cslcula-
tions.
In this lies its grandeur, and also it's
danger.
When, this sublime folly possesses you.
it elevates you-it transfgures you. 1t
can suddenly convert q common man into
a poet, q coward into hero. An egotist
into martyr, and Don Juan himself into
an angel Of purity.
| With wonderland it is to their honor
this metsmorphosis can be durable, but
it is rarely 30 with men.
Once transported to this stormy SKY,
women frankly accept their proper nome.
and the vicinity Of ths thunder does not
| disquiet them.
| Passion is their element-they feel at
home there. There are few women
| worthy Of the name who are not ready to
put in action all the words which passion
has caused to bubble up from their lips.
If they speak Of fight, they are ready
for exile. If they talk Of dying, they are.
ready for death. Men are far less con-
sistent in their ideas.
1t was not until late the next morning
that Leland regretted his outbreak OF
] sincerity; for, during the remainder OF
the night. still filled with his excitement,
agitated and shaken by the passage Of the
god, sunk into confused and feverlsh
reverie, he was incapable Of reflection.
| But when, on awakening, he surveyed
the situation calmly and by the plain
light of day, and thought over the preced-
Ing evening and its events, he could not
fail to recognize the fact that he had been
cruelty duped by hls own nervous system
To love Clara Denton WAS perfectly
proper. and be loved her still-for she
| was q person TO Dc ioved ana desired; but
to elevate that love or any other, as the
master Of his life, instead of its play
thing, was one Of those weaknesses in
terdicted by his system more than any
| other.
In fact, he felt, he had spoken, and aot-
ed like q schoolboy on holiday. He had
uttered words, made promises, and taken
enqapements on himself which no one
demhnded of him. No conduct could
have been more ridiculous.
Happily nothing was lost. He had yef
time to give his love TINT subordinate
place which this sort of phantasy should
occupy in the life of man.
He had been imprudent, but this very
imprudence might finally prove of SER
vice TO him. All that remained OF this
scene was a declarat on gracefully made,
spontaneous, natural-wh'ch subjected
Clara Denton 10 the double charm of
mystic idola,ry which pleased her sex,
and to that manly violence which could
not displease he-. 49,.
He had, therefore, nothing to regret,
although he certainly would have pre-
ferred, taking the point of view from his
principles, to have displayed: less child
ish weakness.
But what course should he now adopi2
Nothing could be more simple. He
would 20 to Mrs. Denton, implore her for
giveness, throw himself again at her feet,
promising eternal respect, and succeed.
Consequently, at about ten o'clock,
Leland wrote the following note:
DEAR MADAM: / cannot leave with.
out bidding YOU adieu, and once more de.
uauding your forgiveness
will You permit me?
"W. LELAND"
fhis letter he was abont sending. when
he received one containing the following
words:
Il shall be happy, sir, if You will call
upon me to-day, about four o'clock.
CLARA DENTON"
| Upon which Leland threw his own note
into the fire, as entirely superhuous.
No matter what Interpretation he put
upon this note, it was an evident sign
chat love had triumphed, and that virtue
was defeated; for, after what had passed
the previous evening between Clara Den
ton and himself, there was only ono
course for virtuous woman to take, aud
chat was never to see him again.
He soliloquized on the weakness OF
S0lnan.
y7o BE cosr1SurD.l