The Irish standard., 1892-02-27

lAUAkJlA-ssk~J-x1 A-Ns-Al--HAlAlANlAss&$ 3
yourself Jane will wait years for yon,
dear Aaron; | am sure OF that How l
wish could do something to comfort
you'll"
.sYou nay need comfort for your
self yet, my girl he said, in quiet
voice.
The words haunted her after he was
gone. She sat alone by the window
and watched the golden lights fading
from the housetops; and it seemed as if
the failing dusk had cast gloom over
her own spirit. ALI the pain and sor-
rows of Others lives were pressing
upon her own life. All her vague
doubts were taking definite shape, and
menacing her future. She was almost
sorry that she had sent for Aaron, and
vet she knew that she had acted for the
best.
CHAPTER VIII.
LIKE SWEET BELLS TANGLED OUT OF TuN1
AND HARSH"
Two young faces were sheltered
under the light shadow of some larches
in Kew Gardens. II was Sunday
afternoon; Sunday groups were scat
tered all over the grounds, and the man
followed their movements with a look
Of disgust; but the girl, sitting quietly
on the grass, took in all the beauty OF
the place with pure and simple delight.
The sun Of paradise seemed to be shin.
ing on these golden paths; it was one
Of those moments when a poor
daughter Of earth has caught glimpse
of that old garden where Gods first
pair of lovers rejoiced together They
had talked a little, but silence seemed
torsuit them best. 1t was rare thing for
Michael Chase to be silent; but there
were matters in his mind that he did not
care to discuss with his companion. He
had been kind-languidly kind perhaps
but Olive was well contented. He had
spent some hours in her company with
out finding single fault with anything
that she wore, or said, or did. She
could enjoy the bliss of sitting by his
side in peace. This she thought, was
che sort of happiness that she had al
ways waited and longed for. Flowers,
the soft shade of trees, summer sun
light, and the presence OF the man who
was the sole king of her heart. What
more could woman desire? But she
did not give voice to her joy. If you
talk about happiness it is too apt to de-
sert YOU It is an unrestful spirit. who
always hovers over us with wings out
spread, ready for an instant fight.
Some one passing by the couple under
the larches said to himself that the man
was not half worthy of the girl. Her
face, with it's rich, sunlit loneliness, had
haunted Seaward Aylstone for many
day; and now he came upon it una
wares, glowing out of the soft gloom of
the trees He had come down to Kew
to study certain effects of light and
shade, and then almost forgot the pur-
pose that had brought him there,
= Yes: it was the same face that he had
seen bending over the flowers i'll the
Regent street shop, and it had seemed
to him that one of his vague dreams
of beauty had suddenly taken shape
and become a reality. But this was the
FIRST time he had ever seen her ont of
the shop and it's surroundings, and all
her charms seemed doubled and treb]ed
to-day. Her lips, scarlet as japonica
blossoms, were parted in an uncon-
scious smile. Hitherto he had only be-
held her grave; now she was quietly.
yet girlishly gay. Until this moment
he had not realized how young she was,
nor how new the world appeared to
her That fresh delight, that un-
troubled belief which only comes once
in lifetime, these glorious follies OF
youth. were hers still,
The young man by her side. short,
slightly made. and blue-eyed, inspired
Seaward with sudden and unutterable
detestation. The young mans eyes had
a cunning and complacent twinkle in
them, and they were set too near to-
gether. Yet he was what women call
''nice looking" and had fresh com
plexion and fair, curly hair; and his
clothes were really very we'll made and
carefully--too carefully put on. 1t was
clear that he did not belong to AIRY
and his friends, and his face gave evil
dence of sober and decorous living But
instead of respecting him for his vir-
tues, Seaward Aylstone only dislilSed
him the more for them. 1t was wrong,
it was unreasonable, but it was human.
There is certain form of moral excel
lence which never fails to be cxasper-
ating.
The pair were quite unconscious Of
his scrutiny; the young man was too
much self-absorbed to notice him, and
the girl was too happy to be observant.
He went his way, feeling unaccounta-
bly, soured, and left them still sitting in
their shady nook under the trees
But if Seaward Aylstone had fingered
a little longer in their ncighborhood he
would have seen change in the lovely
face that had been so bright with inno-
cent Joy. Olives cup was SO full that it
brimmed over at last. Instead of pre-
serving that spell of blissful silence IN
broken, she was unwise enough to
speak.
stMichael. is not this a perfect day?
Is it possible for us ever to be happier
than we are at this momcnt?"
The curl of his lip answered her even
before his words came Her question