Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-02-16

have known me. l had been reading
quite diligently, as thought, for half
hour, when, suddenly possessed of ra-
tional thought, gave a rational glance
at my book and found it upside down.
But / discovered could comprehend
and appreciate the pages0as well as any
way, for my mind was not there; it was
of yonder among the trees and pretty
decidedly intoxicated.
As often in a storm at sea there sud-
denly comes a still, dead calm for mo-
ment. and then the wind and waves
contended again, so frequently a calm
thought displaces the contention Of the
mind and then is gone. For moment
| looked upon myself with rational,
mortal eye and had not an ever benef-
cent Providence made it physical i'm
possibility, should have been sorely
tempted to kick myself. had ever con-
sidered myself, and been so considered
by others, pious hater Of that wildcat
nature which induces young ladies to
marry their fathers coachman, and
young men to shoot themselves, or i'm
merse their precious bodies deep in some
unfathomable abyss.
And now that l should change my
nature for this unnamable nature flashed
upon me as so strangely maniacal or
idiotic that i shut my book little Sc
verely and hastily turned away. But !
had not taken three steps when by some
mysterious fatality saw that same
white dress. jockey cap and blue rib
bons stealing along this side the stream.
Strangei "Whom the gods wish to de-
stroy they first make mad" 1t is ven
cradle saying and must be true, for no
sooner did my eyes reach that white
dress and blue ribbon than my legs bore
me back to the rock, and began to
read most laboriously.
To record how minutely each days
| PROCESS in the road (oh, rosy roadD Of
love, to repeat our wild conversations, to
speak of the strange, new life ! felt
within me, how she fed the fire Of my
ambition, how stood for hours like a
lovesick Egyptian mummy and gazed and
gazed at her tall, queenly fgure-to re-
cord all this, say, would but cause on
your part a contemptuous smile at an
old mans weakness, and on mine a
twinge of a too retentive memory. Let
it suffice, then, to know that before a
week was gone we spoke; before month
we loved and were plighted, and now
after three months, each passing day
giving increase to our love, came the
evening when we must part.
suppose all loves, especially printed
ones, must endure partings, and any one
possessed of sufficient patience to read a
thousandth part of the love stories
written, will find parting an essential
ingredient in each. 1t would be there
fore thrice told tale, and to you, per
haps stoical or platonic, a nausea, were
to record minutely the event | SO vel
remember. Besides, the memory of it il
to me a sacred memory. But we were
not boy and girl; our attachment wa!
not fitful outbreak of passion, the frui
: of a love for romance-no, it was {
strong, deep river running from heart tt
heart, whose current never rolled ant
dashed headlong over preeipices to sinl
again into sluggish, muddy stream. l
ever flowed in that steady, unwaverins
course, disturbed by no fears or jealous
les, and overshadowed by no clouds 0
doubt and suspicion.
: And at the parting interview, as
! gazed upon her seated on that old rock
!, her hands lying listlessly in her lap, he
I eyes fixed on the ground, and ever an
: anon a single truant teardrop stealin
: down her cheek; as, standing by her sid
d and looking down upon her, | coul
hardly believe that she was really MOI
s tai, and more than all, that she wa
! mine, all mine. Then, as if at that me
$ ment dark angel had swept by us,
I started at my temerity. For a.secon
/ the beauty, the wealth, the blisseof lov
fed away, and was startled tossee N!
J; self-me, starving, threadbare stl
$ dent, a vagabond; no home, no famil.
/ no friends-I was alarmed to see such
q being stand by the proud, wealthy Liz
Z Spencer, and claim her as his brid
!. But then the cloud passed, my threa,
W bare coat, my well worn shoes, my unpr
e possessing, mot to say uncouth appea
W ance, all were forgotten, and vi
e pressing this child of rank and veal
II to my poverty begotten bosom.
a. How all this came about, how "a ci
y belle,n already arrived at womanhoo
es whose lifehad been passed in gay saloo1
and fashionable watering places; WI
% had been the pet of an indulgent faith
~ and silly mother till she had grow
IN almost naughty; how this person, t
as courted, the admired, the envied Lii
" Spencer, came to forget or conquer h
I'd pride, to, descend from her exalted po
q ton to give her heart, nay, her hand
lK me, never questioned, nor shall | nc
lg attempt to find cause. Enough for I
SO that it was SO. And how could dou
to her sincerity? At the bare intimation
n forgetfulness or change of mind, VIII
On surrounded by fatterers in her fathe
ne brilliant parlors, she stretched upwa
n her tall form, and her eyes flashed
~ most fiercely:
"Changel Do you know me so sligl
ly thens No! l hate those brainlt
fools who hang about me and fawn a
ne smile and tell me they are rich and 9
as beautiful, who only talk Of the opel
IN the horrible murder, the late marrias
ey No, Paul, want mind to worship
RS; well as a heart to love" Then t
10 fierce look faded away, ana her ey
tn grew so tender, SO childlike. Oh, W
4, happy man. And so we parted.
'p' FAREWELL a word that has been and must
lite A sound that makes us linger- yet farewe
ad
ii. CHAPTER III.
Ill Twas back to my books again. My
no periences in the country had not in
he least engendered a distaste for them,
ed might be expected. Glove in cottal