The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1893-10-07
ONLY A PRESCRIPTION.
BY l.. CREswIcKE.

He was not my medical attendant; he
was not even friend. On the first day
we met and as we sat side by side in the
Kensington Museum, he scrawled it on
the yellowing paper which lies before
me.
At that time / was very young,
scarcely more than child, but no one
would have guessed it; my pale, atten-
uated face was lined with grief, and the
eyes, which but few month"; ago had
been likened TO velvet, had almost dis
appeared behind their swollen and dis
colorcd lids.
And the reason for the change was
a grievous one. / had loved and been
beloved again. A stern father had put
his veto on all orrespondence-he had
forbidden us even to hope!
Certainly Leslie Blounts prospects were
not good his few years Of soldering had
brought only debts and no promotion,
and his expectations, such rs they were,
were shadowy in the extreme. On his de-
parture for India three years back ! had
been but child; | was startled therefore
when, on his return, he rashly yet pas
sionately declared he had loved me all
along / could not own 10 loving him
In return; | had not learnt what love
was, but had vague, indefinite feeling
that il meant what the sunrise does TO
the flowers--color, light, expansion
/ hid nothing from my parent, but
told him in shy and loving accents OF the
new experience which had dawned lie
was furious; / had never seen him so be
fore He swore that no penniless infan
try subaltern was fit for his daughter,
and muttered something about ''con-
founded cheek OF the rascaly sub. 10
PROPOSE etc., etc. wept aud en-
treated-he ranted and raved, and finally
wrote off to Leslie an infuriated com
mand never to darken his doors again.
Then |, hear.sc-S and wretched Mt
this abrupt termination Of loves young
dream, timidly entreatcd permission to
write one last epistle. My request was
granted, but only OH condition that the
communication should first be submitted
to my cnraged parent.
1t seemed terrible ordeal, but l de-
termined To risk it. My dear unlucky
lover should Mt least learn his love was
last "till death do us part" This |
wrote and more still-pouring out all the
feelings of my young awakening heart
over four sheets of note paper, and beg.
ging him to work at anything which would
bring riches, as dross seemed to be the
only "open sesame" to paternal hearts.
With trembling hands | intrusted my
first love letter to my father. 1t wrung
my heart to watch his methodical mode
of rubbing his glasses before adjusting
them to read the confessions of love.
/ could not face him, but glanced
away across the landscape till imagined
he had scanned the whole, and then l
turned. Was it possble2 Could it be2
Did l, indeed, see tear trickling down
his venerable nose across which his spec
tacles looked dim and opaque.
had not intended to be eloquent or
even pathetic. | had written only rs
my soul prompted, and this crude his
tory of my early grief had thus moved
him. / rushed into his arms and inn
plored him not to refuse to send the
missive.
al will give it to the impcrtnent
young dog myself" he exclaimed, and
bolted from the room. In an hours
time he returned, and scarcely dared
demand reply.
"He'll bring his own answer" was all
he vouchsafed.
What was my astonishment as l
dressed for dinner-weoping love.lorn
tears the while--to hear Leslie's well.
known knock at the door. Down the
stairs fled with winged feet. He might
meet my father, words might end in
blows and then
Terrible thoughts coursed like light.
ming through my brain. Yet another
shock awaited me.
/ found my father and Leslie hand
shaking, not formally, but with warmth
and efrusion, in the hall. In short
time all was explained. On receipt Of n
furious letter from my irate parent,
warning him off the premises. Leslie,
but Just recovered from Indian fever,
had taken to his bed with ague. In
this state my father had found him when
he had called to deliver my letter in per-
son, and there and then had asked him
10 dinner.
There were, however, conditions at
tached to the invitation. Leslie might
come and dine but once more-just to
say farewell" but on his honor he must
promise never TO attempt to see me or
write unless some'more promising change
took place in his prospects. Should any
stroke Of luck bring him reasonable
sum to marry on then he might venture
to correspond.
After all this state Of things was pre-
ferablc to tho first, and Leslie parted
from me with heart full OF hope which
love made infectious.
Before very long my father received a
letter informing him that having oh
tanned the post Of special war correspon-
dent to daily paper at salary which
seemed TO me enormous, Leslie was on
the eve of starting for Constantinople.
The Russo-Turkish war was the theme
in all mouths at the time, end my lover,
who had long been painting for activity,