Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-03-18

~,H4E6p6ME houses ON either
100 hand you tasted a,
Ss|-" its best that keen.
eat OF stimulants oxygen. 1t was
a day of the gods, ct to put new life into
the most depressing soul, and its inyig.
Grating effects was plainly visible in the
bearing of carefully dressed, slightly
roiund gentleman OF middle size and
something less than middle age as be
came around the corner OF the avenue
aud walked briskly southwark. This
plump, well-groomed gentleman was Mr..
Anthony Amory; his was not despair.
ing soul, however, in spite of the fact
that he was on his way to plead-for the
last time as he had resolved-what he
felt TO be hopeless case.
He rang the bell st the last house in
the block, and was ushered into the
library. AS he entered that remotest and
most individual!zed of the more public
apartments of the Winchester house, he
wondered, as he had often wondered be-
fore, how it was that Eleanor Winchester
had impressed her personality so strong
ly upon it that the room seemed alive
around her. To his mind, at least, even
such stolid things as the chairs, the rugs
and the bookcases reflected something OF
that alert, intense spirituality combined
with dish of chic which was her own
especial charm. Someone had said once
that Miss Winchester united New En- :.
land soul and New York style, and tc
his apprehension the same piquant CON-
bination was carried out IN her surround.
iugs.
There had been other days, plenty oil
them, when he had also wondered how
it was that girl of this type had at
tracted Anthony Amory; he had, in-
deed, supposed that he was safely past
the sentimental stage of life. Those
days, however, were long over. Now,
that he had recovered from the first
shock of surprise at finding that he was,
if anything, worse hit than he might
have been ten years earlier, it seemed a
natural as the sunrise than he should
love her.
The present visit, although it was the
first time Mr.. Amory had seen Miss Win
chester since her return to town the
week before, was evidently not of the
nature of an ordinary call, aud after the
first interchange of greetings neither of
them pretended to treat it as such. Size
was sitting near the window in an i'm.
menseiy puffy aud comfortable chair,
and when he had taken his scat opposite
her, where Ge had the best light on her
face, they surveyed each other in ex.
pectant silence for minute; thea Mr..
Amory bent forward and picking up a
carved paper-cutter from the table
scrutinized it attentiyeiy.
81 believe the time is up" he OBJ
served, Sin which you undertook to
formulate your objections to me. As
you were saying last June"
"Of all the foolish things l said last
June that promise was the most fool
ishl"
because your objections are SC
numerousl"
"No. Because the formulation oil
them is so hard"
81 do not feel disposed to let you of
the contract" said Mr.. Amory smoothly,
still examining the paper-cutter.
Up to this point Miss Winchester had
been leaning back in the big chair; now
she held her 1.-THE figure erect, eros ,ed
her hands in her lap and Fitted her eyes
fearlessly. An adorable gravity settled
down upon her face.
"Plcase notice that have not asked
you to-" she said. al have decided to
tell you all about it. You know never
have. The other times we have talked
about this we have not done it seriously
and calmly
~ was serious enou H." murmured
Mr.. Amory, but she igudrcd the inter.
ruption.
"You have been excited, and | an
afraid have not been just"
at is not jui,ic, want at your
hands" She waved this remark aside.
THAT first" she said.
"Go on, then, and be just"
Apparently the task she had set her.
self was not an easy one.
III dare say am going to make some
impossible remarks she began uucer-
tainiy.
Don't get nervous said Amory
reassuriugly, "nothing that You say is
going to make any difference, you
know"
"You told ME once" she said slowly,
casting about for her words. 'that was
consumed by the passion for perfection
and everybody admits that all the world
wants love-"
"Do you know-aou't you think
there exists in every human heart an iu-
appeasable thirst for perfect lovei"
~ am not here to generslize about hu-
mauity. only know what myself
have felt, and that have told you al
ready"
Miss Winchester passed her hand
quickly across her forehead, as if tt
brush away the little frown that had set.
tied there.
"Other people nave sometimes totd me
that they had found it,, she went on
steadily. al may be unjust, but 1t has
seemed to me, that usually they were
very easily satisfied; and yet there have
been some of them have enviei from
the bottom OF my heart. Is it my fault
that have not been able to be satisfied,
too? You know have been more OF
ess admired, but so far it has always
happened that the admiration | have re,
ceiyed has seemed to me to- light q
thing to be serious with. Can you i'm
agine what it means to kuoS-,r think
you do-exactly what you want, aud t.
really WISH for it. and never To have i
come near you, but lnstead to have til,
Of