Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-16

Mr. Roscoe announced that he meant
- on home the following day, Patience
wss not troubled, although the sentence
which Cecilia had interrupted was still
unfinished. 49,
.T shall run down and see you the
fret onportunity l have" he SAID. u
sbsu not let you slip out OF my Ken
anv more. and it is only an hours rail-
nav tourney. And you and l shall be
near neighbors, Miss Bond, and you
will remember your promise, and give
me few slttings, II ohly In memory o.
our Alpine climbs together ana tne
good care took OF you.
He babe them goodbye ano went
avay. Patience stood few moments
IN the porch to see him of. She no.
,iced that he looked rather eagerly to-
ward the window, but made no sign OF
greetlng. 1t was unfriendly OF Cecilia
mot 10 bid him farewell more cordially
after all his kindness to her, for he hau
been exceedingly kind to the girl.
she returned to the parlor feellng
sIigbtly annoyed with Cecilia, and found
her crouched in chair sooolng Vio-
For PHYS sake be reasonable and
tell me what is the matter" Patience
said -
"Ohl YOU knowl You must know,
Cecilia sobbed, land don't nina IL o..
the world knows. l am not d OH
ashamed Of loving him. what snail
do? After all these days OF happiness
when thought he really cared for me-
he can 20 away, like this, without
word! When go home he Will not know
me from the others, perhaps! How can
a man be so hard! knew 1t was my
fate TO love him from the first moment
I saw him; and when l found be was
here thought 1t was providentiai, ana
that we were to be brought together. l
have so prayed that he would love me!
and now ne has gone. Oh! can't you
help meP-cap't you do something? de
thinks so much of your opinion"
"Then il was Mr.. Roscoe you were
breaking you heart about before you
came here?' -,
.Of course. Who could 1t beP oh,
can't you help me?"
But Patience shook her head.
Meanwhile the object OF so much So
licitude was in an uncomfortable state
of indecision. A fortnight ago he was
convinced that to marry Patience
Wright would secure his happiness. But
since that time the brilliant beauty OF
the girl Who had been his almost con-
stant conipanion had daZZled his senses,
while her admiration Of him-the In
cense of hero worship with which she
ID
had become dangerously sweet. And
vet" he reasoned-tor he was still
cool headed enough TO reason
1.-THE disparity of age is too great
and I have already been the VIC
tim of a fair face. Now, on Patience a
man may rely implicitly. She is sensl-
BILE, trne, unselfsh. should be GER
tain Of happiness. Cecilia may be full
of whims and caprices, for all L know.
How sweet her mouth was when we
parted, and how l wanted to kiss 1t!
And yet"
He could get no farther than land
vet" In the evening he found that he
had left a portfolio at the farmhouse,
and he resolved to go for it, As he
walked up the figure was before his
eyes of Cecelia's popting, rosy mouth
and plaintive look as they babe fare well;
and even while he was thinking TO him.
self, 1.-The most sensible thing | can do
is to say what l intended to say TO IA
ttence long since and have the thing
settled"-he was also wondering wheth-
or 1.-THE child" cared for him as much
as she seemed TO do.
Patience was alone when he went Into
the farmhouse parlor, now grown so
familiar. She sat by the table knit
ting, as usual, with an open book prop
ned I'D before her. The lamp was close
by. aud the light falling full upon her
face showed but too. clearly the lines
upon her brow and the worn expression
about her lips. She was surprised to
see him. He explained why he had
come, but when the portfolio was found
and given to him he did not go away.
81 partly wanted to see you again,
Patience" he said, hesitatingly. "The
portfolio was partly an excuse, to be
quite honest" He smiled and looked
at her with wistful earnestness.
Patience thought she understood his
meaning, but before he finished that
broken sentence-begun SO many days
ago-she resolved to relieve beA con-
science OF duty she felt she owed her
poor little broken-hearted goddaughter.
~ am glad to see you again, too, p"
she said. 1--WE are old friends, An
thony, and you will pardon plain
spoaking?" Then, afraid that to pause
would give him time to substitute that
other word for FRIEND" she FASTENED
on. ~ want to speak about Cecilia.
You asked her TO promise TO give you
some sittings when you are back In
town. Well, 1t Will be hardly kind OF
YOU to press her to do so or TO take
much notice OF her. The poor child
you will understand and excuse 1t, she
is very young aud romantc-she Is,
she thinks, breaking her heart about
you: and il will be the truest kind
ness to help her to forget you
unless Then Patience paused,
startled by the result Of her words.
She had expected to hear the end OF the
interrupted sentence. Instead, he push
ed his chair from the table and rose,
moving impatently up and down the
room, as he said:
UNLESS want to marry her, sup
pose you mean? Why, what should put
such an idea into her head, or yours?
The difference in our ages She is a
lovely girl, most winning and sweet, and
you say she cares for an old fellow like
me! Poor dear child! But 1t would be
foolish. have made one mistake, as
you know. Besides, am poor man,
comparatively. She has been brought
up luxuriously, and would want more
than | could give her. No, il wouldn't
do. You are an old friend. Patience
tell me, would you advise such step?'
Ha had To wslta minute or two for