The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1893-09-21
THE LOVE OF TWO WOMEN.

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hands, and yet with the insistent logic
of love, she had gone on deluding her
self, cajoling herself that in some way
bis soul workmanship and re-
spond to the love that filed and
throbbed in her breast for him-that
had done so since the time she had first
beheld him three years before, when
he was just home from college, and she
the orphan child of friend Of Mrs.
Wilson, for whose sake that lady had
taken the homeless girl into her house
hold, to be her own dear daughter, as
she fondly told her, and had made her
feel truly 1T home by that gracious cor
diality which only truly generous anu
kindly heart could bestow.
She was just fifteen, shy, timid, pen
sive child, and Ralph, just released
from college thralldom, full OF aDouno-
ing spirits, had, as he termed 1t ADOPT
ed the little num-" and had by turns
petted, leased and rallied her, until ne
brought new sparkle into her penslve
eyes, a new color into her pale cheek,
and new life and ambition into the de-
jected countenance.
He had succeeded in waking her up,
he declared triumphantly, little reckon
from the superior altitude, of his TWEEN
ty-four years, which made him regard
her as only a child-a pretty little pet
and plaything, that he had awakened
her indeed, awakened her to tnat stage
that is deepest joy or keenest anguish
\ I,0,s Of nhlI6h006
forever, and left her a woman, with
woman's fervent, beating heart
Wonan's devoted, deathless love.
But with a pride fully equal to that
love, Bertha would have died ere she
would have for a moment revealed TO
him, unsolicited, the passion he had
called to life Though they lived at
the same house and ate at the same ia
BILE, she would be wOoed as ardently
and Enthusiastically rs though she We're
a princess of the realm, ere She per-
Initted him to know that her heart,
with it's warm, fervent affection, was
his.
But AS by strange paradox the very
nearness Of the thing desired makes it
the more remote SO in his constant as
sociation with her, though Ralph came
to love her fondly, in a petting, indul-
gent sort Of way, it never crossed his
mind that any deeper sentiment ami
mated the thousand little services with
which he was continually surrounded
the vigilance that anticipated his slight
est wish, the sl1illful touches that beau
tilted his room, that encompassed his
life on every hand with those myriad
almost unnoticed comforts. that are
like the air we breathe, absolutely in
ated or realized until some interruption
dispensable and yet, scarcely appreci-
reminds us Of their vital import.
Perhaps some propitious hour might
have brought the awakening to him,
perhaps some day he might have re-
allied how much his life was filled by
this gentle. unobtrusive little friend,
and to realize that unless she filed it
all, 1T would be barren and empty in
deed, had not-alas! another hand
touched the spring that might else have
yielded to her gentle touch.
They were eli gathered ut breakfast
one morning when Mrs. Wilson, looking
up with pleased smile from letter
she had been perusiDg, said:
wv will have guest to spend some
months with us, children"-she always
coupled them in that way. Edith
. Crosby, the daughter Of another dear
friend and SchoOlmate is coming to
make us a long visit She has not been
in ve.y good health and the doctor has
recommended mountain air. and she is
convinced that she cannot find anything
better than she will get here. l quite
agree with her and will be delighted to
have her. We will give her the room
next to Ralph's Mignon."
1t was her pet name for Bertha, but
somehow the words smote on the girls
heart with sudden jealous pang, the
first feeling of disquietude she had ever
experienced beneath that peaceful roof
Her own room was quite at the end
OF the corridor, next to her adopted
mothers, and this visitor would OF
course have the guest chamber, a large
'commodious apartment, almost immedi.
ately adjoining that occupied by Ralph
Was she coming between them ALREADY
was it prophetic Of a deeper, more
final separation?
Then she cast the feeling from her a.
uagenerous and unworthy, as Mrs. vii
son spoke again.
I'VE will get the room ready for he,
to-day, Mignon, and you must put som,
OF your graceful touches to it. l wan
her to know what an artist we hav,
in my dear daughter"
Bertha pressed her friends hand i,
silent compliance. And when at fiy
O'Clock Ralph drove to the station t,
meet the expected guest, the room
looked like a bower Of beauty unde
the exquisite taste with which she ha,
arranged it.
Ihey were both on the porch whe1
the carriage drove up. and revealed
glimpse of a slight. graceful figure, witt
q pale but exceedingly lovely face, sit
ting on the back seat and looking hal
wistfully out. Springing down, Ralp1
lifted her out in his arms, drew he
auttering little hand through his arm
and escorted her to where his mothe
stood, as though she had been his brid
brought home.
That was four months ago: and sit
ting there alone ON the doorstep tina
lovely summer afternoon, Bertha kney
that it had been but the beginning O
the end. Edith had endeared them a
to her by her sweet, unaffected ORG