The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-05


with shade.
Mrs Warrcnton leaned over and laid
one hand tilnidly on the brown muscu-
lar ono still grasping the paddle.
''Pcoplo arc never eros; i'll Arcadia,
she murmurNl.
Il wish you'd be i'll earnest he
broke out passionately, land not treat
mo us if were boy. You're too con-
foundcdly cold bloodcd. No-wcll-
that doesn't sound pretty-but mean
make believe you re human You've al
ways kept me at arms length-just far
enough SO you could pull ut my heart
strings when at amused you'-hc broke
off suddcnly-"I' IN brute"
"No. Strcphon, You re true hearted,
hot headed boy, flying off on Il tangent
one day and ropenting the next, said
Mrs. Warrenton gently.
AS it is, Phyllis, why don't you offer
to be sister to mc?" he suggested
whilnsically, smiling. Would you
mind if l talked TO you about myself
little? Or maybe you won't care to hoar
But this is the last time we'll he i'll
Arcadia together, and though it will do
no good wanted you to understand.
IF I'd had 4 mother, maybe I'd he
better man. 1 don't think You over
knew how much YOU have done for me.
boy and man. l loved you when YOU
We're n slipof Il girl i'll short dresses and
braids and said to myself She is good
and pure. will try to deserve her, and
then will win her
But l didn't win YOU. That was Il
hard time with me- l was IL little reck-
less aftcrward, and l driftcd into the
fast set for a time, but l had my art,
and that kept me from forgetting my
self entirely.
Il have come regularly to You to he
teased and smiled mt, and you have
never seemed to realize what your light
est look or word was to me.
Il have been kept from the follics
and vices that have tempted me chiefly
by the thought L will not deserve to
lose her respect.
Il used to dream of Il life with YOU
rs its inspiration.
And so as / find 1 can never love
any other woman, and that my love for
you might make me forget all things
else and mako You hate me some day.
so have asked Il nice little girl to mar
" lie. She does not want my love par
ticularly, but my income and position.
aud her family and my family think it
good match. 1t is an experiment, and
II am the most unhappy Of men,.
There was Il long silence when he had
finished speaking-a monotonous silence
punctuated with tie regular plash of
his paddle and echoes of laughter and
oar strokes from the rowcrs abroad Oh
the river
He guided the boat about Il shadowv
bit of island and then padded slowly
along the homcward stretch of waters.
You see, l am IL mad fool, Phyllis "
he whispered, but YOU are SO cold, so
calm, SO far above me, it surely could
not hurt You for mere pity to let me
dream tonight.
"Strephon, she sighed and touched
his sleeve lightly with her finger tips
wouldn't it be happiness if we could
be born again into another sort of worlG
out of these social tanglcs and sordid
lmitations-intO IL simpler, honcster
world:
We've lived too long in this arti-
fetal world and grown used to the pate
dc foie gras, and theatcr parties. and the
symphony, and the society, and Paris
gowns, and English tailors, and summers
at Newport, and autumns at Lcnox, and
the rest ever TO 90 back TO primcval Ar
cadia.
But if we could, You and If we
could think maybe we could have
been old fashioned lovers too But I'm
a woman of the world. and my heart is
hard maybe, and I'm frivolous maybe,
and fiiricd with you to pass the time
naybc-but, Strcphon, you are Il man
of the world, too, and l never thought
you had heart -
The miles of water were swept back
slowly by the paddle. The little bark
swept on with the tide; the boathonsc
was iii view i'll the shadows.
Suddenly he put down the paddle. IL,
Leaned forward and groped for her hands,
with his, and as he claspcd them tie
trembling fingers closed on his with an
impulse Of strength seeking.
lending closely, he saw her face Her
eyes We're wet with tears.
Forgive me, - he pleaded hoarsclv;
forgive mc!'
There Is so little love in this world
that we cannot afford To be- thanklcss
Tor any that is offered. God knows the
heart aches for the lack of it, A" She wills
pcrcd
Once, dear, once for all the years
that have been. the Years that will be.
Kiss me oncc!'
She shook her head gently; her hands
slipped from his grasp.
1--WE have dreamed, - She said gently
as they reached the shore.
Yes, we have dreamed, . he repeat
ed.-katc Fields Washington.