The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-10-03

a the old cathedral and the echoes
caught his voice ard hid away the re-
membance Of its sweetness behind the
carven saints and fair tall pillars. as the
perfume Of a withered rose hangs in the
air Of a great room. Metninks the spirit
Of Toby haunts the place.
Whimsical fellow! he came to me one
day with tale Of love which l. ever re-
garding him as but q. boy, received with
mock solemnity, the qiups and odd en-
thusiasTn Of the narrator half warranting
such an Interpretation. And. lest 1 should
be too much blamed in the matter.
must confess that about this time l was
myself in love, and so perhaps more dull
than my wont with my friends. However,
l did not speak of it, being a thing
foreign to my naturally shy and cold
temper, although Toby, 1 think from his
very diverseness, was among the chief
OF my intimates. AS boys we had sworn
n pact OF eternal brotherhood, with mys-
teal rites Of his own devising. see him
now In his little ragged gown. his c0un-
tenance full OF that quaint earnestness
no one ever took for earnest in him,
when by the names Of Saul and Jona-
than, by every fair friendship In ella ssic
legend or history. by the twin towers of
All Souls. and over the halves Of a
broken siNpence, we took a. vow of more
than brOcheTly affection. Never shall
one Of us be rich and see the other
want|' cries Toby. While l have an
orange left. there is a. squeeze in it for
theer And as l began to grin ne holds
UP his hand very gravely Parson Toby
we niclnaIned him them and goes on
with his harangue. May the shade of
Julius Caesar dog my traitOrous foot
steps" says he in his shrill tones, If
ever 1 knowingly cross thee in commerce
or In love-" and then he made solemn
obeisance. for his notions were very high
flown from his readings in the poets, and
he always mentioned the 'little god in
q reVerent manner. ] repeated these and
other words after him as he babe me.
not without a feeling for the gravity Of
the occasion; for through all his ranting
talk ran fibre of definite meaning and
resolve that neither Of US, 1 think, for
got.
But I am to speak now Of that other
love that so strangely took hold Of US
both al much about the same season, but
working, as it proved. to ends 50 sadly
diverse. Toby had a sort of whimsical,
eXtrava giant way which l took for a sign
Of Hghtness in him. and twas thence he
never so much as disclosed to me the
name of the fair one. she is all per-
fection." said he; beautiful exceedingly,
like a rosebud in an old weed-grown
garden 20 poetlcal Toby cried I,
hooking him. And hast thou spoken
this exalted love Of thine to thy divin-
ity?'' Pooh" saws he words words :
one may say musically) and our COM
munications are Of a more lofty sort.
sing TO her, sir, 10 her and for her alone;
and she answers me with such iooks-sO
subtle a spiritual sympathy shines in her
ange.-face. Why, she's my inspira ton
sir; without her I were mere wandering
voice wanting a spirit. Music is indeed
the voice of love; the only perfect eX-
preston OF the great passion. and 50
he rambled on. Toby was not craZed, as
some were apt to think. but had a very
rare and vivid Imagination. fancied OBJ
jects and ideal passions often becoming
far more real to him than what we are
pleased to call substantial fact; and
am not sure but this gift was the cause
Of his misfortune 1t was indeed a very
pure, ennobllng imagina ton. and made
him see his friends as children look upon
giants and heroes Of Old time. They
walked in more than mortal stature,
gifted with superhuman virtues. but
should a rift be torn in this luminous at
mOsphere and some petty meanness in
the man be revealed-why. this were an
almost uncOmprehended sorrow to Toby.
And I think that round the fair unknown
the clarifying mist grew and grew about
her. until all his being lay PROSTATE and
adorlng at the feet of so much excel
lence. Nay, l even think II possible that
she was not at all aware of his passion:
and that high intelligence he supposed
between them. that secret communion in
an unwritten language of the soul, that
blessed progress Of mutual love which
ripened in him thousand extravaganza
of happiness, were all no more than a
fervd poetic dream. All. such a dream
as one here and there has realized such
an Illusion as the breaking up of 1t has
not seldom broken in Silence a passionate
heart
l did not indeed guess so much as this
Until long after. From little humorous
vengeance, and perhaps more natural re-
serve, l kept my own sober romance a
yet closer secret. but not without hug
glng the thought of Tobys surprise and
admiration when ne should be informed
OF it.