The Washington times., 1894-07-08
He, She and IL.
IA PLAIN sToRY.l

was young gentleman and she was a youna
lady. He was good fellow. One OF the
best, his friends said, and a jolly companion
He was % years of age and had been a man
since he was II. At IS he knew all about
life ut - he knew even more and at % ht
knew so much that he fell in love once again.
By this time he was getting quito an old man
and he felt II high time to settle down and
get married. 1t is the proper thing for old
men OF % to do. Now she with whom he had
fallen in love was n maid OF 20, fair to see
with a heart of gold and soul as white as
the snow. She loved him, as many Others
had done, but it was the first love of d
maiden, and 1t was her life. Who shall say
how she thought of him in her most sacred
moments? As an old man OF 90, think you,
who has seen life? or as a soul like her own,
untainted, fresh with the morning dew and
shining in the first sun rays OF youth?
1t was How shall 1 say it, n room in an
eastern suburb, lonely room for days to-
gcther, where sat young girl alone at night,
who passed the time sadly and slowly when
he was not there. By day it worked in the
city at a coffee house. where i. listened to the
delicate and refined badinage of city gentle
men and answered to the name OF Annie
when some senior clerk expressed his wish
for coffee in the usual manner of u city gen.
tleman. He had seen her there, the young
philosopher of u, and she, she had listened
to him, the young, hot-headed Faust. and t.e
all too-loying Margaret She loved him. too,
this it. this cipher in the worlds ledger.
Il cannot marry you" he said, but will
give you home where you shall live in COM
tort and will always take care OF you" She
loved him. Had she spoken out her thought
her answer would have been
Entreat me not to leave thee or to return frum
following after thee;
| but it left its home and because 1t loved him.
1t chose new home in the suburbs. away
| from the luXuries and extrayagances OF the
rich. Il Eiust not be burden to him." it
thought Comforts it had. but pinched and
| strove TO help to make both ends meet. For
many months he was happy with it, and he
fanced he loved it and it loved him truly.
But it was II wicked, abandoned woman,
! whose presence was pollution and its end was
infallibie perdition. And he was gay young
| spark, sowing his crop OF wild oats, as all
boys who will be boys" Justly entitled to
| do.
But he began to tire OF it. He could not un-
derstand this creature that loved him sotruly.
He had loved many. and many times things
/
| him aside almost before he had tired OF them
and he wondered that it had not done this
but had been to him true and loving wife in
| all but heaven and law. He knew not of such
| creatures iu his philosophy, nor how one
] should deal with them when one is tired of
1 them. There was something that di,nly out
| lined in his brain the kindly love it had for
him. lie knew it not, but felt its power, and
| 1t reached his heart.
II cannot fling 1t off.'' he thought; sit
would be cruelty, for / really believe it loves
| me after all. But what am to do? Tn tired
| OF 1t. and want to got married and settle
| down."
| 1t was alone more often In the long Sum-
| mer evenings. for he came seldom and more
seldom. But there was something that made
! him wonder when he came sometimes whether
| he did not still love it. who spoke no word OF
| reprogch 20 him. and asked not each time for
fresh assurance of his love- He thought it
| trusted him. and for hundreith part of a
second once IL month his conscience smote
him and told him lie was doing wrong in
leaving it. What ridiculous consciencei
For he was doing right in leaving it 10 wed
another and ''sette down" once for all. Ask
any man or woman OF the world il this is not
SO. As for it-why let it 80 hang or drown
or disappear-anything so that it goes.
Ii knew nothing OF his plans. but it felt that
lie was not the same as he mad been. Twelve
months Is a long time for a man TO love if it
had but known. Sometimes it cried when it
was alone. but he knew nothing OF its tears or
troubles. for il was always cheerful and low
ing when he came. But he was with her now
exchanging VOWS OF love eternal and rn--
cEangeaDis. and he really loved her. in SO far
as he was capable of love. He thought his
love was Infinite. and that he had not loved
before. and he knew that she loved him. And
sometimes he iet an uncomfortable thought
arise tina: il, zoo. loved him with a love thar no
plavtbing shcu!d possess. Which angered
him AM he blamed il in his mind for such IN
unwarrantntle Liberty. How am | to get
rid OF III he tlion:hi u am TO he married
IN April. aud it doesn't know. What VIII il 10
When it does know? II she should hear of it,
what will she think of me3 What am l to
do!'
And Autumn went by and Winter went By
and Snring came in, AMI he had ! ot told ii o
his wedding. He still went 10 see it. but his
love WAS gone AMI lis love frightened him.
and he ha! no. the cou;a-e TO tell it.
One evening u month before ms wedding
he went 10 see it. He .ouni it with buncn
of vio.ets
"Ch, Jaei;!" it said. "how good of you 10
come. l was goias; 20 send you these yioIets
l know you Ike thgn.'
dow good OF you TO comeI' It was three
weeks since he had seen il. How could he
tel. her then?
But when he had gone it found a letter on
the floor. Ii was to him. and it was woman's
handwriting
It read
Dearest Love-Only month 10 cur Wedding
day. Ihiak of it Nh me lam half iriglt-
ened TO think how good God is 10 me to so3id you
my husband. Every day pray that / mag De
more worthy OF YOU Do you also pray 20. inc
1t read no more-''oTe month 10 our wed
ding day''-and then il understood Ain. it
was very hard that first underst'tn .lng: very
hard till tho tears cone, and go e. then. II
hifd simple heart. and heaven sent it the |
gift OF tears soon in all ahounding mercy In |
that Litter night who shall say that its sia |
was not elr.ieed? But it rem:;ned, for all |
that. Il wicked woman, and t;iing to be |
Stunned by all the world. And there was the |
bitter expiation OF Il life before it. although in !
one night even n cipher in the worlds ledger |
can suffer much.
He did not know that it knew until he re-
ceived the next day his letter, but no word |
from il,
He was angry and afraid. SIT will tell my
wife" he thought. Il must see it, And he
went that evening. But it was gone. The
room was the same, everyth.n. there but It.
No, not everything. His portrait that used |
TO stand on the ta6.e was gone. And he found
In its place the words;
.'Goodby. ANNIE"
He was sorry for it. oh. yes! He was
sorry for 1t: very sorry, indeed. The word |
"Goodby'' halt reassnred him. He thought
that after al. it would not troubls him any
more and it WAS necessary that il shouI
know. This kind of thin; Couldn't so on
after marr;aec-it was quite impossDie-it
wouldn't be fair.
Yes, he was quito sorry for it.
And the night before his wedding there
came bunch OF violeis for him and a piece
of paper with the words:
For your bride tomorrow. From AIMEE
He gave her the vioiels. and as it pleased
him she wore them on her wedding day. And
be was very sorry indeed for Annie.
But there was no other way you see. 1t
was the only way, the way OF the world.
In the Studio.