The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-22

s ~ with that characteristic sardoni
Y | leer which always seemed 70 say a.,
know something that you don't anu u
AN offensive something, too 49,,
"Oh, ne for that" he replied, Chlsii
suggested one day that you might az WEI
have them" and he passed on, ny eNcIa
nation point TO his own singular 10
mark. -
/ went on my own somewhat DUN
| founded, but ere j could formulate IN.
sensations into expletIves, an event, yes
with a capital. too. drove all such frb
| bIes from my mind. For on Rector stree
just In front OF the Theological school
came face to face with Rosalind Pa
| son There had been some public lee
ture, for the audience was SIN emeif
Ing, which she had evidently ATTENDED
She was standing at one side OF IN,
tan 5warthy young man. j was yus'
conscious tnat his black eyes bushcu
on me Ike the CLINT OF an antasonlst
sword, Just conscious OF - personal Pc
| voluntarily. "ROSalind. oh, Rosalnd,
he raised his hat and moved away. tes'
~ the unexpected apparlton OF her love
| iness, ! lost all sense Oh time, place.
resentment, self-controL
Love, overpOwerins. ever enthraling
| love. spoke ia that cry, and, an, It's ardor
| was reflected In her cheeks, and shone
back on me from her dear eyes. As our
| hands Joined our hearts united. The
| drcary years vanished like black spectres
| once more We were youth and maiden In
| the heyday OF our passion, yet sensible,
| through maturity, OF its consecrated ma
| ture. Such a rapturOus ecstauc moment
| Every drop Of blood within me lcapcd and
| danced, a. II in celebration Of my heart 8
| triumph. That divnest Of human emo
| tons WOmanly forgiveness euRlrt me
with IT'S blessing. despite my pique and
| obstinacy. was received once more
| within my kingdom, as # my recreance
had but strengthened It's loyalty.
An, well! y quarrel between lovers is
n sad enough In ny ftnfh pipBlnN and Iona
some and depressing But when they mu-
tuaiiy meet al perfect trust, each wan
dering step seems well worth its per
pIeSity, each blank Wall repayS with
II was late that evening before Kosalind
and ! had exhausted the sweet regrets
Of determination, and in lingering pro-
gress toward our bllssfui future reached
present facts and circumstances
And who was the man you were talk
Ing with when l came up?' / asked. re-
calling his glance, as If from the sudden
tW1nge from an old wound.
"Oh. Mr. Chsm," answered Rosalind.
with enthusiasm. He is such fine fel
low. I'm so sorry he left so abruptly, FOR
I'm sure you will Ike each other; but 1t
wasn't strange, was IT,
ass urance Il suppose my breezy ap-
proach was a warning to third persons
But who is ne? l never saw such enor-
nous hands
a very clever brilliant young man
who mas educated himself IN spite OF
poverty. lie Is "a true friend OF mine. As
for his hands, he's very large, you know.
'Triend?' | repeated, with jealous en-
Yes. friend" said Rosalind, firmly.
for what friendship can be more dis
interested and noble than the one that has
overcome a hopeless passion
slider that he has meddled with my af-
fairs in an unWarrantable way. Why, TIE
secretary informed me that II was he who
suggested tho Propnety Of my having
"Ah, George George" interrupted Rosa
lind, reprOachfully. you are not yet
cured Of that old exclusive lmperiousness,
are you? Can't you see a kindly motive
him for It? ! do. for I know he inter
prcted my secret longings."
After this there was nothing 10 do but
arouse the girls fealty by supine self
abnegation; in which course ! was 50
successful that when I left the house !
surely should have been the happiest Of
men. l should. bat / was not. There
had been sincerity IN my censuTe OF my
self / was conscious that lately ] had
not been as c0nSilerate and agreeable IL
thought and speech as was natural for
me. There was an indefinite obsession on
my spirits My old chum had noticed
IL even In the heartness Of our re
union. Nv sweetheart had noticed It.
even in the rapture Of our reconciliation.
Without the connecting links OF infer
ences the conclusion settled within me.
"COnfOund that bell ringer l mutter-
ed
It was a cold. clear night in early
winter. Not yet had nature drawn her
snowy mantle over bleak and stark
nakedness The full moon shoue down
upon denuded branches and grounds de-
void of vcrdure. There was no warmth
or sympathy I'm her light. no autumnal
Quiyerngs OF romance. Everything was
sharply revealed 70 the point OF ugli-
ness. The shadows fitted not across the
Campus In soft advance and recession.
but remained austere and constant Ike
the sketch Of Raphaelite artist.
From a distant society hal came the
parting song Of its members: Farewell,
farewell" the refrain was repeated
Weirlly caught up by the heavens. ana
from the stars. AS thought OF the
rooms / was approaching II was with
repugnance. not pleasure. What fooi ]
had been to shut myself up in a great
barren building away from friendly hand
and voice. Retirement was one thing.
but isolation quite another.
Supposng some sudden sickness should
seize me, how would ! feel, helpless, dy-
ing. perhaps, like Il prisoner IN dun
geon. Ike rat In a hole. Surprising
even that nightmare should recur; would
my terrors vanish If l aWoke In that UNI
familiar. ill-aboding darkness? An. but
L a
ringer overhead, "a very interesting and
learned man." said Springer such a
fine fellow" agreed Rosalnd; yet with
the very idea of him my mental trepida-
ton changed into physical shivering. l
had 1t seems, while approaching the
building been uncOnsciOusly eyeng the
outline OF the absurd little stcep.e on
the ground.
What d piece of architectural cobbling
II was, TO be sure. with its shinglen.
and its belfry like a packing box with
the sides knocked out How perfectly
every detail was pictured by the shad-
ows. The wooden posts, the very bell,
the end OF the clapper the-ah what
was that? 4 head had protruded for
an instant through the opening. mans
head. and turned toward me; and yet,
as l glanced upward, there was no one
there the moonlight streamed through
the loft and revealed its vacancy; no won
der / shivered.
stood in the entrance 10 the OLD chapel
hesitating in the hope that some one
what could l say Certainly q grown
man like me wouldn't admit girllsn
oualms. OF course not, but there would
be comfort in a hearty good night" II
was so human. stu, though l heard
faint, regular footsteps, they grew no
nearer. At length In despair sought Il,
rooms. and when my lamp was liRhted
and my fire freshened and my doors
bolted, then l realized whence those
sounds had echoed. Plod. plod, my neigh
Dor overhead was pacing the 1oor
glanced out of the window. Against the
blank wall OF the adjacent dOrmitory my
light was reflected; but no such signal OF
wakefulness came from above. The man
was marching to and fro In the dark.
Much as j had distrusted him. | think
my aversion increased tenfoId from the
knowledge of this yagary. Wen, there