Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-09-28

fni | should love Ou lie 'S'
But wish to tell you how lovable and
how charming you are. You alone do not
know it.. You alono 10 not see the soft
flame of your large eyes reflect on of
YOUR heroic soul cn your young but serene
brow.
your slightest gesture Is englaven en-
me. Into the most ordinary duties of
every day life you carry peculiar grace,
| like Young priestess who reciles her
daily devotions. Your hand, yonr touch,
vour breath purifies everyth ng-even the
most humble and the most wicked beings
and myself first of ALL
sOh how I am astonished at the wor5s
which I pronounce, and the sentiments
which animate me, to whom you have
made clear new truths. Yes, all the
rhapsodies Of the poets, all the loves Of
the martyrs 1 comprehend in yonr pres
ence. This is truth itself Iundcrst nd
those who died for 'heir faith by torture
-because sho1ld like 10 sutfec for You
because I believe IN you because re-
spect you'll cherish you-I adore YOU"
He stopped, shiyering, and hJt pros
trating himself before her, seized the end
of her veil and kissed it.
Now" continued he. with kind OF
grave sadness. go, Mrs. Denton; nave
forgotten too long you require IepoSe.
Pardon me-proceed. 1 sh Ill follow
YOU at a distance, until you reach your
home, to protect you-but fe2r nothing
from me"
Clara Denton had listened, without
once intenupting him even by sign.
Words would only excite the young man
more.
time in her life, one of those songs OF
love-one of those hymns living With pas
sion, which every woman wishes 10 Lear
before she dies.
Should she die because she had heard
IT.
She remained without speaking, as
though Just awakening from dream, and
let fall these words, soft and feeble, Ike
sigh
"My God"
After another pause, she advanced a
few steps on the road.
Give me your arm as far as my house
Mr.. Leland, she said.
lie obeyed her, and they cent nuea
their walk toward the hou e, the light OF
which they soon saw.
They did not exchange word-only SIS
turned and made him a slight gesture
with hcr hand, in sign of adieu.
In return, Leland bowed low, and with
drew
This man had been sincere.
When true passion surprises the human
sonl. if bleaks down all resolves, 81 eepS
away all logic, and crushe5 ali calcula-
tions.
, In this lies its grandeur and also its
danger.
When this sublime folly possesses you,
, il elevates You-it tfansigures you. Ii
can suddenly convert a common man into
poet. a coward into hero, an e9oilst
into q martyr. and Don Juan himself into
an angel Of purity.
With wonderland it is TO their hor or
this metamorphosis can be durable, Cut
it is rarely SO with mon.
Once transported 10 this stormy sky
women frankly accept their proper bome
and the vicinity OF t.e thunder doe not
disQuiet them.
; Passion is their elemeut-they feel at
, home there. There are few women
worthy Of the name who are not ready tC
, put in action all the words which passion
u. has caused to bubble mp from their lips
IL they speak of figut, they are ready
: for exile. If they talk OF dying, they ai(
ready for death. Men are far less con
- sistcnt in their ideas.
1t was not until late tho next morning
I that Leland regretted his outbreak o.
sincerity; for, during the rem indof o.
" the night, still filled with his cxci' ement
, agitated and shaken by the passage OF IN,
god. sunk into a confused aud ieyerIst
D reverio, he was incapable of reflection.
y But when, on awakening, Lie suryei C
the situation calmly and by the plan
. light Of day, and thought over the preced
ing evening and its events, lie could no
q fail to recognize the fact that he bad be
cruelty duped by his oYn nervous system
h TO love Clara Denton was perfect,
proper, and he loved her siill-tor sh'
was person TO be loved and desired; bu
to elevate that love or any other, as tD'
master of his life, instead OF It's play
n thing, was orc Of those wealircss's IS IN
4 terdicted by his system moro I'll an.
other
g in fact he felt he had spoken and act
d cd like schoolboy on holiday. lie ha'
uttered words, made promises, and tah'l
: engagements on himself which no OH
Q demanded of him. No conduct coul
o have been more ridiculous.
Happily hing was lot. He had ye
y time to give his love that subordnat
- place which this so of phantasy shoGl'
= occupy in the life of man.
,. lie had been imprudent blt th YER
i imprudence might finally prove OF ser
/ vice 10 him. All that remained OF thu
Q scene was a declarat on grIcefu'ly M De
spontaneous, natural-wh' ca SUBJECTED
y Clara Denton 10 the double charm of
It mystic idolalry which pleased her sex
and to that manly violence which ooul
:, not displease her.
d He had, therefore, nothing TO regret
although he certainly would have pre-
g ferred, taking the point Of view from hi
principles to have displayed less Child
a ish weakness.
II But what course should he now adopt
Nothing could be more simple. II
would 90 to Mrs. Denton, implore her f3l
}. giveness, throw himself again at her feet
- promising eternal respect, and succeed.
j. Consequently, at about ten o'clock
Leland wrote the folloginy note:
Il DEAR MADAM: / cannot leave with
: out bidding YOU adieu. and once mole de
manding your forgiveness.
+" will YOU permit me?
{ Nv. LELAND"
This letter he was about sending. whe
% he received one containing the followln
words:
l. Il shall bo happy, sir if you will ca
l. upon me to- day, about four o'clock.
CLARA DENTON"
e Upon which Leland threw his own not
into the fire, as entirely superfuous.
l. No matter what Interpretation he pr