The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-09-13
4 BROKEN ENGAGEMENT.

Il &
There is one matchless hour in Q
mans life. Every sense Of his being
srrenders to the delicious, intoxicat-
inc influence, and all the world seems
q be reveling in a carnival Of joy.
Sound becomes music, commonplace
things become beautiful and sight and
feeling conspire together to intensity
the Illusion. This hour is when, for
the first time. the woman he loves
Yields up her first confession of love for
him. and for the first TIME gazcs soul
fully into his face, q wealth Of love,
trust and happiness beaming from her
dear eyes Then it is not what he has
been or will be. but what he is and
what is his that concerns him.
Howard Verdery had had his hour,
but so recently that the joy Of it still
fingered with him like glad echo.
He could not quickly realize that she
loved him as fully and completely as
he would have her love him. 1t had
come about SO gradually, by such nat
ural, human stages-just in the way
that such things must come about--he
imagined that it was hard for him to
realize that it was true; but what a
glorious thing IL was for him!
I He felt that he had in him the raw
material for a splendid manhood. By
Helen's hands it might be woven into
substantial texture that would defy
such petty temptations to evil as he
had yielded to in younger days, not be-
cause of lack Of strength, he felt, but
because he was young, unknowing,
Uniformed. Those were fine days, and
there was little in them to regret. He
had had his season OF wild college dis
spation; it was no worse than that of
the average college man--not half so
bad as some. But that was over. Years
and Helen had opened a grand field for
him, and he knew he would be plr-
poseful and manly.
She would help him by her ready
womanly sympathy. her good judg-
ment her fine womanly tact, What
an ideal woman Helen was! How con-
genial how sweetly disposed. how
ihoble
Helea, is my Conscience he thought.
4 never feel bad or unworthy except
when | am with her She takes such
hne, high view of things, and she is so
strong in living up to that view. /
couldn't do an unmanly thing with
helen in my heart and mind and char
aeter.s
his father was delighted with the
news, as were his mother and sisters.
aney crowded about him and told him,
lure at time, how glad they were.
why my boy, I'm proud of you,
proud OF you, said his father. a hearty
i0oklng man of fifty, q fair type OF the
successful business man. 'sYou don't
NOW how happy you have made me.
.o1 nave removed the most serious APP
p'enension of my life, for was afraid
!Vu might do something foolish
saeres no accounting fora young man, |
you know.
Even the steadiest OF them some
! lose their heads where woman
concerned. have been young |
y. myself, Howard. But You have |
'sfa sensibiy, and your futures as
!, ,s'sa. Helen will be great help to
4. In few years win have TO re-
II. from the business altogether and
i ~ leave it in your hands. My boy,
= know you have never pleased
=, 50 well in your life?'
,, asu the two, father and son, shook
~. with great warmth.
i. nelen has always seemed like sis
\. agnes said- ut viii be SO lovely
: nsr to be that in fact"
s.s na everybody congratulated Yer
'.lI,s, lucky verdery, and the young
ii, IN the glow of his happiness
i'm 'na' life was just beginning for
4. II
. - WAS The