The Press., 1895-06-20

McCurdy, as you may observe, but say emphatically, as a medical practitioner of six years standing, accustomed to inter- preting mental phenomena by the external manifestations they engender, that pre- sent abundant outward evidence of the mental condition in which assert myself to be. And aside from that do you imag- inc that am not competent to testify to the reality of the emotions that thrill within me? Nay, more Do you think the passion that moves my very soul throbs and pulsates in vain? I tell you mol If 1t awakens no answering thrill in your own heart proud girl, it vibrates through space, and the sensitive ether that enfolds the spheres responds to the"-
 "Believe me, Dr. Highmore," she in terposed, ''I am deeply sensible of the honor you do me, but'-
 "You are deeply sensible of the honor I do you, but-go on, Miss McCurdy."
 ''But I think have never given you any reason to imagine -
 "You think you have never given me any reason to oimagine-proceed, Miss Me Curdy."
 "'That I looked upon you other than as friend"
 "Oh, moi" he howIed. "You have not accepted my attentions as a matter of course for IS months, have you! You have not suffered me to futter like moth within the consuming flame of your pres ence until my wings were scorched be- yond"-
 "Your wings, doctor? ?"
 "Metaphorically speaking, of course. Literal wings belong to birds and bats. They have no place in the physical econ omy of mankind, and as an angelic ad- junct they are palpably absurd. The great painters-but let them pass. What was about to"-
 "One moment, Dr. Highmore. To re- cur, if you please, to your simile of the moth with the scorched wings, you will pardon mo if I say that it seems to me an act of presumption for you to take it for granted, as you appear to do, that l am a flame of yours"
 "Not an old flame, Miss McCurdy," he not presume to liken you, even by infer ence, to an old flame, but to a bright, new, consuming''-
 "It is hardly worth while, doctor, to prolong this painful interview. You have asked me to be your wife,"
 ''I have! I have paid you the highest tribute a man can pay to a woman. 1 have offered you the deathless devotion of heart that never knew love before-a heart in whose inmost recesses your i'm age is enshrined henceforth and forever heart than never yield allegiance to any other human being on earth. Until the last syllable of recorded time, Glycerin McCurdy, no other love shall ever pro- where your image''-
 "You said something like that before" she murmured. Dr. Highmores jaw fell,
 ''I see it is useless" he grOaned. "Utterly useless" "You are quite sure," he said, recover ing himself with an effort, that you are not mistaken as to the nature of your re- gard for me?" "Absolutely sure." "I need not hope, then, that you will ever wish to see me again in the capacity
 of lover?"
 ''You need not" l "There is no hope that some day in the ) future you may bring yourself to look up- 3 on me as nearer, tenderer friend ?" ? "None whatever" . "Then that chapter of my history is y closed" he said, pale, but self possessed ) "The curtain has fallen upon a bitter tragedy in my life. Henceforth shall throw myself into the practice of my pro. fession with all the ardor that an impetu. l ous man who has been baked in his dear. I est hope can bring to bear upon the pur- I suit of happiness through some other channel. Miss McCmdy," he added, in a business-like tone, 'do any of your folks , need vaccinating ?'