The Wilmington daily Republican., 1895-10-18
STUDYING BOTANY.

When first Glenfleld Pearse went to the
reading room at the British museum, he
was SO weighed down with the thought OF
his own insigniflcance and tho ponderous
amount Of books that were already in the
world that he almost gave up the idea OF
writing at all, for IL WAS not Us a strug-
Cling author yearning to earn his bread
that he came to consult some of the mill
lion odd volumes, but because, being an
authority on the botany Of his own county,
he had been asked to wrilS u paper ON that
subject.
The subduod voices of the officials, the
deadened footballs on the soft flooring, re-
buked his enthusiasm. Then the tangle
of catalogues on that center tablet
1t was through one OF those lists that
Glenfield first made the acquaintance OF
Ursula Holyroyd.
She Yves trying to pull about 20 pounds
weight of morocco bound catalogue from
its place, and standing at tho next space
he won't to the assistance of beauty in dis
tress.
After that they met frequently, and
Glenfiold began to find that his subject re-
quired constant attendance at the library,
and wrote to his mother at Glenfield manor
that the books of reference at the museum
were invaluable, and he could not tell
when he would be home-at any rate, not
until tho pheasants required his attention.
Many quiet talk they had together as
they wandered about the great galleries,
exchanging theories and ideas, for Ursula
was a delightfully."- refined and educated
woman, and though spending half her life
working up wearisome statistics for firm
of publishers, thereby earning the money
which was necessary to eke out the small
pension possessed by her mother, she was
as bright and happy as II engaged in the
most congenial employment.
In her fathers lifetime she had spent
many pleasant season at Malta or Gibral-
tar or wherever the squadron touched and
her father, n captain in the navy, could
make temporary home for his wife and
daughter.
Glenfleld had persuaded her to come into
the Egyptian gallery one day, and a pass
ing smile seemed to illumine the stony
face of q pharaoh as he sat, hands on
knees, looking down on the love drama
going on at his feet, which was enacted
much the same in his day.
How should love to see the land
where oil these wonders came fromi" said
Ursula "I know I have been lucky in
seeing SO much of the world, but always
longed for father to be stationed at Alex
andria. fear am morbid, but mum
mics have a fascination for me-"
"I should like to take you to Egpyt"
said Glenficld, watching the bright face at
his side.
She looked up, surprised at his words.
You forget. Struggling authors like
you and I cannot do such things One
cannot go to Cairo for few pounds,
He had never told her he was poor Sha
had simply taken the fact for granted, SEQ
ing that he pored over the musty volumes
day after day until the opportunity came
for a rost and stroll with her.
May come and call upon your moth
erf' he said presently. ''I should much
like to meet her and hear of your brother,
who was on board the Moonstone as gun
merry lieutenant when your father was cap
tain"
The following morning he received a
lettor from his mother reminding him OF
tho guests he had already invited for tho
pheasant shooting, commencing on the fol-
lowing day.
1t was six weeks before he could again
come up to town.
Ursula, " he said as he grasped tho lit
tie hand she held out to him, "child, tell
me what is the matter. What has hap
penedP"
She could not trust her voice. Only she
looked down at the black dress she wore
in mute answer to his question.
Together they paced the long, deserted
galleries, and she told him the story Of her
mothers short illness and death.
No word escaped her of the awful desc
lation in her heart nor of her poverty,
which was very real and terrible now. Al
| her mothers death the pension had been
stopped.
but, you see, have my work left to
distract my thoughts, and I must work
| harder than ever now, - was all she said,
and he guessed the rest
They were in the gem room, and the
sparkle of the diamonds and the sunny
gold Of the topaz seemed in their costly
splendor to mock at the pitiful little tals
| of acknowledged bereavement and unac-
| knowledged poverty.
Ursula, he said, looking down into
/ the eyes which rivaled the sapphires in
their depth and purity, twill you give mo
the right to comfort you. Will you be my
wifeP''
AT last she looked at him, and he knew
before the words were spoken that all the
pearls and rubies which surrounded them
could not buy the happiness which was to
be his-a free gift.-Exchange.