The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-09-09

TO our subject. Confess, Helen, II the
two were similarly situated as fortune,
what would your decision be ?"
"Now, that is what | want to talk
about | have an underneath, quiet
sort of feeling that if great calamity
came to one, Edward Barnes could aid,
console, be, perhaps, strong rock of
refuge; but Albert comes and absorbs
all nay time and attention. We ride,
and dance, and talk nonsense together,
and all the girls are envying me, and |
find myself drifting off upon sort of
sea with him, which / am not yet sure
| wish to voyage upon or to take him
as helmsman.n
"Helen, do believe that is the way
half the girls marry. Don't you, beg
of you. Life is such terrible thing
when one has chosen wrongly. Think
of finding too late that you have made
an awful mistake, and when calamity
comes-as come il must in every life
you have no sure rock of refuge, only a
broken staff TO lean upon, and you are
indeed alone. Poverty mean indus
trious poverty, what you call poverty
which generally earns enough for all
the absolute necessities and many of
the luxuries of life, is not the worst
trial of life. But don't take either of
your lovers if you can not resolve to
share any reasonable lot with them, for
you do not love unless you feel thai you
can"
"Mollie, were you ever in love?"
'In love? No; but thought was.
/ will tell you the story tonight. Take
your wrap, let US go to the beach. |
want TO feel the fresh breeze blow
about me while | talk of that old
time.n
They wended their way to the beach.
The moon was just rising, silvering the
waves. How far away seemed the
noisy, turbulent, work-a-day world.
Before my fathers DEATH" said
Mary, (which condemned me to daily
toll for myself and my poor mother,
you know we were very well-to-do
country people. My father spent Law
ishly upon my education and for our
daily comforts, and never dreamed that
a sudden death would take him from
us in the full vigor of manly strength
before he had provided for our COM
forts. Henry Gray was a neighbor's
son, and your Albert reminds me
somewhat of him. Pleasant TO every
one soft, gentle manners and with an
attractive person, it was no wonder
that a young, foolish girl like myself
very soon idolized him into hero.
''He went to college, leaving be-
trothal ring upon my finger and three
or four sheets of paper filled with pro-
testations of undying affection came
once week TO ne. After while the
letters were not quite so long and grad
ually cooled in arlor. Helen, am
ashamed of my old self. / suffered
tortures then and thought my heart
was broken, my life blighted, as ! saw
he was drifting away from me. And
then came our great affiiction. And
when / saw him again l was wiser
older girl. Life had become very real
very hard. And | can almost laugh a
tell you now / could not realize that
/ had ever loved him, except for the
memory of the doleful hours | spent in
weeping over my broken idol. His
was not a constant nature. He was
not the sort of character could have
; loved in after years. And what seem-
ed bitter draught then was a cup bit
ter indeed to the taste, but most bene
fetal in results and healing.
''One is very wise after all that, you
know, and / am not likely to give m.
: heart lightly again."
"Not lightly, but very wisely, | an
. sure. But here come the subjects o
our conversation, so no more discussion
: of them at present" And HeleI
turned gayly TO greet the corners.
, Albert Norris was very handsome
as she had said. His figure was tai
and graceful his head finely formed
, his features regular, with the usua
I fresh coloring of youth. a close phys
T iognomist would have detected lacl
OF strength in the face. The moutl
: was not firm enough; the bright haze
r eyes glanced too frequently aside. Blu
q to most young girls he was faultlessl.
/ handsome, with charming manners.
; Not so his companion, whose figur
4 was built more for strength than 70
e beauty. His face was frm, open, ip
telligent, genial. Clear, gray eye
: looked clearly and penetratingly int
o yours. His movements were quick
! active, 1.-THE, lacking entirely the gen
e tie indolenee which was habitual :
= the other.
"This is just the night for one
;. your songs, Mr.. Barnes" said Mary
: And as they seated themselves he san
b i'm a rich. full baritone, TO the accom-
paniment of the waves rushing rhytt
!, mically upon the shore, the song of IN
Three Fishers.
L For a few nome nts after, none
u them spoke. The night was heavenl,
l. the music suited the scene; the voiC
L was sympathetic. and awakened man
thoughts in the listeners
> at does not seem possible here,
this quiet, calm spot, that there can
a turbulent, noisy world, full of man
= unhappy people, of women WI
~ weep. and men who risk life for life
bare necessities"
q mo, indeed vas Edwards reply
n s'but to-morrow's sun will shine on til
y same spot, upon ali sorts Of inconsis
b ent human creatures, who make L
N this very world; women who think
n life only as show; men who strive
A outdo each other in a mad chase aft.
a life's glare and glitter. More of the
compose this crowd than the genuil
70 lovers of nature, who find companion
+o ship in the sea and the woods, and
n- whom the very stones preach sc
,s mons"
/ (which do you prefer, Mary-u
le sea or the mountains ~ asked Helen.
rs 81 can not tell here and now. 10