The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-04-30
a ROMANTIC GIRL.
3y Emily BaI ton.

II am not rich,'' said he, deprecating
himself. But he did not loosen his
hold upon Helens hands or withdraw
his ardent gaze from her eyes as he 4
spoke.
IF all the riches in the world were
on one side of the scales and just your
love on the other" she answered, with
the vibration Of deep feeling in her
voice, you know which would weigh
the more with my heart"
"But my father may never relent.
He VOWS he will have no long-haired
poet in his house, OF for his heir.
She laughed obdurate fathers to
scorn-not angrily, but merrily.
ooh, my dear, my dearn' she cried.
sWhy do you waste time talking OF
fathers? See the sunshine on the wa
ter. Come where we can feel 1.-THE
air, the light. Come"
.'No, Helen, I'm not coming ;noW,' 4
said Robert, with sudden tlrmness.
''You must see the situation as it is.
Here am 1, loving you. My father
raised me as rich men raise their sons.
Now he says that unless give up
what he calls my tomfool literary am
billions and go back to Furnaceville to
learn about the smelling of iron, he'll
neither give me an allowance now or
make me his heir Your father natur-
ally enough, refuses to treat with a
sutton who has no other assets than a
sonnet in his pocket. And / love you"
The conclusion seemed perfectly rel
evant to Helen. She looked at him
with eyes swimming in tenderness and
trust and pride. She smiled at him
sunnily through them. Her voice
trembled as she spoke, though her
words We're jesting. ..-t
tir,4o 1c,t9
she said, ''and bid me share it with
you, and shall be happy. Happy-do
you understand? Happy! And that is
all you want-my happiness"
He caught her face between his
hands and looked 'adoringly at her.
Then he said, with sudden foreboding:
'Helen, Helen, are you sure it is I?
Are you sure you love meme, and not
merely the situation, the romance?"
''Now, SIR" said Helen, tossing her
head, while righteous Indignation dried
the tears in her eyes, you are insult
ing me-"
Helen's father unintentionally fan
ned the flames of love. He forbade
his daughter to see Robert.
"You have a right to forbid Robert
your house." said the young woman,
in grand, heroic style, ''but you cannot
prevent my seeing him. / assure you
I shall. Your treatment of me .justi-
lfies it,
Don't make a fool Of yourself,
Helen" advised her father, cor I'll for
bid you the street. What has that
feather-brained young man to live on?'
Hes a genius, and he is perse
cuted."
"He's young idiot! I hope bread
:and-water diet will bring him to his
senses. See here, Helen! 1 don't OBJ
ject to the young fellow, if you love
him, though heaven alone knows why
you should But I'm not going to have
you marrying pauper, and I'm not
going to aid and abet him in disobedi
ence to his father. If you'll persuade
hfmto be sensible now --.'
"You do not know your daughter,
SIR said Helen, her, bosom swelling
with the proud consciousness that here
was dramatic occasion, and that she
was a heroine equal to it. Heaven
forbid that I should advise the man l
love to his own business! Did you
actually believe that 1 would try to
persuade him to turn from his odes to
iron ore-to fetter his genius, to-"
"Go to your room, Helen, and pack
your trunk. We start for Florida to-
morrow Numbered the old gentle
man.
But later he compromised on a
month at Lakewood, New Jersey. He
knew that the lovers exchanged daily
letters, each bidding the other be OF
good cheer. With a feeling Of helpless
ness he observed Helen's pride and
glory in her martyrdom.
1.-THE little fool is positively radiant
over her misery" he said to himself.
'"She fancies she's a heroine! Con-
found old Donnebrown! Why doesn't
he give his son some money and let
him spend it printing his poetry?''
when they came back to the city the
romance was at it's height. Helen
placed lamp before her 'curtained
window, and at night Robert patroled
the pavement, gazing at it as a shrine
They wrote long letters, though they
did not carry out their intention of
meeting clandestinely. And Helen
was radiant with joy because her TO
nance was progressing'
Robert had been ill in his boarding
Mouse His father had come, had seen,
and yielded.
,"Bob, my boy,' he said, 'be what
ever sort of a fool you choose. 1'll not
be one any longer"
And Robert, weakened by illness,
was won by kindness, as he had not
been by harsh usage. a...sN
eth come back to Furnaeeville,'' he
said, land I will learn the business.
Poetry will be a side ISSUE"
Whereupon there was much rejoicing
among the elders, but Helen was un-
accountaiDly cold.
Robert recovered. There was no
more martyrdOm. He called when he
rUn1yId ITO HiSc11Sco1 hn a,,iff IA
gold deficiency and the bond issue with
her father He came to dinner. He
went to the opera with her. He no
longer had to look to her lighted win
dow in order to feel near her. The
days of Helen were remarkably like
those of any other young woman upon
whom fortune had smiled They wear
led her. Robert had been a prosecuted
genius, she reasoned. He was no
aonger prosecuted By feminine logic
ne was no longer a genius. She had
been martyr because she loved. She