Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-07-17

~eH novelty anu llcoh
XY ness of all l saw
had kept the evl
which I had imbibed in the pack
ground. But now that l was man
now that the glamour with which a boy
surrounds everything had faded away
much of Mr.. Loraine's teaching, many
of his cynical axioms, came BACK per
haps unawares, to me. The certainty
which he had always felt as to some
selfish motive being the hidden maih-
spring in every action of man or
woman. with me became at least sus-
Sicion. l had already met with raise
friends, who had, under the gulse OF
friendship, robbed me not only OF
money, but of what value more, trust
in nv fellows. After a while, began
to persuade myself that sucn popular
ity as enjoyed was not due to my own
merits, but to my worldly possessions;
that was by no means fine fellow
merely a young man of large property.
This feeling is a danger which con-
tinually besets a rich and sensitive
man, especially if his companions are
poorer than himself, and his own ma
ture is not such as can accept fiattery
us is his due. Under such circum-
stances, it is easy to develop much OF
the cynicism of Julian Lorraine.
Women had as yet done nothing to
lower my self-esteem. Until now, had
4 4, 7 nnp
reason for this was, that / was still OF
romantic nature, and was resolved
that whomsoever l asked 10 be my wife
should love me for myself, not for my
money.
l wish, so far as possible, to keep this
tale free from any sarcastic remarks OF
my own, but at that time l often Won
dered il the mothers of fair daughters
would have found me such charming
fellow had not Julian Lorraine made that
brief will.
But at last I was in love-hopeless
ly, unreservedly in love. My nature is,
l believe, a passionate one, and now
that it had found it's aim, gave it full
and free scope. l loved madly, blind
ly, and, alas! jealousy.
had set my heart upon the daughter
of no wealthy or well-born family. The
girl l loved was not one whom l met in
society; yet I proudly thought of the
day when every eye would turn and be
dazzled by her beauty-when people
who appraised the charms of fair
women would rank those of my wife
high above all.
Of course was partial-all lovers are
but now, as l glance from my paper
to the portrait which hangs on the
wall facing me, tell myself that my
love did not lead me far astray.
The soft, thick fair hair growing
low down on the forehead, and swept
back over the ear to join the knotted,
silky mass at the back of the head.
The head itself, small, well-shaped,
and, above all, well-poised. The large,
soft, dark blue eyes. The fringe of
long, straight lashes-yes, straight,
not curved-falling, when the eyes are
closed, literally on the check. The
girlish, yet perfect figure. All! need
not look at the portrait to recall and
describe my love!
For the rest, her name was Viola
Keith. She was an orphan, and all but
alone.
How I met her, when met her, mat
tiers little. Nearly all first meetings
take place under prosaic circumstances.
Anyway, as my eyes met hers, l told
myself that looked at The one woman
whom it was possible for me to love
with an eternal love.
knew nothing of her family or her
surroundings. cared to know nothing
One question only I asked myself: can
I win her, and win her for my own
sake? Here, even here. in the first
flush of my new love, suspicion of mo-
tive must be guarded against.
So when at last l was able to tell
her what name l bore, 1 changed it, |
and called myself Mr.. Julian Vane
She should, if she loved me, marry
me, thinking she. was marrying one in
her own station of life.
Not that her station was anything to |
be ashamed of. So far as 1 could gath
er, she was one Of the many whose |
parents leave their children slender |
provision, yet large enough to live up
on in responsibility and comfort. Viola, |
found, lived in small house, with a |
prim old dame, the pink of dignity and |
propriety, and who had formerly been |
the girls school-mistress; solitary, |
lonely life it must have been for the |
girl
I laughed as I thought how, If she
loved me, / would draw her from her
dull home, and show her the great
world and the glories thereof. How
was to WOO her? We were not like
ly to meet at any mutual friends
house. I had no sister, cousin or any
one who could do me friendly turn in
the matter. Yet every moment Of sus-
pense would be an age to me. l must
do something. So one day waited un-