Middletown transcript., 1897-05-22

M&ssS-EESE EES lau hGer anu
Es mock admiration
aSZ- in her eyes at her
lover, who came and stood before her.
But the man looked down at her in ca
ger pleading.
"Ursula, darling, how can you talk
in that way-noWp'
"How can II Why, with pretty
grace. hope"
URSULA cried the man, don't
have that moodi 1t hurts me. 1t mad
dens me to waste our minutes so. Oh,
my darling. have you no sentiment in
you2"
"Sentiment," she began. lightly; but
she stopped suddenly, and her word
trailed off into sob. "Bertie--"
1.-THE man caught her handsquickly.
"What, darling3"
She dropped her head on his breast
and her breath came fast.
"You have thought me unsentimeE-
tai, matter-of-fact, even hard-yes,
Just little matter-of-fact, even hard
ever since you first knew me; while you
were so-so-otherwise.o
He held her tightly to him now and
waited.
"Butn-and it was she who spoke
passionately now-"I was only acting,
Berthe; only showing you q surface
heart. And now-now you are going
away, and for SO long, will give up
acting. l am sentimental, if only you
knew, L did not show it'll don't know,
was shy, I suppose. I thought you;
would NOT care for it-that you would
laugh at me-"
"Oh, Ursula, Ursulal''he exclaimed.
.I believe you would laugh now if
you only knew how ridiculous l am
how much l love you. And now
have broken down-you have made
me break down, can never unsay
nv confession. [ have humbled my
self have laid bare my heart"
Ursula, my own, why did you never
confess before? laugh at your Oh,
my darlingl Lhave hungered to hear
you say such words"
The eyes of the girl were loye-steeped
and her lashes wet as she raised her
head and looked up a. the man.
'sAll this past year you have made
me happier thar ever dared to be, "
she whispered, trembling-''the hap :
piest woman il the whole world, l
think"
And the man bent aud pressed his
lips to hers. '.But want to make you
still happier" be said, passionAtely.
81 want to take you from all the care
and the drudgery; to have you all to
myself; to guard you. to cherish you
never TO part. Oh, If only | had
money! This waiting. waiting is aw :
full; and the hope 50 small, the reward
50 SLOW"
'sAm really smalI-snd slowP" she
asked softly.
He laughed back at her "Not yon
deirest, but the. getting ON, and
the piitance; it all seems 50 endless.
Even now am. holding you only to
part from you-t0 go back to the grind.
And worse than all is the knowledge
that you are also drudging,. .and l can
not prevent it," :
."As there must be waiting. dear,
am glad of the work to fll my time.
And,n with swift blush, ~ shall be
saving for my trousseau.
"Don't. Ursula-don't 60 boarding
your shilliDgs and denying yourself.
Some day will make my pile, and you
shall walk in silk attire; and we'll
leave the work, and the trouble and
the g re and 20 of a wandering in
Italy and Greece and Algiers, and
every place we've ever set our hearts
on.n
The Understanding clock upon the |
painted marble mantelpiece struck five
metallic strokes.
:'Five O'Clock already This is awful
For whole year, or longer. Say it
again, Ursula-that. you love me-
II love you, BERTHE, y she said slowly
md quite solemnly. 81 love you. l
;hink | would die for you willingly.
Darling, darling, for long year
He caught her to him in a passionate
his lips met hers again and
gain; then heturned quickly and went
oward the door.
"There will be the letters, she said, |
q voice which srove to be steady
md cheerful. for his white, hopsless
ace hurt her heart. Ard ll.eil he was
one.
j +
Three hours Ia er The man sat ii q
heery lit IL dinner IN London, i little
arewell meal with y few old college |
lends. Alter which be Went ON
oard his steamer aud walked the deck ,
i the starlight, with = pipe for conso.
ltion as he Thought of the poor and
,nely girl he had left, and longed for
loney b. bring him his desire. Aud
! tabs0rbIng acre These thoughts that ]
ls pipe went our. aud stilt be paced TO
nd fro, hnheedlng. until Vt last, bis
Ibow being isgeed sccidently. he came /
ack 10 lhe near present again, and.
king the cold pipe from bis lips, tap
ID It out Oh the rail. Then, while the {
shes were yet lioatins d5wn On 10 the
aters, he went below to his birth and I
opt soundiy. III
Aud the girl Ursula ssWed and saw /
all the evening BY lhe Light Of the 4
leap Oh lamp, and smiled sti1iy with !