The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-25

In the deepening twilight OF an autumn
nal evening Doris Shirley paced to and
fro beneath the trees, awaiting with feel
ings Of doubt and uncertainty the issue of
tho most momcntous event OF maiden S
lifctime--the interview between her lover
and her parent. At the sound of advanc-
ing footsteps she paused, and as a manly
figure reached her side IL needed but orc
glance at his face TO tell that his mission
had been one of failure
"He has refuscdY" she quericd.
Eyes, love, absolutely and without
hope"
"Did he say why he would not conscntf"
'He said that you are aware that his
wishes run In another direction"
Then the daughters heart rose In hot
rebellion against her sire, and her eyes
flashed fire as she cried:
"He wants me TO marry Joshua Bent
worth because he's a thcosophist, but
will not, so therol He Is nearly double my
age, and hate him. Ever since father
embraced theosophy he has been quito
different man. His whole heart and soul
are In 10, and everybody and everything
Joshual Nevcrl" And then In softer
tones, "You know, Sydney, in IL months
/ shall be of age, and thcn'--
Eighteen months, pot--what a long.
long time TO waitl"
lis 10 not better than neverp Well, II
you do not care 20 wait, we will say good.
by now" And she held out her hands,
pretending 70 be offended. Tho result
was, of course, rs she anticipated. She
found herself encirclcd by her lovers
strong arms, while kisses of contrition
greeted her brow.
"Wait darling? would wait 20 ycars,
but / could not live without hearing from
or seeing you, and your father forbade me
to do either after this last interview.
And then, as In thousands of similar pro.
hibitions, they plotted IA TO the ways and
means by which they might hold commu-
nication unknown to the antagonistic
parent.
A week passed away. IL seemed like
month 10 Doris, and she wondered how
she could endure Is months like it. Her
father had told her of his Interview with
Sydney, and requested that the subject
might never be mentioned again, and Do.
ris had given him 20 understand that IN
der no circumstances would she marry any
one else. And now week had passed
seven long weary days--without hearing
from or seeing sydney, and poor Doris,
driven 10 desperation, had been wondering
how she might best broach tho subject &c
her father and try 10 induce him 10 recon-
slider his decision. But thes task seemed
hopeless; she felt that she might as well
appeal 40 stone wall as 10 his stubborn
will Was there no way but 20 waltz
Mr. Shirley was sitting in the big arm
chair In his own particular sanctum, gen
orally referred TO as the study" and let
ting his thoughts run riot. First, they
fitted here and there over various phases
OF his new hobby, and then, taking sad.
der tone, oonjurcd up the vision Of his
only child, whose dearest wish he had re-
fused. Why was she so self willedS There
was Joshua, well provided with worldly
goods, hail fellow well met with every
one, and, above all, a brother thcosophist;
why could not the girl be satisfied with
her fathers choice? Then the truant
thoughts pictured sydney Wallace as GER
tainly the bettcr looking of tho two, nearer
Doris age, n man Of energy and excellent
character, but--and there was the rub--ho
had been 40 openly and apdaciously honest
as To express his disbelief i'm tho manifcs-
his fate.
1t was now quite dark and Mr. Shirley
rose from his scat, lighted the gas, drew
down the blind and locked the door II
was his custom to spend his evenings alone
with his books, and reaching a volume
from its shelf he drew his chair TO the ia
bic aad was soon absorbed in now mystiii-
cations, theoretical and impracticable.
After reading for some time he came
upon a marginal note giving reference 10
another work which ncceasitated visit &C
the bookshelves ct the other end of the
room. lie soon found the passage referred
TO and was about 10 resume his scat, when
he uttered an exclamation of surprise and
cast a frightened glance round the room.
There, on the pages OF the book open wh.
he had been reading, was something which
was not there when he left the tablc--a
little roll of paper With quivering hands
and beating heart nc picked IL up and un.
rolled 1t. Apparently the paper WAS OF
foreign manufacture, and the characters
on it, alth, sh English, did not seem &c
be inscrib. with any Of the materials ir
comr'o.- '''' "nuutry With ia