Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-09-30

manner with me was as charming rs
ever, but there was slight constraint
Mt such times as we were altogether
alone; not the constraint of formality,
but that of difidencc. For my part,
found that instead of decreasing her
to me, my absence had
served to enhance them. To me she was
then, what she ever has been, the one
woman in the world. Every day l re-
solved to put my fate to the test, but
hesitation, born of tknidity, prevented
me, and the time passed away without
my ever giving utterance to the words
of love and passion which l longed to
speak.
But If 1 hesitated, there were others
more bold-indeed, Bertha, at every
garden party" or other social func-
ton In the neighborhood, was always
the center of a group of devoted admir-
ers. Among them all Royal Phelps was
prominent alike for his handsome per
son and for certain fascination OF
manner which made him popular with
men and women alike. He stood over
six feet, had fair hair and blue eyes, and
an athletic frame in which grace and
strength were equally apparent.
Bertha, while appearing to share the
general admiration for him, never
seemed quite at ease in his presence,
and it was perhaps this evident con-
straint whenever he was present which
led my father to chaff me pleasantly one
evening after dinner by saying:
Charlie, my hoy, yoUhad better not
let your bird of paradise remain I'M
Gagged much longer, or some one else
may catch It'll" And then the dear old
fellow laughed and winked at me mys-
teriously, as though he were quite in
the know.
I think it was the presence Of Royal
Phelps and many suggestive hints about
his devotion to Bertha which finally de-
termined me to put to the test my
chance of happiness with her.
It was a bright and lovely day in
June, and large party had assembled
upon the spacious lawn in front OF our
bungalow" as my father always called
his house. Bertha had never seemed to
me so fair, so altogether worthy of my
love and my life. Early in the after
noon, for she had come before the rest,
to aid us in arranging for our numerous
guests, I had seen her color rise as l
made some slight remark about her APP
pearance, and as our hands met l
thought hers trenibled. Was it my
imagination9 Or was she, too, like me,
longing to acknowledge her love?
81 shall not be with you long, Bertha, !"
I said, hoping thus to prepare the way
for my proposal. 81 shall be leaving
for Hong Kong within month to take
up my appointment"
Eyes, yes, Charlie, have heard it all
from father; he says you passed your
exams with flying colors. am so
glad"
"Glad! glad of the fate which BAN
ishes me from England, and from"
But she did not let me finish the SEN
tence.
NO, of course not that; it will be
awfully lonely without you, and the
old place won't seem like itself a bit;
but still, you're man, andyou have got
to make your name and way in the
world, and I'm glad that you are making
so good start"
q could look forward to my life in
the east, Bertha, dear, with q great
deal more JOY if the prospect were not
so lonely" Bertha's eyes fell before
my ardent gaze, and 1 fancied that her
lips trembled, and FASTENED to put an
end to the tension we were both under,
when a rollicling voice broke in upon
US:
"Ah! here you are, Bertha! What,
and Charlie. too! All! I hone I am
not de trop. Shall come again? Ha!
hal" and Royal Phelps laugh rang out
clear and loud, but with touch of
cynicism in it's ring.
''Not for the world" replied Bertha,
crimsoning to her hair; we were just
arranging the games for the day, and
now you can help u.s." And so the
golden moment passed, and the word
I had been longing to speak remained
unspoken then, and alas! remained un-
spoken for many bitter years.
Tennis, and gossip, and tea, and
laughter, and merrymaking soon sped
the afternoon. had succeeded with
the aid of Bertha's cousin, Eva Win
throp, in beating Royal and Bertha at
tennis, and had then given myself to the
duties of hospitality.
At last, however, found myself free,
and went in search of Bertha, resolved
to endure my uncertainty no longer.
I approached the library window, and
had almost entered the room when 1
heard Bertha's voice. 1t was clear and
cold and positive:
"No! I have told you how impossi-
BILE it is. should wrong you and my
self. 1 cannot marry you, because 1
do not love you'll"
I was about to beat hasty retreat
from my false position when Royals
words chained me to the ground:
cts for that proud brute, Charlie,
t suppose, I'm thrown over! OIL well,
take him; but, curse him, I'll"
"You forget yourself; I have not said
I love another, certainly I have not said
1 love Charlie. We are old friends, that
is all, nothing more. He is no more to
me than you"
But L could stay to hear no more.
and with heart beating I gained my
own room, and hid my grief from the
curious eyes about me- And so this
was the end: Gle is no more to me
than you" Obi cruel words! And
I-ahl there. to me she was more than