Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-09-09
!. ONE HOURS CHAT. !
BY HELEN BEEKMAN.
1.-TWO young men we're seated upon

and finally glded into confidential IN
teTchange of experiences, unmlndtm
of the fact that they were within ear
shot of an open window, whose close
blinds were deceptive, inasmuch as
they kept out sight, but admitted
sound.
One of the men, Roy Somers, had
lately returned from three years So
iourn abroad, and had accidentally met
at the dinner table his old college chum
and dear friend, Robert Blake, young
LAWYER rising in his profession. OF him
I will say here that he was yet young,
about % or 81, a good-looing, manly
fellow. with a handsome income. Now
lei him speak for himself.
Living upon q wide lounge, just IN
der the window of which ] made men
ton, was 4 little figure hidden by an
afghan, but above this could be seen
a face of delicate beauty, with child
like blue eyes, wistful and pathetic in
expression, and loose curls Of pure gold
er tint. Over this face was perpleXcd
shadow. and more than once the pretty
lips murmured:
''Oh, how mean, oh, how wicked it is
to listen! But must hear! must
hear!"
The friends had discussed current
topics, until, as have said, they be-
came confidential, when Roy said, rath-
er abruptly:
81 heard some gossip about you as
passed through New York"
eyes? I did not know was OF su1fi-
Gent importance to be the subject OF
gossip: What if it is not secret, did
you hear?"
Tell me first, ifvou are engaged to
be married?"
mol"
'Short, and not particularly sweet.
l heard, then, that you were engaged to
hunchback, little monster!"
The face on the other side of the Win
dow grew white as snow, but Robert
Blake gathered his brow into heavy
frown.
Don't be angry, old fellow!" his
friend pleaded. 81 was foolish to re-
peat it. might have known it was
false, being well aware of your fastidi-
Gus love of beauty"
False, yes! But 1 would give all
own to make it true! You have heard
the gossip, shall tell you the truth?'
See here, Bob! I've made a mess
somehow. Do forget o."
Look at that" said Robert, opening
a small velvet case he took from his
breast pocket. "Ten me what you
thing of it?"
1T is beautiful! Lovely! One of the
few faces one may call angelic"
"And mind and heart are as beautiful
as angelic as the face"
81 can easily believe it. The eX,
preston is pure and sweet as babes
''Yet you just called her little mon
ster."
Bob! You cannot mean that she
the original of this miniature, is de-
formed"
Eyes. She was crippled in CHILDHOOD
by me-"
"She is a connection of mine, step
child of my uncle, and when we were
children we spent our summer togeth
er, as I was yearly guest at Owls
Nest, my uncle's place on the hudson
She was the sweetest little fairy at ter
years old that you ever saw, and was
a great hulliing boy of 16, and did moi
understand how delicate she was.
actually believe I was in love with hei
then. but was at the most awkward
age for such sentiment, and l covered
my actual alteration by teasing her
We were on the hill behind my uncle
house, where there was steep dechv
itv. and 1 was, as usual, half rompins
with her, taxing her temper by my
hateful manner, when, somehow, heaY
en- knows how, unintentionally I pushec
her over the edge of the hill, and she
fell down to the foot. When l reached
her she was white and senseless, and,
thought, dead. Oh, the long agony O
that walk when 1 took her in my arms
to the house, staggered into the room
where her mother was, putting
her into her arms, only torush away fol
q doctor. 1 was murderer in my owl
ewes, and for days while she lay be
tween life and death my misery coult
not be described. 1t was some com
fort that she lived, but when was tol(
that the injury to her spine would b.
% lifelong deformity, then, boy as
was. 1 made a solemn VOW to devote my
life to her."
81 was sent back to the boarding
school before May did tell you he.
name was May Talbot?) was able Il
zee me. and from school 1 went to col
1ece. while my uncle and aunt were il
Germany trying the baths for their dar
ling. Every letter was a torture II
me, yet longed for them, watched TO
them and shed bitter tears over the rec
ord of the suffering had caused. Blu
it was ten years before I saw Ma.
again. I went abroad when they cam
home, but circumstances prevented
farewell visit to Owls Nest, and l re
NAMED, as you know, in Italy, on &C
count of my fathers health. Do yo1
wonder, Roy, that was reserved, me
pose boy at college?"
Preserved, yes, and often very sad,
replied his friend, 'sbut never morost
Many times I longed to ask for you
confidence, but there was somethin
that told me it was too deep sorroY
you were hiding for any intrusion"
81 could not talk Of it in those days
When my father died and planned t
return to my own home, renewed m
self-exacted vows to devote my life t
May, but-do not despise me, Roy
was with an added misery and pair
Remember I had not once seen he
since the day when I carried her home
after my hand had ruined her youn!
life, but knew that she was deformeo
was q young man, IN the full vigo
of health, and, while my conscienc
4oId ma 1-arv 1o1ainlv that 7 owed m