The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-12-19


and fed it somewhat extravagantly on
divers unhealthful bat eagerly devoured
foods.
There sounded the staccato beat of
horses hoofs on the hard driveway near
them. and he turned inditferently around
at their approach Tie had only dim
recollection afterward Of a girls pale,
aristocratic face, two cold, scornful eyes
on him, and not the slightest recognl-
ton from her as he fastened his burning
gaze on her, and the Moyne carriage had
whirled by. He felt strangely slckened
and depressed and tried to believe that
she had not really seen him. Perhaps
she did not know that he had returned
from his trip abroad during her absence.
but common sense dissipated all such
nonsense, and he was forced by his own
conclusions to acknowledge his hopes
abortive.
A certain fatigue had asserted itself,
and with his companion he reached the
pavilion and abstractedly seated himself
to listen to the music. Not that he heard
it. On the contrary, but one thought
permeated his being, and he despised
himself that he could still think of one
who SO evidently manifested her aver
sion to him. He idly glanced over the
programme, recognizing in the strains
the old Loves Dream After the Ball, !"
and sarcastically told the girl at his
side that there were too many hallucina-
lions in regard to the ancient emotion.
Glove is one of the illusions Of life, "
he went on, with hard little laugh,
''for, after all, it is only sort of apoth-
costs, endowing some particular one
with virtues compatible with her ap-
pearanoe. 1t is our fault, of course, if
we are deceived, and l suppose we
should not censu1e the innocent offender
for the deception, but that is not human
nature She paled trile as he spoke,
but he did not seq it.
"You-you have never loved if you
can speak like that, she said tremu-
lously. Escherling turned holly toward
her, but she went on rapidly before he
could speak. "Love is Gods blessing
on man. 1t purifies our hearts and
minds, and without it we would be al
shipwreoked beings fighting for safety.
1t is ennobling, lifting our meaDer ma
ture above until we could give in vol
untary remuneration our best beloved
even to another"
IT should like to see the man you
would love, Esther" Escherling said
abruptly as she finished. She looked
away, with little catch in her breath,
to where the pale green LEAKAGE fringed
the confines of the park. "But cannot
agree with you--in one thing" he con-
tinued, his eyes intent ON familiar We
hicle which had stopped to let alight
two ladies.
His heart beat irregularly as the
younger of the two seated herself a row
or two i'll front of him, where he could
catch occasional ravishing glimpses Of
her proud profile and the CLINT of her
brown satiny hair He dared not look
at it for awhile, for he was not sure of
his control. 1t seemed to him that she
must hear the restless clamor of his
heart and leave, knowing that he was
near. His voice trembled in spite of
himself when he spoke again. "Love is
selfish. He watched Elenore Moyne as
he talked. She had given a start Of sur
prise at the sound of his voice, and it
did not escape him.
II know that could not give up
any one I loved to another, " he stopped.
"That would not be love, in my opin-
ion, for the feeling Is purely selfish, as
all happiness is. Let me tell you the
mistake friend of mine made. There
is no need to begin monotonous can't
about his personal appearance, his posi-
ton and such nonsense. He was the av-
erage young fellow of good impulse
and heart, and he fell in love. Being of
an intense nature, it was whole soul
ed affair with him, and suppose from
his own overwhelming passion he
doubtless attributed more charms to his
beloved than she may have possessed,
for he thought that she loved him even
as he did her, and that was the illu-
sion. There were certain things involv-
ing the honor of some one very dear to
him-and, well, nearer to her.
Some disturbing element Of human-
ity went to her with malicious tales
about this, telling things really as they
did exist, but compromising the inno-
cent one-this-thisf friend of mine. If
he cleared himself, he would iIculpate
the other participant in the affair, and
that would hurt this girl he loved more
SO he thought-than to let her believe
him guilty, for the other was very near
to her, while he was only dear-this
was his conceit again. So he refused to
explain, and she sent him from her,
scorned and dishonored by her If she
had loved him, she would have had
faith in him and accepted his version Of
the circumstance. II was not her fault,
of course, that he was deceived in her.
That is where the apotheosis comes in.
She never had cared for him, but he
made himself believe that she had. -
"She did not love him" the girl at
his side said decisively. II do not wish
to sit in judgment ON another's actions,
but to me there never was any affection
there, or she would have believed in
him, especially at that time when he
needed her faith, and'- She ended
abruptly. Escherling was watching
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