The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-02-27

areceipt book; here piece of Royal Wor-
cester, there can of Mellin's Food =
We interrupted him with our applause,
iq which Chippall joined.
You are too kind, - said Van Law,
rhodestly, and continued SIN appear
ance, Presswell was tall and rather slight,
with clean-cut, naughty face, and a gen
eral air Of having three or four generations
q family behind him-I believe they con-
tend in America that it takes three gener-
akions to make gentleman. During the
day, while engaged in digging the cellar,
lie would wear the worst kind of clothes,
ypu know, and would apparently take
Measure in speaking to every acquaintance,
With malicious grin of satisfaction. But
4 night, that is, after postofice hours, he
would attire himself in his best cut gar
Rents and he had evidently been on very
g00d terms with his tailor--ai4d stroll up
and down the one street without the
slightest recognition for anyone.
s'His story was told with pride by the
townspeople, and happy indeed was the
hostess who could exhibit him at her house.
This very seldom happened, however, for
he eschewed lovely woman in every way.
Life went on Presswell demonstrated
with us for going into society-which was
really good. l assure you-and we per-
sisted in getting what we could out of it.
'sTaking the gifts the gods bestow and no
questions asked, Morgan used to say.
Zone day Major Lemons daughter
came home from an Eastern school. When
l first saw Gwynneth Lennon [ was re-
minded Of moonlight on water, so fair was
she, so spiritual so veritable moon
maiden. | saw at once hers was mega
tive nature, of the kind to cherish, live
and die for one ideal, with the chances in
favor of it being mistaken one. She
heard Presswell' story, and itsappealed to
her-romantic nature, and when she first
saw him | knew it was all up with her.
l used to feel sorry for her Presswell
steadily refused all invitations to the house,
and avoided her in every way. l have
seen the girls face change from its pallor
to dull red, when he would cross her
path during the day, his clothes stained
and discolored by the dirt in which he had
been digging, but his slender young form
as 1.-THE, his proud head as naughty in its
SALVATION as if he were greeting her in some
drawingroom l talked to him one day
about her, and told him the gods had cast
easy lines for him, if he would but see.
He looked at me with peculiar smile
around his fine mouth, and then he said,
sadly enough, heaven knows, 4 will tell
you, Van Law, what | have told no one
else, and what will further exclude the
possibility of any more talk of this nature.
There is some one else for me. Failing
her, [ want no other woman. | thanked
him and never mentioned the matter again.
About this time a man fell in love with
Gwynneth Lennon-a man who fought
against it, struggled, suffered, and finally
gave up to it in silent despair. He never
told anyone of it, and, so far as he knows,
his secret is still unrevealed.
Zone night, going up to the Lemons
to call, and finding no one in the parlors,
he wandered into the pretty little conserva-
tory the Major had built for his daughter.
Prone ON the floor in her white drees, with
the moonlight streaming full upon her, lay
Gwynneth.
q Il can not bear it; can not ! she
cried. Dear Lord, what have | done that
this madness should come upon me? |
love my Church and my father, and why
should this alien love come to me, unwel-
come, unbidden?' She struck her little
slender hands against the floor convulsively.
.'The man who loved her picked her up
in his arms. How slight, how fragile, and
childish she felt in his clasp She sobbed
ike little child, and when he would have
demonstrated with her, she only moaned,
You can not understand what love is.
You are cruel = Good heavens but this
was cruelty, given as woman best gives
it-from the heart out. -
He paused, and we could hear the wind
coming up with faint moan and sigh.
THE waters of the Grand, he went
on presently, 'are fair and cruel as any
woman You may find good ford today,
anu IOmOTIOW lu6 lIedCh0IOuo oduuo VIII
have shifted, and he who enters the smil-
ing waters with confidence, without the
slightest warning, will find himself and
steed suddenly carried far beyond the reach
of human help,
Gone beautiful sunny morning a gay
party of us were galloping over the valley
that lay by the river. Miss Lennon | had
the honor to escort, and Presswell for once
lent the charm of his presence to our party.
With song and laughter we spent the fly
inc minutes, or felt the blood bound
through our veins with our horses swing
ing hope.
Miss Lennon veil became loosened,
and the wind in some devilish caprice car
ried it far beyond us, high in the air, and
finally dropped it gently on the waters of
the river, near the bank. Presswell made
a movement as if to get it, at which Miss
Lennon turned so white that a general
smile went round. This only seemed to
rouse some perverse spirit in Presswell,
and he said, with flushing face, Il will get
it =
{" Come on, l cried, fearing l knew
not what. Come, we must be on our
way.
''But nobody came, for Presswell was
riding steadily toward the river. Some of
the men rode after him, but returned after
a few minutes of angry remonstrance with
him. Let him go, they said, The
water is not deep enough to hurt him. and
let him have good wetting. Some OF
the ladies were frightened, and Gwynneth
Lennon was trembling. l ran down to-
ward the bank myself, but before | reached
it Presswell had entered the water.
called to him to come back, but he only
waved his hand gaily and rode on. 1t did
look as if he would get the veil without the
slightest trouble, when his horse began to
struggle, and finally was swept over on
one side, and the rider was out Of sight.
The treacherous undercurrent Some one
screamed, and everybody seemed to be
running. There was a roaring in my eyes,
and it seemed to me | could see his boyish
face beneath the water If could only
get to him. | seemed to think, | could
save him. found myself at the river S
edge. when some one caught me and held