The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-27
HIS SAD LOVE STORY.

"Her beauty was peerless. As Imuse on
the witchery of glance from her wonder
full eyes it seems that I can feel her very
presence as though she were at my side.'
The reverie in which Uncle Rupert was
induIeing was audible to me, though I
was half til distance of the large room
away from him. caught the words ca.
gerly too, for they seemed to be the key to
the great mys tery Of his bachelorhood
s'Nellie Princessl Your silence is elo-
quent to me, and I know you love me,
though your proud head rises high in the
air to check a suggestion of familiarity.
ssCoquette? Every inch of her, and as
conscious of her beauty and her power to
conquer as any lovely daughter Of Eve
could ever dare to be. aNr
"Yoa broke my heart, grille, with your
Uncle Rupert had dou btless become OBJ
1ivious of my presence. His eyes were
riveted on the burning logs in the great
fireplace, and his thoughts were evidently
following the wild leadership of the fiHnes'
as they leaped in the dark corner where he
sat.
Even sympathetic word would prob
ably break the spell of his retrospect, while
rustic or other movement by way of re-
minder of my unfortunate presence would
be rude awakening from such a dream
of past realities.
side him, but with averted gaze, lest his
face might betray more than he intended
me to know, I took up the thread of his
remarks.
els it all over, Uncle RupertP',
A gentle hand was placed under my chin
and my face was lifted SO that he could
look at me. Thus encourag ed, 1 no longer
turned my eyes from his and was relieved
to find a semblanoe of smile on the ia
miliar face of my uncle, whereas my senti-
mental fancy had made me almost appre-
hensive of tears.
eyes, child, that belongs to the past,
when I, like yourself, was young and i'm
questionable and could love with the ardor
of youth and health"
'tYou have never spoken on this subject
before, and now L would like to hear all
about it-how you lost her and why, since
you loved and admired her so much"
"Why, you would have loved her, too,
Marian, little witch that she was. There
was not a part of her beautiful body that
would not have satisfied an artist, for,
with perfect symmetry and bearing, she
was an aristocrat, thoroughbred. The
purest blood coursed through her veins,
and, you know, we denizens of democ-
racy are punctilious a bout pedigree
"Tell me what or whom she looked
like"
ga raging, tearing beauty, child,
naughty queen, treading the earth as
though she disdained to touch her dainty
feet to the dust, which was for meaner
mortals. And her feshi Why. you could
think of nothing but satin when you saw
it's incompatible luster, while the touch of
it, with it's myriads of highly strung
nerves. sent electric thrills through your
whole being"
began to feel that my uncle was tax
ing me into his confidence hey ond my cal
culation or anticipation. The thought
flashed through my mind, Well, mine was
the age of acting before thinking. So
rushed to the climax of the story.
why did you not marry her, Uncle Ru-
pertS Was she not kind and good as she
was beautiful"
A slight start was peroeptible, and be-
gan to fear that 1 had gone beyond my
prerogative sympathetic interlocutor on
the subject of my uncle's romantic his
tory Had not known that he was seri-
GUS beyond all question I would have
fanoied, too, that detected him shaking
with suppressed laughter, but he was not
q cynic, and If he had loved this perfect
creature the notion of matrimony would
surely not excite derision, even after the
lapse of years of unhappiness and separa-
ton.
There was just something in his man
ner of speaking of her that annoyed me
and did not quite satisfy my rigid require
ments in a lover. 1t could only be excused
Oh THe ground OF n6c character ana ais
position not corresponding to her physical
perfection.
On the other hand, was not prepos-
sessed by even the flattering picture which
had been drawn of this beauty, for re-
scented her obvious lack of appreciation of
my Uncle Rupert.
While was making this summary of
the situation Uncle Rupert was evidently
making one, too, and at this point he re-
sumed his eulogy.
Eyes, dear, her disposition was as
matohless as her body-gentle, kind. am
bilious, untiring-aDd never even tried
to replace my bonny mare Nellie, and have
mourned for her all these years.
How gloried in the inky dark ness of
that room, which partly hid my confusion.
An arm stole around my waist and it's
gentle pressure seemed to ask mute for
giveness for thus trifing with my flight of
fancy.
But could only feel the humorousness
of the situation whereby Uncle Rupert
had been enabled to peer into my nature
while keeping the depths of his own COM
pletely guarded from vision as inexpert as
IL IL