Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-05-22
one 50 long as I looked upon Inn as
nv promised husband. "

why are You SO anxious, Nelson?
she at last said to him. ''Think of the
long years we are to spend together
Absolutely it is appalling. You will
get tired of me soon enough"
Tired of you, darling! Does one
tire of the sunlight or voluntarily seek
the shadow? 1t seems TO me since
have met You that 1 have only for the
first time realized what great boon
life may prove. I have waited long
and patiently, dear. Give me the
promise ask tonight. Let the June
roses blossom for my bride, and the
robins song echo our happiness.
"Where shall we spend the summer,
Nelson?"
II have chosen little cottage far
away from the noise and hustle of the
world. 1t is perfect in its every ap-
pointment, and we can spend the long
summer days in forgetfulness that
there exists the seething, surging cur
rent of human life, from which we have
so separated our own. Do you won
der am impatient, dear?'
"Oh, but, Nelson, I hate cottage
life, and I am sure our society would
become mutually unbearable in such
monotony."
"What do you mean, Marion?' and
Nelson Ellis's lips grew white. 'Do,
you, who have promised to spend your
whole life with me, talk of it already
as beyond forbearance? Is this the
fond picture L have painted of my
home? Pause, Marion. Think while
yet on the threshold. If your life is
mine, it belongs not to the world. If
it is the worlds, then in it I have no
claim. I offer you, darling, all I have.
1 ask of you only yourself, but 1 ask it
as free boon and one which is placed
willingly in my keeping. You must
decide, Marion, for yourself. had
hoped your decision long since irrevo-
cable, but once more Iplace the choice
in your hands,
"You say You ask OF me only my
self. Is it not all L have to give? L
cannot give up the world to lead the
life of recluse, even though you SO
selfshly make the demand. One
would suppose Twas child to be die
tated to at will. 1t has all been mis-
take, Mr.. Ellis, and we may truly con-
gratulate ourselves that our eyes have
been opened in time to redeem an
otherwise fatal error. We part as
friends, L hope?'
Friends? Who has been at work
Whose hand may 1 thank for having
laid this network of worldliness and
suspicion in the mind of girl, who,
a few short months ago, harbored no
such thought? You could not trust
me, then, with your beauty. You
feared I would guard it beyond the
reach of other eyes. True, I might
have held it as sacred shrine, but its
bloom, its radiance would have been
uudimmed till death robbed me of
both. You give me up, then? So he
it. Go back to your world! Glory in
it; revel in it, and teach men the les
son You have given me-. that the
brighter the eye, the fairer the cheek,
the falscr the heart. Good evening,
Miss Reynolds" aud, with II low bow,
Nelson Ellis went out from the light
into the shadow.
Marion stood as in a stupOr. She
had spoken her own thoughts FOR the
first time, for the first time expressed
the feeling which so long had ranked.
How cold, how heartless and worldly
it had sounded even to her ears. What
was the seliishness of which she had
accused her lover but the reflex of her
own? Had the world really grown sc
dear to her that she could not yield il
up. even in the first flush of wifehood
by n husbands side? How inviting
the picture had been? She had not
really meant what she had said. She
had not dreamed Nelson would so &C
cept her at her word, and wordless de
spair was in the beautiful eyes, as the
hot tears welled up and dropped one
by one faster and faster, until she
buried her head in her hands ant
sobbed as child.
But there was one who heard of the
ruptured engagement with keen exul
tation, and suppressed look of tri
umph was OH Allen Fane's face wher
next he saw the woman he had deter
mined to win for his own.
"You did splendidly, Marion," he
said to her. 'Have not told You from
the first how selfish he was, even il
his love, that he never appreciated you
But now, darling. that you are free tc
be won and ! to WOO, will you not LEI
me prove that man may be generous,
I could have given yon MP to any othel
il I thought your happiness was a
stake, but not to one ! read so well.
"Husb. Allen, hush! II seems to IN.
desecratiOn to listen to such words. L
he were selfish, then is such selfishness
glorious. You call it splendid to show
a man who has placed his whole noble
heart at Il wOman's feet how frivolous
worldly anil beneath him is that fo
which he sues / have thrown ava,
the highest prize life's lottery will eve
offer me. | have listened to the subtle
words which have first borne seeds o
distrus! but now that all is over, an,
have with my own haud plucked tn
unblossomed fruit. | can mt least d'
him Justice. aud tell You my heart i
his. his only, though he may neye
know it.
Baffied only for the moment, Allei
determined to let time work its cure
and sooner or later achieve the end OF
which lis mind was bent.
II was IL great benefit. The oper
house was crowded, and many turne'
ere the curtain raised to look at the las
newcomers. who had just entered thei
box. None who looked on that fai
Young girl dreamed that she bore be
meath that outward show n heart sad
dened and weary. to which were eve
added the pnngs of remorse. Allel
Fame is by her side tonight. hopeful
eyuitant as of old. For six months h
has played his role without falterine
, soon he must meet his reward. Th
, curtain rises and falls to rise again