The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-01-14

/ have spoken of LorcttaS affection
rs having something wisttul about it.
Hers was a deep, passionate nature,-
a nature which loves strongly and feels
intensel y. yet never hates, even under
great wrong. Brave to endure, but at
the sam. time sensitive to degree
bordering upon morbidnesS because of
the want of an outpouring Of heart to
some one.
| wonder why such souls are set
apart: they love SO! Is it their very
loneliness that gives them this clinging
attecti II and keen sympathy? This
deep yearning for love and comradeship?
Mrs. Dodge tells us somewhere that
Loneliness foldeth wonderful loving
50 perhaps it is thus. God knows!
One afternoon | went over to Lorct-
ta's. She was robed in the gray dress
| have before spoken of. The gray
was a soft siIvery tint; the tichu was
drawn together near the threat with
forgct-me-nots, held in their place with
the turquoise pin. and another bunch
of forget-ne-nots caught up and fasten-
ed the lace at one side Of the waist.
She was far from young, but the dress,
with its graceful and dainty arrange
ments, did not seem out of place. In
verify. she looked more lovely than
had ever seen her, while the pathetic
sweetness of her face seemed intensified.
| marvelcd somewhat ut her being
thus gowncd that afternoon, tor she
was quite alone. and knew that she
rarely wore the dress.
She seemed glad to see me. although
she greeted me with unusual quietude:
but her eyes ightened, and she clung
to me for moment with passionate,
lingering hold.
She kept me to tea, and afterwards
we sat in the porch watching the sun
fade away in the west. The rel light
stretching across the long line of the
horizon changed to pink and then to
gold. and so died softly out. We
could see a sail or two far out. and Il
~ !, I,1, ,fr
pushed hv Il man and boy across the
sands.
We sat quite still. watching the pan
Drama of sky and sea and land, fccliE z
all the glory of the great calm. The
odor of flowers. mingled with the salt
fragrance of the ocean. stole drcamily
across our senses; so. too, the drOwsy
hum of evening, with the swasll of the
waves. was heard halt-wakingly. At
such hours the soul is most expansive,
and thus it was that Floretta spoke:
This is the anniversary of what
should have been my wedding-day."
She smiled as she saw my surprise.
"Iou would like to know about me
| a little, would you not? And tc-night
somehow, feel like telling Of that
which is my life, yet not of it-nDt OF
this life, mean, though it awaits me
| am sure. somewhere in Gods great
universe, beyond the stars"
had put my hand over hers, and
she clasped it with an answering press
urc and went on in soft. dreamy tone
as if she was but hall-consciouS, after
all, that she was talking to me.
Il have seen you smile at my fond
| ness ior lurgrt-me nots. but vou will
understand now. am of Portuguese
birth, YOU know, and came here with
my parents when nine years old. My
father built this house. My mother
and he planted the vines which over
| run it, and the arbor-vitr which sur
| rounds the grounds. When was
seventeen. he died, leaving mother and
me alon..
A Germun-A American family lived
in the hous.nrNt to Us. The two fami
lies became very friendly. | was Al
o?ly child, but there were Il son and
daughter in thr other household. The
latter was of my aye: til, >on tw,
| Years oldrr,-l frank, manly fellow
Charlotte and were always together
and graduated with the sam, honors
Karl went to college in time, working
his way through. When he cane
home in his first holidays. he brought
Il friend with him.
My father had just died, and kar
clma over to rs the evening Of his ar
rival. He was very fond of my pa
rents. an felt aim )st as though he ha(
lost his own father when. in college, h,
| litttlt oi ltlt' t'atil vi lilillt IL WIS 81
tender 50 kind, especially to mother
His friend, Jack Conway, sopho
lore in the medical department ant
tour wears older than Karl, was Il rath
tr grave Young fellow. Wcall learne,
to love him even rs Karl did He ha,
strong charat ter and Il deep. svmpa
thetic nltur1,-l mln t, lean upon ant
trust As his hpu,' WAS far away. h
spent his vacations with the Rhine
hardtS.
Tim welft or: thp sumner whicl
folIowel karl,s jnaior year saw tn
death CT both of his parents. Befor
he returned to college, it was arranged
that Charlotte sh Duld make her HON
with Us DARN. his ahs.nct; an II ther
was still another arraagcm@nt.-w
- 4. 1