The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-10-21
JACK HAR0LD'SPRESNPIMENT

No jealousy is at work, I hope, Jaek. =
this last with half-ironical emphasis.
Even 50, it would not be unpardon-
able. was his answer, as Jack Harold.
with fond pride, looked on the beauty Of
the girl by his side. :5s s,s
Many men have sufferesA from the
sreen-eyed monsters sting with far less
cause, but can plead mot guilty this
time TO not think jealousy would ex-
plain my feeling, but l can never forget,
Nellie, how humble is the lot can prom
Use YOU in comparison with the gilded of
ferings of other men. know my darling,
the admiration your beauty cannot fail to
excite, and, oh, how quiet and uneventful
will Seem this existence mid birds and
trees and flowers when you are surround
glaMor of city life. Yet should you choose
it in preference, the misery only would
come to me; therefore / cannot compre-
bend the dread feeling that something
threatens both. So -. I s
II will not even sympathize with it,
Jaek, is her reply, "since it docs me so
much injustice. Have you forgotten in
paragingly, Love is to be it's sunshine,
Love the rustic of the trees, Love the
fragrance of the flowers? Who, then,
would choose the gilded bars of the Gagged
monster? Jack, what wealth could COM
pensate for the loss of your hearth u
Il can scarcely realize have you at
last" said pretty Mrs. Raymond to her
friend, as they sat side by side in the
formers comfortable dressing room pre-
dearest privilege The two had been
school friends, and only a year before
Nellie had officiated as bridesmaid, and
it was this visit jack Harold had antici-
pated with such dreatl, -
''Now, tell me-" continued Mrs. Ray
mond, 'who is this ogre in the country
who did not wish you to come to me = 2
:. Never mind about him. answered Mel
lie, blushingly. "You see his power was
not sufficient to detain me. I prefer hear
ing something of yourself. - E&9- 7
.'Of myself! Happiness is always mo-
notonons, and so have nothing to relate.
save that every dream has been more
than realized but one, and thnt is thnt
you should have n home near itiiiie.
Therefore l am glad to henr the osre's
:.Oh, | didn't say that's Interrupted
Nellie. ..5.t...z s.-s4. ,z-..:r.~.:--s 7
"At all events. dear, while you are
with me we will ignore it, and perhaps
perhaps By the way Qeaving the for
mer sentence unfinished) Dennis Doane
was charmed to hear l was expecting
you. Tomorrow night he is to dine and
accompany us to the opera; so, my dear,
look your prettiest." -, :,s.. TT
Again Nellie blushed A year before
Mr.. Doane had been the groolnsman ap-
pointed her at the wedding, and even in
the few hours they had spent together
he had found time for the pretty speeches,
spoken with low, lingering accent, which
the color flaming her cheek ut his name
never said such things. Ills plain 4
love you" seemed to him to cover all, and
render all else unnecessary. But they
were very pleasant to hear, nevertheless
thought Nellie, as with sigh of half re-
gret, half longing, for jacks presence,
she lost herself in dreamland. :.
Very pleasant to heat So it
seemed, as day followed day, and Dennis
Doane lowered like shatlow at her side
He so well knew their magic, could throw
into his eyes the fire which seemed soul
lit, or into his v1ice meaning which, if
counterfeit, 1efed detection; and slowly
but surely the fatal net was woven III
which the girl was TO yield Up her plight
ed word. jack read the letters which stu
CAME to him from her hand with a sink
ing at his honest heart and paling of
his ruddy cheek, and he waited, knowing
the blow must fall, waiting her kindly
words, the while telling her nothing of
what loves intuition had taught him, but
leaving her hands free and unfettered to
strike the blow when she would. He had
thought he had steeled himself to bear it,
little knowing of the hope which all the
while had burned with its faint fame,
until it suddenly went out, extinguished
by certainty, leaving him to grope in a
blackness SO dense that for a time not
even Gods light could penetrate.
How shall I tell you" she wrote, that
the girl who parted from you under the
light of the moon, who so defiantlys
laughed at your foolish presentiment, has
by her own act verified it? Jack, If
that night you had told me could cause
scorned even the thought. Yet 1 dare
write the words forgive me- dare
hope IN time you may forget me. have
broken my VOWS to you,e Jack. I have
pledged them to another. The gilded bars
are to be mine, after all, not the home
peryaded by loves sunshine, yet it is my
own choice. Il, is as you said. The glare
and glitter have been more than my
weak eyes could bear. + have promised
to love the man who is to be my hus-
band, but the love he requires is more
easily given than that the birds echoed
and the flowers blessed. I think. after
all, my heart is buried on the spot where
you and l parted. Let us hope it never
may be resurrected. Jack, Jack, forgive
me. Ss.E s .t..@ s.5
SO Dennis Doane had done this work.
Her letter once dispa tched, Nellie forbade
thought to enter more, and dreamed that
IN her. new life she had found happiness,
while he who had gained her for his own
looked on her wondrous beauty and glo-
rled that with wealth unlimited at his
command, SO fair q bride should grace
his handsome home. The sweetly solemn
words Of wife and mother were to- him
unknown IS SF.,a6 .SsE57@.1
But her visit was approaching its
close. "a few days more and she mnst
return to her home, when the nrepa ara.
tons for the wedding were to he hnrr;ed
as speedily as possible. and in the new
year Dennis Doane vas ia come tn claim
her TWAS the excitement she thonah4
which made her haad thrnb % boas;1.,
az sI,a laid 4 ono r;rht ~, h.. n;1,n's
csnaad nor nboats - h,rr, 81 Mi. . hnu
se Tossed = and fro wo ~ MY sioe M,, -
vain They Knew oti,erwsa S When tba y