The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-10-28
An Ocean Attachment.
BY EDGAR FRANKLIN.

from a certain diary OF Mr.. y.
Atherton Sprague as form a Gontin-
uous tale. Mr.. Sprague is, or was at
the time, rather "gilded" young New
Yorker, with few distinguishing traits
beyond the ease with which he man
aged to dispose of large income, and
a unique capacity for repeatedly fall
ing in love.
May al must say, I feel rather
crushed tonight. For weeks l have
known that it was only matter of
time when I should east myself at her
feet; but certainly had an idea that,
when the casting was over, Edith's
path through life and mine would run
side by side into eternity. They do
not; just now there seems to be an in
finity of space between them.
When l ran across Sherwood this
morning, almost his first words were:
Heard the latest concerning our
friends, tine Ainsleys?"
confessed that had not.
why, they sail tomorrow, instead
of the 25th," he went on. ~ have for
gotten the reason-something or
other the old boy wants to attend to in
London, before they go to the con-
tinent."
AT the club hid behind o newspaper
and meditated until hunger began to
dull my meditating powers. After
lunch, went home and spent the after
noon in thought; at eight 1 reached a
decision. wish hadn't.
I, l. - %
Ainsleys', alone with Edith. Well, in
as few words as possible, proposed,
and was rejected Edith was taken
completely by surprise; wanted time
to consider what 1 had said; would
give me an answer, perhaps, ETC., etc.
Of course, the whole thing amounted
to definite refusal. No wonder feel
crushed.
May 29.-Twenty-seven days since
she sailed. This thing of counting the
days has q sort of somber fascination
for me; have fallen into the habit of
dating everything from noon, May g..
Hobbs told me this morning that he
had received letter from his mother,
In England, in which was the news of
the death of younger brother.
think he was a bit startled when said,
"Ah, yes; that was the ninth day, I
believe"
He stared for q second; then said,
wonderingly:
"oh, yes, sir; the ninth day, of
| course, sir"
He has been repeating that ninth
day" all afternoon-trying to squeeze
some sense out of it, suppose.
1t occurred to me to-day that 1t
wouldn't be a bad plan to run across to
London In the early part Of next
month. There is nothing doing here.
May 30.-A letter from Edith! A
| bright, cheerful little note, dated from
Paris, In which she laughingly refers
| to our peculiar parting, and In the
next sentence saysI
"Didn't you say, IN the winter, that
| you intended crossing this summer
We shall be in Paris three weeks long
er; then we go to visit some friends of
papa's at town called Lisieux. It's a
pretty place, believe. If you do come
across, you will have no excuse for not
looking US up"
The naive precision of those direc-
tions, and the subtle inducement of
Lisieux's being pretty place" have
decided me. / sail on the 4th Of next
month, on the Columbia, land at Cher
bourg. go by rail to Paris-and re-
new my suit. For Edith's note seems
almost an invitation; certainly never
mentioned any intention of crossing
this summer-I had never had any.
I directed Hobbs to pack up. double
quick, and, for the first time since I've
had him. he is obliged to sacrifice his
dignity to the expedition of the work.
June 4.-This morning Hobbs