The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-08-04
Jack Haro1d's =:
=, =: .Presentirnent.
BY HELEN BEEKMAN,

h.-s-----.-
HOPE I may one day laugh at my
own folly, but the hour is not
YETI said Jack Harold to his afhanced
bride, as they stood together one moon
Lit summer evening at the gate.
''How like you, jack" she exclaims,
"to fancy, because l insist upon this
visit to the city, some wonderful event
is to happen which is to bring misery to
both. No jealousy IS at work, hope,
Jack" this last with half-ironical en-
phasis.
even so, it would not be unpardon-
able" was her answer, as Jack Harold,
with fond pride, looked on the beauty
OF the girl by his side.
MANY men have suffered from the
green-eyed monsters sting with far
less cause, but I can plead not guilty
this time. I do not think jealousy would
explain my feeling, but can never for
get, Nellie, how humble is the lot can
promise you in comparison with the
gilded offerings of other men. know,
my darling, the admiration your beauty
and uneventful will seem this existence
mid birds and trees and flowers when
you are surrounded by the gayety, the
excitement and the glamour of city
life. Yet should you choose it in pref
erence, the misery would come to me;
therefore. 1 cannot comprehend the
dread feeling that something threat
ems both"
II will Tot even sympathize with it,
Jack" is her reply, "since it does me so
much injustice. Have you forgotten in
the pretty home you speak of so dis
paragingly, love is to be it's sunshine,
love the very song OF the birds, love the
rustic of the trees, love the fragrance of
the flowers? Who, then, would choose
the gilded bars of the Gagged songster?
Jack, what wealth could compensate
for the loss of your hearth"
Il can scarcely realize have you at
last" said pretty MS. Raymond to her
friend, as they sat side by side in the
formers comfortable dressing-room
preparatory to goodnight chat, wom-
ans dearest privilege. The two had
been school friends, and only year be-
fore Nellie had officiated as bridesmaid
and it was this visit Jack Harold had
anticipated with such dread.
"Now, tell me-" continued Mrs. Ray
mond, ':who is this ogre in the country
who did not wish you to come to me?'
''Never mind about him." answered
Nellie, blushingly. You see his power
was not sufficient to detain me. pre-
fer hearing something of yourself"
"Of myself! Happiness is always mo-
notonous, and so I have nothing to re-
late, save that every dream has been
more than realized but one, and that is
that you should have home near mine.
Therefore I am glad to hear the ogre's
claim can be broken"
.'Oh, I did not say that" interrupted
Nellie.
with me we will ignore it, and perhaps
-perhaps- BY the way Qeaving the
former sentence unfnished) Dennis
Doane was charmed to hear I was ex-
pecting you. Tomorrow night he is to
dine and accompany us to the opera;
so, my DEAR look your prettiest."
Again Nellie blushed. A year before
Mr.. Doane had been the groomsman APP
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 ac-
cent, which the color flaming her cheek
at his name proved unforgotten. Some
how Jack never said such things. His
plain Il love you'' seemed to him to
cover all, and render all else unneces-
sary. But they were very pleasant to
hear, nevertheless, thought Nellie, as
with sigh of half regret, half longing
for Jacks presence, she lost herself in
dreamland.
"Very pleasant to hear" So il
seemed, as day followed day, and Den
mis- Doane lowered like a shadow al
her side. He so well knew their magic
could throw into his eyes the fire
which seemed soul-lit, or into his voice
meaning, which. If counterfeit, defed
detection; and slowly but surely the
fatal net was woven in which the CIR
was to yield up her plighted word
Jack read the letters which still came
to him from her hand with sinking
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, ane
unfettered to strike the blow whe1
she would. He had thought he hac
stee1ed himself to bear it, little know
ing of the hope which all the while ha6
burned with it's faint fame, until II
suddenly went out, extinguished By
certainty, leaving him to grope in Z
blackness so dense that for time not
even Gods light could penetrate.
How shall tell you," she wrote
shat the girl who parted from yor
under the light of the moon, who 81
+, dsdantly laughed at your foolish pre-
IA