The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-01-15
Well. what Is it. I Z: x There

the shoulders, and looked down at hef; sue
thought she had never seen his eyes 50
weary as they were then:
.'Do You know what you have done
he cried almost harshly. Did you think
YOU could come into mans life, as You
have come into mine, and then smilngly
wave your hand one day and pass out OF
it all. and be forgotten, with only your
good deeds left behind? Did you think
that p
Il did not know. II wanted to help
you. [ have been engaged to this man
since was mere child. We knew each
other as children. He is in India.
Does he know you as | know you
this man who is to claim You? Have you
done for him what you have done for me,
you sweet little blunderer
1t was not necessary. She was
shaking and trembling. She had covered
her face with her hands.
II see, he said again He WASH t
on the downward path-hed something
to hope for. He dropped his hands from
her shoulders and turned away.
"But-but you won t she began,
looking up at him.
What?
TO back to that old life ?
VIII you hold me? he asked, stretch
inc out his hands to her with Il smile.
But-for your own sake, she pleaded.
"A worthless anchorage, was the re
ply. Come, dry your tears. You We
tried your experiment. 1t isn't your fault
if You We failed at the supreme moment.
Good-by.
She saw the bitter hopcessness Of it;
saw his head down ON his hand, in the old
attitude. as she left the place.
Two years went by. and they mel again,
in quite the Strangeet fashion. She had
been ill-an illness which might be at
tributed to an actual WEAKNESS of the poor
comedy Of life rather than to any specific
disease-and had been rmalizing in Devon
shire with a poor and worshipping elderly
female relative in attendance. She got up
very early one morning after Il restless
before any one about the place
was >tirring-and went ont and rambled
into the cool stiffness Of il little wood.
And there. suddenly. she came face to
face with Richard Felgate
They stood still for Il long moment.
looking at each other and then clasped
hands You have been ILL., he sad at
last
Yes. But am better She added.
Il am down here to recruit.
And Ito idle " he said laughing.
.Oh. dom lecry yourself. she replied,
softly. II have heard of your success.
Are YOU here alone? he asked pres
entity. striving hard to DIG stone out "l
the path with his stick. .IS-yom huS-
band with YOU?
II am not married, Mr. Felgate
He looked at her quickly. 'But-the
man from India ?
Has gone back again, she replied
He dropped the stick and came at hel
and caught her by the shoulders. What
do You mean he asked, almost III 4
whisper. You were to marry him-had
been engaged to him for years ?
Yes: but he has gone back again.
Why"
He would have nothing to do with me.
He heard of-of you: think he knew
something about you. He cast me Off
utterly
else?'
Then quite a number Of other people
cas-, me off. :: :: : You see, he came
of a very GOOD family.
II see, said Richard Felgate slowly.
You can touch pitch, you know. eh ?
Il suppose 50. And then | came-to
Devonshire
There was Il CLEAN IN her eyes that lii i
reflection in his own: he Looked at hel
steadily: laughed @rimly
Dora what is this game you are play
iny? | don understand. Is it's 1t
the old game of-of rescueY
She nodded. IF you like, she said
gravely.
All. the life is more to you than the
man; the work than the worker, Dora,
he said sadly, turning away.
1T was-once. she said Then, quite
suddenly, she stretched out her hands tC
him. Richard, came to Devonshire tc
find you.
Yes, out of pity he replied bitterly
as he took her hands You were afraid
that, after I had loosed these hands,
should drift again. But the touch of them
was with me still, dear; [ could not &C
back.
They were coming out Of the wood to-
gether; all the joyous life of the new day
was waking about them.
You are the blunderer now. " she
whispered
Tell me why.
DO you know why came to Devon
shire q
Tell me, he pleaded humbly.
Because
..Well?''
Because she chung to him and hid
her face-'.because wanted my scamp.
The astronomer Denning has tried to
prove that there seems to be some connec-
ton between the study Of astronomy annc
longevity, inasmuch as there have been 50
many devotees of that science who have
reached high age Fontenelli died al
100, Cassini at 81, Sabine at 81, De
Marian at 90, Mary Sommerville at 92
Santini and Sharpe at 81, Tastes, Airy
Humboldt, LANCE at 80, etc.
The skin of the reindeer is SO imper.
vius to the cold that anyone clothed in