The record-union., 1899-04-09
found him within sight and sound o


| old Neptune's roar.
| There were at the hotel the usual
plethora of vivacious summer girls
ready to give their petty kingdoms for
a man in any shape, form or manner
who. when Charlie and his friend ap-
peared, promptly fell upon them, ana
as promptly abandoned Charlie when
they discovered his weakness.
! Rut. no: there was one who seemed
to find his company agreeable, and who
managed in various tactful little ways
! to he with him at various times during
/ the day. This young woman's name
was Agnes Howard, the orphaned
| daughter of old Peter Howard, the
! great manufacturer, who at his death
! left her a goodly sum. Naturally sne
was a prime favorite, but unit. Charlle
appearance had shown no preference
| for any man.
| What she saw in poor, bashful Char-
lie Ellis was quite beyond everybody
comDrehension. But who can tell Where
the heart of maid will wander! Pei-
| hans with a womans subtle instinct,
she OWNED that Charlie was unhappy
| and ont of the fullneSS of her heart
she pitied him. and pity, so we are told'
! is akin to love.
Re that as it may, she seemed more
| than willing to spend the long morning
hours in his company, Strolllng on tne
beach or through the shadowy Wocds'
using all her womanly arts to make hlH'
saw something more than: How sweet
ilv the birds sing" or, how sandy TIE
beach is this morning" And, altnough Il
he never said more, she was never as
couraged, but was uniformly klnd anu
1 GENTLE to hi1rl-so considerate OF hlm,
| in fact that almost before that young
gentleman knew it he found hlmseil
/ loving her
| Now. love with a man like Charile
Ellis was not the thing apart Oh
which the poet tells US; 1t became ms
..wbole existence But how to impart
II to ber that was the question when
haunted his thoughts by day ana ms
dreams by night. He even founu niiil'
self wishing it were leap year, for tnen
she could with propriety take pity Oh
him and relieve him of the intense
mental strain he was under. But ied
wear not being at hand, he had 10 ue
wise wavs and means himseH wnerepy
he could in some manner convey u
/ her the sentiments she had arouSeu III
his heart. =.
One moonlight evening they were sl.-
| +;no side bv side on the piazza, their
chairs very close together. They were
! alone. the rest of the boarders haVlns
gone to a clam bake on the peacn
| Agnes had been unusually gentle Win
| him that day and he had resolved &c
sneak to her at the first opportunity
Here was the opportunity, but he was
absolutely epeechless. He wished wild
lv that an X-ray could be turned upon
his heart. anything to- show her the ex-
act state of that portion OF MS anatomy
in the least embarrassing way to him
/ The usual silence was plainly felt, bu'
in Charles agitated frame of mind II
| was growing positively unendurable
At last he spoke:
Miss How-Ag-,' he gasped.
eyes. Mr.. Ellis" responded Agnes
softly.
Agnes. II" The young woman
was leaning forward expectantly. Ht
could see her eyes shining through the
darkness like stars, but alas! Ht
could get no farther. ALI power Of
speech or thought seemed to have de-
lserted him. He clutched frantically a
the arms of his chair, bracing himsel.
for the effort. for proceed he would
sAgnes-do you-do you see how
| beautifully the moonlight shines upoI
the water?" and then he collapsed
1t was with difficulty the young wo
man repressed an impatient exclama
ton. She, too, sank back in her chai