Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-04-19

a = o. -.
ooh. that's the way the Wind lies, is
it? Cheer up, my boy! There's as good
fish in the sea as ever were caught.
Cheer up! There's nothing. much the
matter with the young lady. Betrothed
to another, Ell? Told you so, did she?
When?"
last night answered Herbert,
lowering his voice. II wanted to spealS
to you contidentially, sir, knowing that
you would be a. prudent adviser, as
well as skilled physician to the young
lady. fear there is some severe an
guish or fear pressing on her mind that
may unsettle it. What that sorrow is,
/ do not know, nor have 1 now any
right to inquire; but, by Il lucky chance,
l was down by the river last night,
and saved her from suicide. on which
she seemed madly bent: and her at
tack this morning makes me doubly
anxious about her. I fear. indeed, that
some secret sorrow is driving this girl
mad.''
The doctors brows knit in Il per.
picked frown
Secret sorrow. eh? Romantic fol-
de-rol! Why, the girls nothing but IL
baby. sir.'
"She is eighteen" answered Her
bert, gravely; land at eighteen a wo'
man is no longer Il child"
80 much the WORSE young man-so
much the worse. She ought to be. if
she isn't. Eighteen fol-de-rol! She
ought to know no more of secret sor-
row than of Syriac; she ought to think
of nothing but ruttles, ribbons and
rolly-poolies. Your sisters the sort Of
a girl for me; but I'll wager my head
that in six months from now some
young fellow makes Il fool of her, and
sets her to thinking of love, 1noonshine
and secret SORROWS. Bah! it makes me
sick. Sorrow comes quick enough.
young man. and dark enough, and
ugly enough. without a pack Of young
fools playing at it before their time.
Now. what the deuce has this golden
haired baby to do With secret SORROW
Ard the doctor rubbed his nose in st
way that showed he was quite excited.
Il cannot tell you. SIR" Herbert add
ed. sadly. Il am not in her confidence.
[ only know that there is some trouble
Of which she cannot or will not speak.
preying on her mind. and driving from
it all peace OF happiness
"Humph!' grunted the doctor.
sWhere are her father and mother:
They'd better take her home and set
her to making pinafores! Shed. best
go home, sir-best go home"
Il do not think she has father or
mother" answered the young man,
thoughtfully. "She never sreaks OF
either"
'Sister. brother uncle or aunt then"
said the doctor Incoming around these
hills isn't good either for body OF
mind. She'd better so home at once,
and I'll tell her so.'
II fear her home is not a congenial
one" answered Herbert. 81 fear the
SORROW that seems darkening her young
life may have its handspring there; l
fea-God knows what 1 fear! But
would that l could feel assured that
Sybil had one true friend in the world
one heart that beat for her as purely
and unseltishly as miner
you're fine young fellow said
the doctor, blowing his nose violently
on a huge bandanna-"a very fine
had son like you. Most of the milk
sops. nowadays, go about as cross and
pettish as spoiled children if a girl hap
pens to say no to them. You stand up
to it like a man, and it shows you're
the right mettle The truest lover is
always the truest friend. was i'll
love myself, sir once-laugh at me, if
you please-but I was genuinely in
love forty odd years ago. 1t was
young love and a foolish love, and it
turned out to be a very unhappy love,
for the girl didn't care a snap for me;
but it was the beginning and end OF
love to me. 1t made me what ana
sour. grabbed. cross old fellow. But 1T
left one place in my heart soft enough
to beat in sympathy to a tale like
yours. You can trust me, young man;
I'll be friend to that little friend OF
yours in there. I'll try to find out her
trouble. whatever it is, and help her,
if can: aud won't do it altogether
for your sake. either. Look here!'
The old doctor drew worn old leath-
er case from his vest pocket as he
spoke, and, opening it, showed it con-
tanned a smaller one of velvet and gold.
Touching spring. the last case flew
! open. revealing a picture within-a
picture exquisitely painted on ivory
a lovely girl in the first bloom OF
youth.
Herbert gave one glance Of swift sur
prise at the picture, and then ex'
claimed
"Sybil! sybil! it is Sybil Wraye her
selfv'
"Not sybil Wraye," answered the old
man, gently. ''No, no, sir-this beautl
full form has been Wondering in the
dust for five-and-thirty-y years. This is
Sybil Lee. the woman loved, as she
looked when loved her. Our lives
drifted apart; could never find her
never could trace her. after that one
brief summer that witnessed my first
and only dream. have heard whis
pers of an unhappy marriage, of sub
sequent desertion, but she was too
proud. too reserved to let her SORROWS
reach even friendly ears. I have never
heard from her. never seen her, since
the evening poured out my love-tale
in her ear: and gently, kindly. deli
cately. she rejected my suit. This like
ness I painted from memory, when
her image was still fresh and I'M
dimmed in my mental eyes. 1t was an
ideal of loneliness that of late years
had learned to think only an ideal. un-
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