The suburban citizen., 1900-02-17


my love for you that nothing can
change it. Will you give me FIVE
years? In themeantime we must see
each other but seldom, we must make
people believe that we are but ordin-
airy friends, that there is nothing be-
tween us. We will make no promises;
we will be bound by nothing, so that
if you feel as you do now, you can
come to me at the end of five years
and ask me to be your wife, just as if
you had never asked me before
"Dick did not speak for n long
time. Finally he said, Kitty, you
are a sensible girl. want you to be
sure of yourself; to think of me as 1
do Of you, but cannot wait five years.
I cannot live and work as / should
without seeing you frequently. 1
might wait for a short time, but for
five years-67e years, Kitty-will
break my heartp
"'It will be hard for you, Dick; it
will be hard for me, but it must be.
You will work hard, you will become
c famous writer, a great novelist. You
will glory in your profession; the
years will soon pass, and, please God,
our hearts will be true to each other!
"'There is no doubt about mine,
Kitty-but five yearsp
"'Dick, she said, tenderly, it must
be; it must be-
"'God bless you,' he cried. You
are breaking my heart
"Give me a fresh cigar" said Raw
Inns, as he settled himself more COM
fortably in his chair. do you want
the rest of the story?"
"Is it me your asking?" queried
Delaney.
"As much as the others, " said Raw
Inns, laughing.
"Small good it will do them to
hear, the rapscallions, and Delaney
scowled at the circle, "but tell EN-,
Rawlins, and it may teach 'em les
son. Pm going home"
II envy you" said Rawlins, smil-
ing mp at him.
"Rawlins, said Delaney, with
mock gravity, 81 thought you were
old enough to know better"
"Oh, go on with the story" cried
Tomlinson, who was feeling easier.
"Well, Dick came close to the truth
when he said that waiting would
break his heart, for he gradually lost
all ambition. Not a very energetic
or hopeful nan at any time, ho grew
less and less so as the days heightened
into months and Kitty kept her re-
solve to see him but seldom. Sho,
With woman's shrewdness, did not
want the town people to see them to-
gether. As Dick saw less and less Of
her his spirits fell; he neglected his
work, and, moping his days away,
passed gradually out of our little
circle, away from the amusements
that a lot Of us shared together, and in
a very short time he lost all of his usual
attractiveness. At the end of q year
he had given up going to see kitty,
because when he had chance to go
she had always arranged to have o
number of young people there, and
Dick, who was longing for few
words alone with her, could never get
the opportunity. Then he lost his
position. 1t was some time before he
got another. He did not hold that
long, and drifted and shifted about
uutil he became positively seedy!
kitty knew Of it, and asked some
Of Dicks friends to cheer him up.
Those who tried were received coolly,
and to one Dick broke loose:
"'Don't you see,' he cried, that
life is nothing to me? cannot keep
up. L want to be near her all the
time
"But Kitty would not send him the
words that would have made a man Of
him. The five years passed and on
the very day that the time expired
Dick received note from Kitty, ask
ing him to call. He went haggard
with the dreary years, careless as to
dress and appearance, not at all the
Dick Of five years ago. Dimly he saw
her as she had bidden him good. by.
She was not the same, perhaps a lit
tie more radiant and with o tinge of
warmth in her voice that he had not
known before. Her hands clung to
his strangely as she welcomed him,
and her eyes were dimmed with tears
as she waited for him to speak.
1T is five years ago, Dick she
said at last.
"Five years, said Dick"
"And-you think-you feel that
you
"'Kitty,' he said, and he took both
her hands and gazed deep into her
eyes, ever since 1 told you so / have
never ceased for as much as q moment
to love you with all my heart and
soul
"Oh, Dick, she said, Il am so glad.
There were times when doubted it;
when 1 looked forward to this night
with fear, for l."
"'With fear, KittyP" he asked, with
q catch in his voice.
eyes. dear: for in the Eve years