The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-04-14

little of life. I want to meet men, to
know them, because, Dick, 1 want to
be sure of my love for you that moth
ing can change it. Willy you give me
five years? In the meantime we must
see each other but seldom, we must
make people believe that we are but
ordinary friends, that there is nothing
between US. We will make no prom
ises; 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 be-
FORE
"Dick did not speak for long
time. Finally he said, Kitty, you
are sensible girl. + want you to be
sure of yourself :; to think of me as
do of you, but I cannot wait FIVE years.
1 cannot live and work as I should
without seeing you frequently. I
might wait for a short time, but for
FIVE years-fve years, Kitty.-will
break my heart 7
It will be hard for you, Dick; it
will be hard for me, but it must be.
You will work hard, you will become
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 =
Dick she said, tenderly, it
must be; it must be-
"'God bless you he cried. You
are breaking my heart
"Give me fresh cigar, f" said Raw
Inns, as he settled himself more COM
fortably in his chair. tDo you want
the rest of the story?"
'Is it me your asking?" queried
Delaney.
Gas much as the Others" said
Rawlins, laughing.
"Slnall good it will do them to
hear, the rapscallions, and Delaney
scowled at the circle, ''but tell 'em,
Rawlins, and it may teach 'em a les
son. I'm going home"
"I envy you," said Rawlins, smil-
ing up at him.
"Rawlins," said Delaney, with
mock gravity, 81 thought you were
old enough to know better
ooh, 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 man at any time, he grew
less and less so as the days lengthen-
ed into months and Kitty kept her re-
solve to see him but seldom. She,
with woman's shrewdness, did not
want the town people to see them to-
gether. As Dick saw less and less of
her his splits fell he neglected his
work, and, moping his days away,
passing gradually out of our little cir
Gle, away fE2s;stAs amusement that
Very short tl,.so iA lost all of his usual
attractiveness. At the end of year
he had given up going to see Kitty,
because when he had chance to go
she had always arranged to have a
number of young people there, and
Dick, who was longing for a few
words alone with her, could never get
the opportunity. Then he lost his
position. It was some time before he
got another. He did not hold that
long, and drifted and shifted about
until 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 man of
him. The five years have passed and
on the very day that the time expired
Dick received a 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 lit
tie more radiant and with a 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 told you so have
never ceased for as much as moment
to love you with all my heart and
soul.
"Oh, Dick she said, I am so
glad. There were times when I doubt
ed it when 1 looked forwarded to
this night with fear, for L"
With fear, Kitty?' he asked,
with catch in his voice.
"'Yes, dear; for in the five years
that have passed 1 have found myself,
and that can love only you. 1 did
not know then, but it has not taken
me five years to find it out
kitty, dear Kitty. Wait; want
to tell you something frst-some-
thing. How I love you But Kitty,
cannot say what expect to say
when-when this time came. How
1 have waited for this, how 1 have
1onoed for II At first with a long