Middletown transcript., 1901-06-08

and evenings we gardened together, Clare
and I, pulling off the dead leaves and
flowers, roofing up weeds, raking the
paths and keeping my pretty bit OF
ground model of neatness and beauty,
and in the heat of the day we sewed and
read, or swung in the hammock that
Oscar has swung for us between the
peach trees, and after tea we devoted
ourselves to our visitor, for Oscar had
fallen into the habit of coming to US on
every night of the week. This had come
about so naturally that had not no
ticed it, and it was my mother who first
drew my attention to it.
'Ts Oscar here tonight, too?' she
asked one evening. He had come in
late, and when I chided him for not
coming to tea, he answered, almost
pettishly, that he had ''taken something
in town, and I needn't bother about
getting him anything to eat.'
Eyes, mother, DEAR" I answered,
che comes almost every night now
indeed, every night, think, of late.''
A half audible sigh escaped my
mothers lips.
II thought I heard his voice." she
said, presently, though haven't seen
him yet"
"He's in the garden with Clare" I
answered. "she is SO charming, and he
enjoys her company so much"
IT have observed it,
Ny mother spoke almost bitterly, and
again she sighed, this time deeply and
audibly.
A sharp pain went through my heart,
and 1 dared not ask myself the reason.
As the evening shadows deepened, and
1 moved about to place the lamp on
the table and then to find match to
light it, Oscar and Clare entered the
room together, merry and laughing.
We all chatted and laughed, in some
what forced manner, and then Oscar
got the backgammon board and chal-
| ienged Glare to game. | could not
but remember how l had learned the
game merely to please him, and thai
he now never asked me to play it. The
evening passed quickly, but not happily;
cloud seemed to be hanging over us.
Oscar put off his goodnight till the
last moment, then suddenly looking at
his watch he started to his feet, declar-
ing thatj'he would have to run to catch
his train, and in the next moment, as
it seemed, l heard his hurried step
crunching the gravel on the pathway,
and then the sound of the gate closing
after him.
That was a wretched night to me,
and when at last | slept my dreams
were troubled. Clare looked pale and
sad when we met at breakfast in the
morning, but I thought she had never
seemed so lovely-her pallor, her dewy
ewes, her sweet and tremulous tones
and plantive mouth, prettier than ever
with the gentle baby-like pout on the
delicate lips, had peculiar fascination.
I loved the girl, and though in some
underlined way felt that she had brought
darkness into my life, could not hate
her for it-at least-not yet.
Oscar did not come that evening,
three days passed and he did not come
but in the evening received little
note from him. 1t was kind and affec-
| =. l; r
more than once, and wondered what
could lave made me feel unhappy-he
was, as always, my own true lover!
Could it be possible that l had been
almost-jealous? I rated myself soundly
in my own thoughts, and went gayly
singing about the house. When Clare
talked, next morning, at breakfast of
: going home, I would not listen to her,
} and l compelled her to promise me at
J least another month.
By this time we were well into July
| and the cherries were ripe. Oscar had
been very busy, and came only two
evenings in the week, and as I remem-
| bered afterward, Clare c6ntrived to be
, occupied on these evenings in her own
room. But on a certain Wednesday
r evening I had begged them to pick a
| basket of cherries for me that l might
make a cherry pie for tea on Oscars
7 next visit, and though Clare had begun
by making some excuse it ended by
: both going out to get the cherries.
) They stayed long while, and as il
t was getting dark 1 went to call them,
and when found them he was kneeling
) at her feet, her hands were tightly
: clasped in his, and she was sobbing bit
3 terly.
l "You love me-" he was saying, "youl
: eyes have said it, and you dare not deny
E it."
e Il do not love you," she said, an.
grily, but her voice faltered. "And ]
Q do not respect you-what should
. think Of myself, either-I would de-
V spise myself even more than I do you,
] if could listen to words of love from
| the man who is to marry my own deal
e friend"
# "But you love me in spite of all thatT'
v he interrupted, triumphantly. ooh
| don't think but l despise myself! ]
d have kept away from you that 1 might
y not see your rnaddening beauty, but
: your heavenly eyes have danced before
J. me. Your enchanting voice has rune
in my ears. Among thousand mer
# and women see but your face Among
y ten thousand sounds I hear but youl
i voice. Sleeping or waking 1 see but
j, you, you alone, only you, forever Heal
t me, Clare, and don't lie to me or tc
f yourself. You do love mel'
e 81 do not-I cannot love my friends
i betrothed husband" she said, family,
+ but he had started to his feet, and in q
, moment he held her in his arms, and
in another moment I was beside them
He is so no more; he is free man,
r and YOU are free to love him. Glare -