The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-02-08

l ifniclnDcr'
Does "a man ever forget his frs,
childish grief. his first childish iov
the unfading ecstacy Of his heart,
earliest dream. the last cold touch @,
loves dead lips?
Dr. Mansfield said nothing as he
s'roked his sweetheart's shimmerino
hair with dun hand.
That night | couldn't slecp. dar.
ing, thinking of her--and YOU" the
giri went on, sweet and tremulous
under his touch. "But after .hat
never worried. because / saw that
you didn't care. All. yon didn't know
how ! watched you, sir.'
did you. Puss?"
AND this morning when Aunt Belle
said that Mrs. Charters had never
failed TO win any man she had set
out TO conquer. / didn't say thing,
because ] wouldn't even mention her
name with yours, Leonard; but oh,
you don't know how proud of y,u |
was in my heart. Oh. Leonard |
don't think you begin to know how
much love you"
With an exquisite yielding of her
self. she lifted her suddenly wet eyes
to his, and the young man gathered
her close in his arms, while he muir
INJURED those love-worn words OF
which the ears of women have been
coyetous since that time so long ago
when the first two souls discovered
themselves in flesh.
But ! can't understand it. Leon
ard. Aunt Belle says she's so clever"
She waited for him to speak
"Yes"
"And awfully good
"Ncs."
"But she isn't what you'd call
beautiful woman?'
"No."
And children just adore her. /
think that's so strange, because. you
know. they always say children Judge
character correctly by instinct"
"Yes."
"But she's not good, Leonard"
"No."
And she didn't care snap for her
own poor little baby"
MOP"
ashes q cruel woman"
"Undoubtediy.s
"Then how can she be kind-hearted.
too?'
II don't know"
"Oh. what an uncommuncatye
boy" the girl exclaimed. pctuantly
tA1 n Ia.
| can't get anywhere near you"
MY dear" he said deliberately
widening hi, arms, IF this is what
you want
But she beat him into silence with
a sofa cushion. Then she studied
him with an elusive frankness which
might have charmed him had he only
eyes 10 note it.
Leonard" she asked suddenly, "do
you like Mrs. Charters"
Far away in the big house cuckoo
clock struck IL in cadcnccs which
rose and fell in mournful unison with
the wailing wind.
DIR. Mansfield rose abruptly.
Dora, you will lose your beauty
sis'I'. must 20. utdT.
But she stood in front Of him. her
little hands clutching the edges of his
coat.
DO you, Leonard ?" she repeated. |
His clear blue eyes looked steadily |
into the soft. appealing brown of hers
as he answered calmly: II? Like
here"
lie paused moment, considering
''Why. Puss, / think | hate her" he
said, deliberately.
A sob broke from the girl.
why. darling, what is ito" he asked
in the tenderest alarm.
"Oh. | don't know, Leonard I'm
tired. and you've been Oh. such
funny. funny boy tonight"
Dora. I'm going to lose patient"
nc said. graveiy. Every physician
hates that, and I've fought for this
lfe.''
Yes, / know I'm sorry. was
naughty" she said. smiling winsome-
y at him through her tears.
II seemed as if she could hardly
CT him 90. lie kissed her good-by so
nany times that a; last he said, with
.hc mercst shade of Impotence in his
'oicc: "Oh, my dear, | ought really
Q begin to say good-by to you as soon
IS | arrive"
She did not see him again for sew
raj days. so that when she was finally
one evening 10 receive him.
here was a piquant frost upon her
,irlish charm as slr entered the
lrawing room and fluttered close to
Tim like timid bird. But he drew
WAY from her.
Leonard"
The smothercd reproach in her
oice stirred him.
don't. Dora" he said. huskily. 81
ave come TO tell you something. II
'ou look M me like that I can't. And
must. ] have tried for days to per-
uadc myself that | needn't tell you
Iow."
'Oh. l understand il ALL" Her long
trangled intuitions had sprung full
edged into birth, MS only n woman's