Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-01-24

|
| just exactly like it. and there prob.
ably never would have been. but it
had grown very familiar to him in
the first half-waking hours of morning
particularly the room where they
would sit together. Her face!
Castles in Spain! Money grubbing
now; deadening of human feeling,
self-contained, self-sufiicing existence
| that would harden his heart and set
his face in lines that would scare chill
dren. He took savage satisfaction
in the contemplation of his future self,
| but caught himself softening at the
picture of this adamantine millionaire,
yielding to the appeal of the love of
his youth and raising her from power
ty to affluence; so he picked up the
newspaper again and tried to interest
himself in the partition of China.
The door bell below suddenly rang
and Percival started to his feet.
Could it be the messenger? He half
opened his door and listened. He
heard his landlady say. 81 think he's
upstairs in his room now. You can go
up and see; it's right at the head of
the stairs" and then he retreated to
his chair. choked with emotion.
1t was the laundryman with his
weekly bill.
| Would she have written that note,
| after all? Suppose she could have ex.
| planned. And would it not be better to
give her the opportunity to explain? OF
| course she could. She could make
| him look like a fool in one sentence,
but he was not the man to allow any
| girl to twist him around her little
| finger. He would show her that. A
| trivial cause. perhaps. as some people
might look at it. but what could there
| be trivial in their intercourse. Look
| ing back he could remember other in
| stances, slight in themselves, but
| were they not as floating straws show
| ing the ebbing tide of love?
But to return to the Chinese ques-
ton. Oh. hang the Chinese question!
| Yet it should be matter of human in
| terest. Great nations were playing a
| great game there; armies were gather
| ing. How would it be to enlist. Here
| was a subject worthy of serious con-
| sideration. What could life offer him
| here but the prospect of a dreary slav-
| ing over account books. Was that a
career for a man with blood i'll his
veins and strength in his sinews? On
| the other hand, strenuous activity the
| joy of conflict, the thrill of danger
| and then a glorious death. She would
| hear of it and perhaps her binding
| tears would fall fast upon the printed
| page where his name would appear
| in capital letters in the list OF the
| slain. They might perhaps bring his
mortal remains back in a metal cas-"
| ket They have done that for the
boys who fell in Cuba. and while Per-
| cival thought at the time it was a
| piece of idiotic sentimental extrava-
| gance, now il seemed only the proper
and decent thing to do. The services
would he held at the church, of course,
and there would be pathetic illusions
to the young hero. who animated by
| sentiments of the loftiest patriotism
responded gladly to his country's call
and laid down his life on the sacred
altar of-er-of that country. The
| chances were good for a swooning at
that.
But after all It would not be well to
go away with bitterness in his heart.
She must understand that though Fate
| had spoken and an eternal separation
must be-that il was his unalterable
| determination that it should be-yet
he would be faithful TO her memory.
| He would release her formally from
| her engagement-very formally. She
should understand. yet he would
place an icy barrier before her-and
then he would bid her farewell for
ever. Perhaps letter would be the
best way.
No. Letters were only letters. liza
BILE TO miseonstruction. and there
should be no mistaking his firm in
tenton.
Yet it might be put better in writ.
ing.
But then there was always the dan
ger of letter falling into the hands
OF a third party The old man might
open il. Just as well to call tomor'
row evening.
Where was the sense of putting it
of? II 1t had to be done il might just
| as well be done at once.
Percival put on his coat and went
out.
Perhaps ten minutes had elapsed
since the eternal farewell had been
spoken and the young man and the
Girl were seated on the sofa talking
II over. They were not yet separated
far from it
You might Just as we'll have given
me another" he said. plaintively,
Then all this misery would have been
avoided"
Il had given you enongh-more than
enough" she answered.
Enough for you. perhaps"
NOW don't begin again. Percival.
You know papa was getting awfuily
impatient. And one wouldn't have sat.
| lgfaI ynu ANYWAY 1 don't want IN