Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-01-17

ther has always been at the sight OF
suffering. He could not bear to hear of
it or look at it. am made In the same
way. It is all too horrible"
"If it Is horrible to look at, what do
you think it is to feel it?" John Gordon
asked grimly. And as he asked the
question Grace Andrews face, with it's
tender, deep blue eyes, flashed up be-
fore him, and for the first time in his
life he compared her with Luella, sim
ply In the matter Of capability to bear
the sins and sorrows Of humanity.
Luella looked at him gravely and
shook her head: And then John Cor
don rose.
"You are not going?" she said before
she realized. And then the color flooded
her face. and she stood, proud woman
as she was, with bowed head, as con.
scious as q girl who has made some
little social mistake.
Again If John Gordon had said, "Lu.
ella, l will never 60 from you If you
will ask me to remainw she would have
given her whole life into his keeping
and followed him to the earth's end for
the love of him. But how was he to
know all that? All he saw was wo-
man who quickly recovered from a
momentary confusion, and he said:
"You must excuse me; came to see
your father. am very anxious to see
him and shall be under obligations to
YOU If he can come down to Hope
House as soon as he returns"
He turned and walked out into the
hall, where he turned again toward her
and gravely bowed.
"Good evening"" he said coldly. he
said it coldly because his heart was
beating 80 fiercely that he was afraid
to betray his emotions. She did not
say a word, only looked at him as he
slowly walked to the door. As he
opened it she said in whisper, "John!
He never heard. Is love then both
blind and deaf? Yea; it is sometimes.
when the lovers are both high spirited,
strongly Individual and sensitive. And.
alas for John Gordon. he neither saw
nor heard. and walked out into the
night, wretched at heart and cast down
in his emotions. When he was gone,
Luella laid her head again on her arms,
and when Mr.. Penrose little later
sent in his card she excused herself
from seeing him owing to illness. 1t
was the world old illness. which love
creates when it Is bafled, buffeted. dis
honored or misunderstood.
John Gordon had not been back to
Hope House ten minutes when VIII
liams called him up and said that Bar
ton was conscious and had called for
his friend. Gordon at once went out
and was soon by Barton's side.
The nurse and doctor and Harris
were there and, Gordon knew that Bar.
toms hour had come. The first word
that Barton spoke was request that
he be permitted to talk to Gordon alone.
The others went into the next room,
and Gordon kneeled and put his hand
on that Of his friend.
"John." Barton whispered in his old
whimsical manner, 1.-THE old cough II
like daily paper, it has the last word.
No use to reply or explain. The editor
can get back at you in the next num-
ber. I'm done for as the pancake said
when it was turned over"
He stopped and with great effort
raised up q little. Gordon supported
him
"There, I feel little easier. I never
wanted to die lying down. What 1
wanted to say. John, there are two let
ters, love letters, John. from the old
lady. Efingham. you remember They
are in my desk. Read them when l
am gone. The second one only came
this morning. don't know what is In
it. But you-open-and read It"
Gordon was crying. He could not
keep back the tears of affection. His
love for Barton was almost like that
Of the love between man and woman.
Don't cry. John. What's the differ
ence? There's one thing-l hope-you
and Luella-the coughs going to get
me. Don't let people look at me. I'm
not handsome man as l used to be.
There's one thing
The voice sank. and yet even in that
last struggle the change from his ap-
parent fippancy to the profoundest
seriousness was like the change from
sun to shade. "One thing, John. Once
you said l never loved any one. I've
left some books and things to Hope
House. There's money enough to bury
| directions in desk-don't have a
procession over a mile long," The
voice came back to its seriousness
again. "You said I never loved any
one-Grace Andrews-John-you under
stand"- The eye spoke the rest. And
in the tumultuous grief that flooded
John Gordon's soul he filed in the
broken gaps Of that sorrowful but
| fragrant romance. The voice was a
whisper when it spoke again. "No use.
don't tell her-only add to- her burden
God bless her-best woman in this city
I She
The voice went out altogether, and
John Gordon realized that the spirit
! Of that brave heart would soon cease
from all the earth's struggles. He
summoned the doctor again and the
nurse and Harris came in. There was
nothing to do. Gordon held his hand
as the night deepened. Near midnight
he rallied and whispered to Gordon.
with smile: II love you. John. Good
BY"
At 2 o'clock his spirit quietly went
out like a child falling asleep, and
Gordon rose and passed into the other
room, trying to realize what all this
| ,,o,o+ n r{ohor rnon FOR fhis oXnprf.