Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-05-13


when she was twelve years old, and
how had made fool Of myself about
her. fear I tried to convey the i'm
preston that it was her exalted rank
only which made her look unfavorably
upon my passion and suppressed the
fact that she had laughed at me good
humoredly and put me off as she would
have thrust poodle from her lap. The
truth is she had always been kind and
courteous to me and had admitted me
to a degree Of intimacy much greater
than deserved. This, partly at least,
grew out of the fact that helped her
along the thorny path to knowledge, a
road she Travelled at an eager gallop,
for she dearly loved to learn-from Gu
riosity perhaps.
am sure she held me in her light,
gentle heart as dear friend; but. while
her heart was filed with this mild
warmth for me, mine began to burn
with the fame that discolors every
thing, and saw her friendliness in a
very distorting light. She was much
kinder to me than to most men, but
did not see that it was by reason Of my
absolute harmlessness, and, I suppose,
because I was a vain fool I gradually
began to gather hope-whfch goes with
every vain mans love-and, what is
more actually climbed to the very apex
Of idiocy and declared myself. well
knew the infinite distance between US;
but, like every other man who came
within the circle of this charming load
stone, lost my head and. in short,
made a greater fool Of myself than 1
naturally was, which is saying a good
deal for that time in my life, God
knows!
knew vaguely, but did not fairly re-
every way she was until opened the
doodgates Of my passion, as thought
It, and saw her smile and try to check
the coming laugh. Then came look
Of offended dignity, followed by a
quick, softening glance.
leave me one friend, l pray you,
Edwin. value you too highly to lose,
and esteem you too much to ~torment.
Do not make Of yourself one Of those
fools who feel, or pretend to feel, care
not which, such preference for me. You
cannot know in what contempt a wom-
an holds man who follows her though
she despises him. No man can beg a
woman's love; he must command it. Do
not join their ranks, but let us be good
friends. will tell you the plain truth.
It would be no different were we both
Of the same degree. Even then could
not feel toward you as you think you
wish, but can be your friend and will
promise to be that always if you will
promise never again to speak of this to
me-
1 promised solemnly and have always
kept my word, as this true, gracious
woman, so full Of faults and beauties,
virtues and failings, has ever since that
that my love, or what I supposed was
love, left my heart at once, frozen in
the cold CLINT Of her eyes as she smiled
upon my first avowal, somewhat as dis
ease may leave the sickened body upon
a great shock. And in it's place came
the restful fame Of friends love,
which so softly warns without burning.
But the burning! There is nothing in
life worth having compared with it for
all it's pains and agonies. Is there?
''Now, if you must love somebody"
continued the princess, 'there is Lady
Jane Bolingbroke, who is beautiful and
good and admires you and, I think,
could learn to- But here the lady in
question ran out from behind the dra-