The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1903-02-05

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burned, the words that craved utter
ance, the bitter-sweet romance that
was awakened in the quickening
springtime, with its old-tine force and
meaning, to hold him in cruel thrall-
dom.
Cruel, for the dream which n few
short years ago was his happiness, the
handspring of his existence, was now
sin to dwell upon; weakness 10 be
trampled under foot. Yet still he
fingered on manlike for taste of the
| forbidden fruit; stray word, a
| glance from pair of dark eyes, n
| glimpse of a graceful shape at the win
dow, playing at comedy with the girls,
practicing strategies of which his
| manhood was ashamed
An abyss had opened at his feet; he
| now read as in letters of fire the past,
the never-to-be eforgotten past-in
which he played so ignoble role; the
| headstrong folly, the unreasoning
rage, which condemned an innocent
girl unheard, and made shipwreck of
| two lives in moment of madness.
But repentance, as ever, came too
| late. Blame himself as he would he
could not retrieve the cruel mistake,
which had led to lifelong separation
| and sorrow.
1t was midMay, and morning
breeze, silken-soft and honey-swcet,
| stole through the open window like an
! invitation on to poor, pale lrma. sit
| ting listless at her sewing. The gnarled
old apple orchard was all abloom, the
| grassy way tangled and green, u golden
| robin famed and fitted through the
blossomiug boughs and filed the si-
lence with the ecstasy of song.
| The house was very still, the girls
| had wandered away on pleasure bent,
! and she was so weary; weary Of her
lonely unloved youth, her work with
out aspiration, the dreary vista of the
| coming years, the happiness all about
her that seemed us a mockery of her
own woe.
She left her work and went out into
the sunshine, trod the maHes Of the
blossomed orchard, opened her heart
to the robins thrilling message,
sought to lose her cares in the joyous
springtime; to think-to resolve-to
put from her with a strong hand this
wild longing for happiness, SO far and
yet so near.
For he loved her still; she read it
in his glowing glance, the accents of
his voice. felt il to the inmost fiber
of her being; she had but to stretch out
her slender hand to call him to her
side once more, to break the fetters
that bound him to the careless child,
who knew him not-could never know
him as she had done in the olden time
when they were lovers.
The thought filed her with mingled
pride and anguish, yet she did not
wayer in her resolve to renounce her
happiness for his honor. She flung
herself upon the ground, and, leaning
her cheek against an old apple tree,
closed her eyes and listened once more
to the golden notes of the robin over
head.
She did not hear a quick step com
ing down the grassy way, did not stir
till she was caught in close embrace
and held there a moment, breathless
and unresisting; then she sprang to
her feet and turned to him in silent re-
proach, for words failed her, and her
eyes were still wet with tears.
But Lester met her glance unre-
bul<ed; and there was that in his look
and mien which betokened danger,
warned her that the moment had come
when she could no longer hold him in
check or stem the torrent of his love
"lrma, why do you shrink from me ?
You loved me years ago, you love me
still-confess it,"
Lester" she replied, sadly, 81 dc
love you-but too well to tempt you
from the path of duty and honor. You
have pledged your faith to this inno-
cent girl, taught her to love, to trust
you; promise me that she shall never
know our past"
Trina, you ask me to perform a
miracle, you bid me to live lie, to
cling to the letter rather than the
spirit of vows spoken on impulse. Had
we never met again, who can say-bui
now with your image again shrined
in my heart, how dare promise this ?
No, no-you ask too much; rather will
| break the fetters that bind me. speak k
truth at any cost, even to my shame
and leave my fate in her hands"
He had passed the Rubicon; the love
denied him, held in check all these
weeks, leaped to life at a bound; il
would take more than girls hand to
curb him to patience, remuneration and
honor, and for moment she trembled
at the fiery ordeal.
She listened in silence to his passion,
ate appeal, his bitter accusations, vet
it was not the silence of consent, and
this he felt in his impotence and de
spair.
"Irma, you are cruel-can nothing
change your resolve?"
Lester ! would not win heaven nj
the cost of another, so innocent, sc
happy. Unless fate interposes | will
suffer in silence to the end" And turn,
ing from him she moved slowly up the
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