Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1903-10-08
FRANK VAUeHAN's MISTAKE.

ton, l am up 10 the co4Ial-ooue !"
debt"
"But-but you love me?" she asked
timidly,
Love Bah What is love? A
nonsensical caprice. Born today, dead
tomorrow. Perhaps I did love you
once; but-well, one can't live on
sentiment. We have both been wrong;
you for loving me, and I for being
foolish enough to encourage it. But,
Edith, our clandestine courtship must
cease from tonight. You are but the
governess, you know, while well,
society expects great things from me.
You must gee how absurd thought Of
marriage is for us r
Absurd p she murmured, scarcely
realizing that such levity and cruelty
were possible from the man to whom
she had confded her trust some months
before.
eyes, utterly absurd. Now, be
sensible. Look at the matter In a
reasonable light. I don't want to
hurt your feelings, you know, but you
are aware that your position in my
uncles house would of itself ridicule
the idea of marriage between US. Of
course, you will always have friend
in me. shall always be glad to ad-
wise, and
Frank T. she interrupted.
Don't be hysterical, Edith. There
is eally no need for any fuss, you
know. You are poor; so am l. But
l have position to maintain. You
haven't. Come, let US put an end to
our foolishness. There's George Mark
ham, the young clergyman, you know,
he's head over ears in love with you,
and-and you wouldn't have any diff
fculty with him. He'd make a good
husband, and-all that sort Of thing.
The poor deluded girl hung her
head in silence. Her breast heaved
tumultuously as she endeavored to
suppress her emotion. She trembled
in every limb, and for a brief moment
the tears stood in her fine blue eyes.
But Edith Malvern, this poor, friend
less little governess, had more pbilOs-
ophy in her nature than the heartless
man walking by her side in his uncle's
grounds gave her credit. This was a
staggering blow to her. To have her
hopes dashed to the ground and stab
bed to her heart with one sudden, un-
expected lunge, was torture in the ex-
treme. But there was that within her
which enabled her to hold her feelings
in check. Such words were concen-
trated cruelty and bitterness. But
they had unlocked and opened ca
pacity within her heart which she had
previously been unaware existed there.
It was the power to feel and to be
thankful for what she had escaped
from. A man whose opinions of love
and marrlage-the most sacred pas
sion and bond in the universe-were
80 absolutely debased, must be worth
less. To have to call such a man hus-
band would have been, to one OF her
nature, more fearful than this sudden
shattering Of her hopes. Had she dis
covered his hateful, true inwardness
after she had been irrevocably yoked
to him, her life would have been one
of prolonged misery.
Calmly she withdrew her hand from
his arm. Her grief seemed suddenly
assuaged. She paused by his side
and, looking steadily into his face
said:
ut shall be as you wish. Yes,
have been foolish. l am, as you have
said, poor, and Of no account in the
world. 1 am parentless as well al
penniless. lit would be-absurd
to think of marriage. Let US forget
the past-be as though We had never
met. Your words have forever oblit'
Grated the past in my mind. l could
not, would not beyour wife, though
all the world urged me to it. But
your debts, your position How are
you going to extricate yourself from
the one and maintain the other2"
How unsOphisticated you are
Edith"
But you do not surely intend tc
make marriage your emancipation?
she asked.
He smiled at her earnest, pitying
semi-credulous look, and then re-
piled:
"Well. perhaps such 8 propose
seems-a-peculiar to you; but, ny
dear girl, look at things sensibly
There's Mary, for instance, my cOus
in. She's an heireis. believe sh'
well. thinks a great deal about me