Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1903-08-06
A RaTpsWell 7 q
Romance.
LAURIs PERCY.

All rights reserved by Casco Bay
Breeze.
o! girls. let's tell our fortunes!
Tell iortunes-how-what with.
Why with those lovely daises-see
And OF the veranda of one of the
leading hotels on New Meadows river
went four happy maidens to the rocks
at northward where, gathering hands
full OF the wild flowers, each began
piucking the snow-white pieces, muir
muring "marry-never-mar
- etc. The daises married all save
one-Nevada Merrill. This little lady's
fortune, was variable, mo two out of
three" coming alike. Yet naught cared
she for she merrily cried,
Il do not care what the daises say,
i know I'll be married some other day"
Perhaps you will, sis, when you
get some sense In and move nonsense
out OF your head. Looking up and over
her shoulder she saw six feet of man.
hood In shape Of her big brother
Tom.
She made no reply but her friend
and confidente, Nell Iregson spoke in
defence: Tom Merrill. don't you say
one word-if Neva's matrimonial
ideas don't happen to suit your high
ness. keep still about it, can't your
No, / can't, for there's no reason
tic OF the family then, for you show
an unusual amount of brilliancy."
Possibly you'll undertake to en-
tighten my intellect, oh, thou of SUI
perior wisdom
Not YOU'RE not worth it," and
with that mad-cap Nell so called by
her friends turned her back on our
irresistible Adonis who, with a pc
culiar glance in her direction. left the
group and wendell his steps toward
piazza The curiosity of one young
lady whose acquaintance had been
made since coming here was aroused
and she began to question Nevada as
to ideas Of marriage, IL they be unus-
ual.
NOW Nevada was western-born; her
father having gone from Maine in his
early manhood. He was in California
about two years when a pair of roy
uish black eyes left here in Maine had
the power to cause his return. He
came-he saw-he conquered. and
soon with his bride returned west and
permanently located in Nevaaa. Here he
accumulated a snug little fortune and
here were his strong. sturdy SON and
merry little daughter born. When
the little girl was but two weeks old.
Mt. Merrill was called to a neighbor-
ing state on business and, like SO
many happy partings in this world. IL
was the last, for the night he was to
start for home he was stricken and
fell. never to rise. Alas! what a shock
to the poor young wife and mother.
Soon as able she had matters settled
and then returned to New England to
city near her brothers home who
vas to be the guardian of her child
Ie.7s IN memory OF her happiest days,
the baSI- girl was christened Nevada.
but by her most intimate friends was
called Neva.
To her children Mrs. Merrill gave
every thought and their development
and education became her life. while
they. in turn. were devoted to their
little mother.
At the time our story opens. Tom
and Neva was fresh from a well
known boarding school. With their
mother they had come to Maine for
the summer-first visiting the child
hood house of Mrs. Merrill and had
recently Joined party of friends here
in Harpswell, when occurred the for
tune-telling with daises.
While in college a story attachment
had been formed between Tom Merrill
and Fred Anterior and many an ex-
e change OF visits had passed between
deemed his future happiness lay only
in winning Nevada Merrill for
his wife and he offered
her the greatest honor man
can present to women. But she
though fully respecting him. most
gently but firmly declined and all be-
cause OF what Tom angrily declared
COMPOUNDED notion-not a grain of
sense in en-
Nevada. in her school-life. had made
so intense study OF psychology that
1t had become interviewer in all her be-
ing, even In her ideas OF marriage.
Much to her big brothers disgust
and her own discomfort. she held that
rs Eve was created for Adam so every
son Of Adam has HIS created Eve:
that each son has his mate now as
at the beginning OF creation and that
when their souls were united here the
union was Eternal Death might sep
arate for time, the one left
might even remarry but when both
met in the spiritual world. the un-
lon OF these two fated ones would be
remembered. She even believed in a
-pPS hhsCh hDlt VI tWO rDutS nOt Ill
vinely mated but 10 would only be for
this life and each would In the other
world ind It's true mate. Also. when a
true soul-union was broken on earth.
the developing Of the one was pro-
crossing proportionateiy with the 9th
er.only In separate worlds and when
they met In the Hereafter the equal
lily OF conditions would be as those
upon which they parted.
Again. the belief that in true soul
union. allowing passive state OF spir-
t.there Is a given power OF mind com
munication. or thought transference
over which space has no control.
therefore. she declared. she would
sometime meet her soul mate and
she would not marry until not only
neart responded to heart but there
was soul recognition as well. All
this amused her mother but 10 Tom n
was exasperating for. knowing the
sterling qualities OF his college friend.