The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-08-05

III 14EAue 9At4C ~ oAAA@' $500
was puckered, his mouth set, his
peculiarly youthful face paler than its
wont.
Life" he said, lis such huge re-
sponb;Iiity.'
Unconsciously HE voice took the dog
matte tone which so often characterized
liz in the performance of his clerical
duties.
Life is such a serious matter; 1 do
not think we half realize its tremen-
dous seriousness
Talking f-er-tigcrs ?' said she.
His voice dropped to one of surprise,
almost irritation, What do you
mean?" he asked.
Il haven't grasped the connetion.
she said. 1T is only when l am In
pain that feel like that
Plainly he was seriously affected, for
he even ignored her frivolous aside.
"Oh. what is it, she asked. There
must be something she continued.
Has the vicar"-here she smiled, al
though unwillingly-'hash his reverence
limit for your sermons again
You couldn't neglect your mother for
any ONE she said bravely.,
Mo- he admitted; no; that's true
so you are forced to make a duty of
necessity" she said.
He waited moment, repeating her
words over to himself, as though he
had not reached their meaning.
Give me- he said, "one crumb of
consolation to help me through the
empty days. If there had not been this
plain, straight way of duty for me-
could YOU"
Yes oh, yes!" she said.
II had to speak?" he questioned.
II can bear it better" she said, Since
you have spoken
''If love were aIl?" he quoted.
Nothing else could have made me
love you like this" said she.
Only his look thanked her. Nov"
he said, you must forget that once
was tempted to play the man. You
must remember me as a conceited
young curate who tried"
DON'T she exclaimed, don't hurt
me like that
Take your own way then, he whis-
tpered, with wintry smile. And bless
you always my one love. You alone
hold my seCret-safe with YOU"
Dear God, how safe" she cried.
And SO they parted. 1t was the only
way.
But that was not the only confidence
with which she was honored at about
this time. and. strangely enough, 1t
was the curate's mother next put her
powers of secret keeping to the test.
She prefaced her confession with a
touch of f1attery.
Il hope you will not laugh at me for
a silly old goose!"
LAS if l should"
"I don't know-wait and see. I sup
pose that in your idea one could posi-
bly, fall in love after-well, thirty
fve?'
oh why not?'
Very we'll said. dear! Very credi-
thirty fve-and I am in love. I don't
wonder you start"
II don't--think l did"
Not badly! But there don't wan
you to think that because experience
has taught me to luagh in the face OF
misfortune I cannot still feel. Child
there is no love like a late love for tear
ing your heartstrings. Practice helps tc
make perfect. perhaps-I don't know
Women love and marry and live happi.
~ ever after-hundreds of women dc
that. But 1 have had experience and !
know what I am saying is true, that
not one woman in a hundred ever finds
her ideal as I, so late. have found
mine"
oh said the girl, doesn't he
doesn't he-forgive my asking-but
doesn't he love your"
Yes, dear; that's not the barrier
think at my age you know, failure
, to return my affection would have
marred the picture in the beginning
, have broken up the likeness to the idea
r too soon, would have stayed the strings
of love before much harm had beer
done. No, am spared that But
think you know how I have lived fol-
and in my son ever since his fathe
died. I have brought him up to honor
his dead father beyond all living men
, How can l now acknowledge to hin
that a greater than his father has
arisen for me? How can 1 publicly Sc
, another in the place death has mad
!, sacred? Wouldn't it be. like sacrilegt
in his eyes? The seed I sowed in my
boys heart has flourished beyond belle
his very love of me is entwined will
it. If I struck at the one, might I no
endanger the Other?"
The girl summoned all her store o
courage to her aid.
But if he should--think of marrying
) himself, wouldn't that make a differ
ence?'
you think that because you are s
:, young yourself, dear girl And hoy
= patient you have been to met" she said
= coming back to her accustomed con
y sideration for her companion. Some
times I have felt I must speak, jus
= once, or it would kill me-and now
" have spoken. You will respect any cor
- fidence know"
Yes" said the girl yes
These were the questions which trou
= bled her, filled her waking thoughts