Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-11-30
Her eyes, burning and dilated, stared

| day by look or q word. l would
have you think long and deeply upon
what l say. l would have you weigh
the situation calmly, and then with
grave decision render me the answer
sively, net under the glamour Of pas
sionate moment, but with the spell Of
praye, upon you. and with blear fore
knowledge of all that such a sacrifice
means. Mr.. Degraw has already asked
from you a similar recognition of feel
ing, but he had little reason for hope,
and you did not honor him by so much
as momentary hesitation. But this
choice means something TO you. l
know tnat or l would not humiliate
myself by following in his footsteps.
Love and fondness for power will have
a battle in your breast. and no one, not
even yourself, can tell to-day how
that couflict will end. For night will
bring strange lonGings. and meditation
will waken strange ambitions, and
shall not be with you to breathe love
or assure you that there are depths in
true passion beyond the sounding of an
ordinary plummet."
She covered her face with her hands.
"Oh. to what tests am l put" was
her cry. "You do not love me or you
would not annihilatc me by placing
before me such fearful alternative"
II do love you," lie answered solemn.
ly, land | want you to love me, that is,
ii you marry me. / do not wish to feel
that there is anything in the world
dedrer to you than myself; that any
riches and distinction that you may
owe to another mans love can vie
with the single affection which | prof
fer you. Any less devotion Oh your
part will not satisfy me. | must have
all or none. l must marry the woman
| saw wake from the sleep of death.
and not the woman whom Il happy
namosakc of mine has wreathcd with
golden blossoms she will not cast aside
for my sake. DO you not see thas | am
right: DO you not see that We could
never be happy with the ghost of an
other love forever gliding between us
at the indulging of any new fancy or
the purchase of any new gewgaw? |
may not succeed in making You see it
as ! do. but this is the question as it
appears to me. Either love is worth
this sacrifice or 1t is not. If It is not.
you will frankly tell me So and | will
bear my disappointment, and make Il
mistress of fame as l did before l saw
and loved you
Her hands had fallen from her face
now. but she was not looking at him.
She had, on the contrary, turned slight
ly away, and stood with only her
cheek and the delicate outline of her
brow visible to his searching gaze. 1t
was a bitter moment for him. Had he
been right in subjecting her love to
such test:
Miss Rogers" said he, ''before l left
home | received an invitation from
Miss ASpinwall TO a day reception to
be given at her house here in the city.
Are YOU going to that reception"
Her gesture seemed to say she was.
at is set for week from now, is it
not?"
"Well, will give you this week in
! which to weigh the question and to
consult Hilary. If then you feel that
your happiness, not 'mine-you must
not consider my happiness in this ques'
tion-will be best secured by Il life
spent at my side, with its love and Its
hazards and its possible lack of splen'
dor, then wear to this reception this
same meek dress of brown. and be my
blooming rose forever. But if, on the
contrary, you have tasted of the vint'
age of adulation and feel that it is
henccforth a necessary beverage for
YOU, and that you move in your proper
atmosphere when you bear about with
YOU the honors and distinctions of
wealth, then wrap this lovely form in
velvet and put in these dear ears the
diamonds that belong there, and let
me see how worthy you are to weal
such spcndOrs snd how little | had
the right to ask you to forcso them
You will be saved all embarrassment
by this, of course. One glimpse will
tell me what sort of a future ! may
| L
leave the room any too soon if see
again before me the maiden of to-day
certainly shall not remain long
enough in YOUR presence to utter re
proacl if encounter velvet instead
of CLOTH and Jewels instead of bushes
He was going, but she held out q
hand, and though she did not raise hei
eyes or turn her head he paused while
she said:
"There is one thing you have not eE
plained. What is to be done with thus
money if decide to give it up?'
at must be returned to Mr.. Degraw
who will give it to certain little
schoolteacher, who, We must hope, VIII
have no jealous lover who will refuse
to let her take it,
"Another Jenny Rogers"
"Yes. and noble one"
"That is all. / will not detain you
any longer Mr.. Degraw.'
He looked, he moved away; he came
back with an almost breaking heart
After all, he might never see hel
again as she was now, rosy and trem
bling and innocently grleved. Had he
| been less exacting had he not puzzles
himself with jealousies, had he beer
content to ignore everything but hel
winning womanhood, he might now be
clasping her to his heart in ecstacy, in
stead of standing there with barrier
Of ice between them and the prospect
! of what? Lifelong separation and q
desolate hearth; for at that moment he
did not believe that she would evel
| giye LID all that he asked for his love.