Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1905-05-22

r'ed that morning.
''Marriedw I exclaimed: "wiy ] had
not the least idea that such thing was
ever thought off,
mo more had we, Mnntcr Silns, a
few weeks ago," answered Martha,
blusbipg, "anj, you know. you hn," not
seen us aimee Christmas. SO, M YOU
had kindly sent mo mn invitation To come
down and gee You, thought would
take the liberty 20 bring Josinh along
with me. and make II sort OF marriage
trip"
II nm very much delighted to zee YOU
both. md YOU phnll nny with us for
your honcvmonn.' | nnid shaking lnnd
or rnrh "Iut YOU might ny we'll have
invited IA to Your wedding.
Martha laughed and blushcd; and then
my father aud Mr.. Jonathan offered their
warm congratulations to the happy bride
and bridegroom.
And are you still nj the Corinthian,
JcsinhY' ! inquired.
"No.' he answered; Martha has per
sundcd me to rcinquish public life, and
her father Inns procured for me mn np-
pointmcnt upon the railway MS II porter"
A little time afterwards. Martha cnme
to me with radiant countenance. "Only
think" she said; that dear. good Mr..
Jonathan is going TO set us up in husi-
ness for your sake. And, Master Slas.
what did | use to say when you made
such fuss about the little l could do
for you--ddn't tell you you would be
rich some day, and what fine things YOU
would do for me?'
But | am not rich. my good Martha"
I said. smiling. "and it is not | who have
done this for you"
ooh. but it's all the same, sir" she
said. with a very sly look
Presently my father. Martha. and Jo-
siah went into the house. But Mr..
Jonathan remained behind. and taking
my arm, strolled with me across the
lawn.
''Silas, my lad" he said, in kind
voice. 'the sight Of that happy couple
has set me thinking upon a subject I
have long had in my heart. Although
l have never mentioned it, l know all
about you and Clara. Mrs. Wilson told
me what she knew. and I have picked up
the rest here and there l have waited,
however, until now. In the first place,
l wished to know you better. to Judge
of your disposition; and in the second
place, although the ties that bound you
to that unhappy woman were of the
weakest yet, after the dreadful circum-
stances that attended her death, we were
compelled in decency to allow a certain
time to elapse before the subject OF love
and marriage could be preached"
"Ah, sir" answered mournfully,
CLARA has ceased to love me. She will
never forgive the wicked weakness OF
my conduct in gaining her love while
another claimed me as her husband"
1T was very culpable." answered Mr..
Jonathan, gravely: land in any other
person l could never have pardoned it:
but your life, my poor boy. has been SO
exceptional. that it would he hard to
Judge you by the rules of everyday
life"
whispered as l held Clara in my arms
II was never angry with you" she
answered, softly. Il only felt sad. and
that wished to die"
She was mine-mine at last. Nothing
could stand between us now save death !!
Oh, the bliss, the rapture of that mo-
ment!
I am lying at her feet, with my head
resting against her, and my face upturn-
ed towards hers, as l used to in the old
days. The cool air Of the soft summers
night. linden with the perfume of the Gus
tering roses. steals through the open lat
tice. There Is no light save that Of
the moon. that streams through the win
dow, chequering the floor with the shad-
cws OF the overhangng leaves. One
broad beam glances over my darling's
head. making her golden hair glisten like
threads Of gold. and falls full upon the
portrait Of her mother that hangs behind
her. She is translatinG the rhapsodies
that fill the souls Of both into loves own
lnnguaye-music. Oh. those wild, pas
sionate strains, how they thrill through
my soul! They tell all the story of our
love-soft. melancholy. mysterious
then broken by sobs and wails-swelling
into horror and cries of agony-then
melting into soft, dreamy harmony too
eostatc for joy, too hopeful for sadness
and so they die away into the passion
ate silence Of love.
(The end)