Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-03-01

T am here to listen to whatever 1t pleases you to tell me, madam" he said.
 Something in his attitude made her lay her hand timiily on his arm. Wont you please look at mel" she asked.
 The parson turned, in his chair and looked her full in the eyes. And theraat her own averted themselves, and when she spoke again it was she who looked away, and not the man.
 T want to tell you something" she said, hesitatingly. "'I-has it ever struck you that I am placed in a posi- tion of great difficulty? I am very young, very rich. and-a woman. Ought not [ to have some one upon whom could depend for guidance and help and-protection? I mean-ought not to marry?" .-.=.~
 Tt is the apparen. end of the con- ditions, madam"
 You think that a great heiress must marry? So everybody seems to think And there are so many gen. tlemen who wish to marry me, MT. Joyce; you yourself know of several, do you not?. Which would you, advise me to accept-for, indeed they poster my life out!"
 Madam said the parson, hurried ly, 'in a matter like that-in a mat ter ike that, I say I cannot counsel. 'Tis a matter for your own heart, only.'.
 Heart? An! - then you would counsel me to marry for-love!"
 Tt should be the basis of every marriage, madam" answered Parson Joyce. -----., .-~--.-----... ...----
 May tell you something?' she whispered. 1T an in love! Oh! never, never thought it could be- anything like it is. i suppose no wom- an ever was so much, so happily in love as I, and 1t has made mel do not know what it has made me, except that I love the world because of It. s.
 "It is true love, madam. that works these changes" said the parson very quietly. You should thank heaven for It.
 She flashed swift eyes, with a glint of tears in them, on him for second.
 But I dol" she cried "All day long, and whenever I wake in the night. And yet she paused as a veil of sadness spread itself across her face. ~
 "Yes, madam?" said the parson.
 "I do not know if my love is re- turned" she whispered.
 Parson Joyce drew a long breath.
 "The gentleman" he stopped. "Then he has not spoken to you?" he added, lamely.
 "Of love? Not one word!" she an- swercd. Sometimes I think-I think he cares for me, and sometimes I fear he does not. May I tell you about him?-it will be such relief, be- cause have no one whom may tell but you"
 The parson bowed his head. Human feeling was rapidly tnawing the priest within the man; he felt now as if he were the brother of this radiant yonug creature.
 will he not spesk?" he said.
 He has not spoken"
 "I have heard" said Parson Joyce, "that there are ways by which a man in these cases may be made to speak,"
 The girl shrugged her shoulders and made little grimace
 T wish I knew them." she said.
 "Tne gentleman is. perhaps, poor?"
 Tn the eyes of the world, yes."
 And. possibly, proud?"
 With the pride of true man."
 Tt might seem pretentious on his part to seek your hand, madam"
 'fI believe. upon my soul it is some such nonsense as that which fills his head!" she exclaimed, tapping her toe against the fender
 But, madam" Parson Joyce in his agitation rose and stood before her with clasped hands. Consider the feelings of poor gentleman, who, maybe, loves and adcres you with all his heart, but who judges 1t pre- sumptuous-"
 "Presumptuous? Ohi" she said. "I nave no patience with such silli- ness. The mere fact that I love him makes him far above me"
 Tt seems to me. madam" said Par son Joyce. that there Is but one way out cf the difficulty" He faced her fair and square. in the determined way in which he always stood in his pulpit. and she looked up at him. and immediately looked elsewhere. "If the gentleman cannot be brought to de- clare his love. and his love is so neces- sary to your happiness"
 Yes" she murmured. Tt is-it has come to be my life
 And if you feel assured that he is keeping silent because he fears to be thought presumptuous-"
 "Yes. yes-I know it Is so." Then" said Parson Joyce, you must tell him of your love for him" He said the words solemnly and re- signa.ily. knowing that she would do what he advised; knowing well. too. that TO man would resist her, and that ere long she would be this unknown. highly favored mans wife. and all voui1 he changed And after he had spoken he began to pray somewhere far inside himself. Her voice came to him as he stood over her-a soft. very feminine voice.