Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-03-07

The parson spoke. and his voice
sounded as cold as the old vault of the
church which shut IL one side of his
garden.
Il am here to listen to whatever
1t pleases you to tell me, madam" he
| said.
Something in his attitude made her
lay her hand timidly on his arm.
Wont you please look at me-" she
asked.
The parson turned in his chair and
looked her full in the eyes. And
thereat her own averted themselves:
and when she spoke again it was she
who looked away, and not the man.
Il want to tell you something" she
said, hesitatingly. "I-has it ever
struck you that I am placed in a posi-
ton of great difficulty? am very
young, very rich. and-a woman.
Ought not to have some one upon
whom could depend for guidance and
help multiplication? I mean-ought
l not to marry?'
1T is the apparent end of the con-
ditions, madam"
you think that great heiress
must marry? So everybody seems to
think And there are so many gen.
tlemen who wish to marry me, Mr..
Joyce; you yourself know of several,
do you not? Which would you advise
me TO accept-for, indeed, they poster
my life QUIT"
Madam" said the parson, hurried
ly, "in matter like that-in a mat
ter ike that, I say cannot counsel.
IT'S a matter for your own heart.
only
Heart? All! - then you would
counsel me to marry for-love!"
1T should be thu basis of every
marriage, madam" answered Parson
Joyce. :;
MAY tell you something's" she
whispered. IL am in love! Oh!
l never, never thought it could be-
anything like it is. suppose no wom-
an ever was so much, so happily in
love as I, and it has made mel do
not know what it has made me, except
that I love the world because of it
man, the trees and flowers, everything"
1T is true love, madam, that works,
these changes" said the parson, very
quietly. you should thank heaven
for it,
She flashed swift eyes, with q CLINT
of tears in them, on him for a second.
"But I do" she cried. ".All day
long, and whenever l wake in the
night. And yet she paused as a
veil Of sadness spread itself across her
face.
Eyes, MADAME" said the parson.
II do not know if my love is re-
turned" she whispered.
Parson Joyce drew long breath.
"The gentleman" he stopped.
"Then he has not spoken to you?" he
added, lamely.
"Of love? Not one world" she an
swercd. sometimes I think-I think
he cares for me, and sometimes I fear
he does not. May tell you about
him?-it will be such a relief, be-
cause have no one whom I may tell
but YOU" =
The parson bowed his head. Human
feeling was rapidly thawing the priest
within the man; he felt now as if
he were the brother of this radiant
yOnug creature.
twill he not speak," he said.
"He has not spoken"
II 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.
II wish I knew them!" she said.
'Tne gentleman is, perhaps, poor?~
I'm the eyes Of the world, yes"
"And, possibly, proud?'
with the pride of true man."
1T might seem pretentious ON his
part to seek your hand, MADAME
II 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 a poor gentleman, who,
maybe, loves and addres you with all
his heart, but who judges it pre-
sumptuous-"
"Presumptuous? OH" she said.
Il have no patience with such SILL
ness. The mere fact that love him
makes him far above me-
tn In,
son Joyce, that there is but one way
out OF 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
EYES," she mprmured. 1T 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-
signeily, knowing that she would do
what he advised: knowing well, too,
that no man would resist her, and that
ere long she would be this unknown
highly favored mans wife, and all
would be 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
fominino vOicp