The Yale expositor., 1907-09-27

II was a blue-eyed maiden, grace
full as fairy, who first convinced Syl-
vester McCracken of the fact that
there were other women in this world
beside his mother. He loved Louise
Selwin, and to his great, strong ma
ture, love was a serious thing
How lovely she looked one summer
evening as she lounged in saucy ease
by the vine-wreathed window, gazing
out into the night, while he stood out
side, unseen by her, gazing in at what
seemed to him the golden day of his
whole existence. A meteor unusually
bright, shot across the sky, and clap
ping her hands with delight, she
sprang from her seat quite upon the
window sill. when she perceived Mac.
"Oh, did you see that? 1t was a
real star, for | was looking at 1t burn
ing steadily up there. when all at once
it started from it's place and was lost
in the distance. Oh, am sure now
there are lost stars. and believe that
l must have witnessed the fight of
one OF them. Say. Mac. did you see
it?"
mo; j saw none Of the stars out
side; was looking at a brighter,
purer star within. which | hope will
never, never be lost. Do you know,
little one" said he, vaulting over the
window ledge, what a tumult you
have created in my heart? | have
learned to love you so, that II all the
stars Of yonder heaven were blotted
out, it would not be darker than my
existence would be without you"
A perplexed face was turned stead
lily away from him. His avowal had
come so very suddenly, that, taken by
surprise, she was casting about for a
way to gain a little time for the
expected reply. She had, long ago,
learned to love this magnificent man,
and was now inwardly wondering what
he found in her to deem a fitting ex-
change for the grandeur she saw in
him.
Speak to me, Louise" he went on,
land tell me if you can consent to
shine for me alone; to be my dear lit
tie wife,"
Half provoked at his persistence,
half frightened at being thus sudden
ly brought face to face with so seri-
Gus question, half bashful, too, and
altogether thoughtless, sudden in
spiration of mischief prompting her
with an idea, she burst into a merry
peal of laughter.
What have you found so amusing
in my proposition, Louise? | regard
the matter under consideration as far
too weighty for such unusual mirth."
"Oh! oh! oh! l was just thinking,
you know, that then. when | grew old,
oh! oh! oh!-should be-Mother
McCracken, you know"
You'd better be that than Mother
Goose" he burst forth, stung to the
quick by this irreverent allusion to his
honored mother, by one, too whom
he had regarded as little lower than
the angels. Then without another
word he strobe from the room, from
the house, out into the darkness--a
starless night.
Realizing what she had done, Louise
threw herself prone upon the sofa
In an agony of tears.
"Oh! why did | say that? And his
mother must be such a grand woman,
too, to have such a son. II ! had
only known her personally l never
could have said such a thing, / know.
He adores her, too! Will he ever for
give me? then the natural hopeful.
ness of her nature asserted itself.
Eyes. know he will. He is too grand
to stoop to mean spitefulness. He will
be back tomorrow.
And wiping her eyes, she fell into a
pleasing reverie over the scene that
would be then and there enacted.
But he did not come back to-mor.
row, nor the next day, nor the next.
He had received a pressing offer OF
a very advantageous business connec-
ton in a distant city, which was the
real cause of precipitating his pro-
poeal.