News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1908-03-18


literal or 'flgurative.' She was
speaking quite seriously. with n look
of bewilderment; "or may misunder
stand you painfully'
"No, Eunlce. you\and will not mis-
understand each other again. For we
shall speak the same language-the
language of our heartsv'
"But If it was not Miss Ellery, what
was 1t that kept you from me when
you wanted to Gomez"
81 will tell you"
He drew long, deep breath, then
half turned to her as he walked beside
her and talked.
at was while the days dragged by
when was waiting for letter from
you, and my heart grew sick with
hope deferred that great truth be-
the realization that my whole horizon
was colored by the thought Of Eunice;
| that in thinking of her l found my
only interest, my only happiness; that
| in the meeting of her life and mine,
| the deepest needs of my nature had
been met and fed; and at last | came
face to face with the knowledge that
she was all to me that a woman can
be to a man; that loved her utterly"
Eunice walked at his side like one
moving in a dream. For a moment
the silence between them throbbed
with their strong emotion.
"And then" he presently went on,
the gravity of his voice calming her
throbbing heart, ''came my bitter
struggle with myself, | was not will
ing to take advantage of your ineXpe-
rience-before you had had an oppor-
tunity to see other men. ! knew you
cared for me, but how could be sure
that your feeling would bear the test
of your larger knowledge and expert
ence? Clearly my honorable course
was to be silent, to withdraw into the
background of your life, until you
should come into mature understand
ing of your own heart.
Then, the simplicity of the life l
would have to offer you as the wife of
n teacher compared with the brilliant
career you might have-possessed of
think better of himself than l thought
to ask woman to make such sac
rifice.
''The possibility that you might think
me fortune hunter l put aside as an
unworthy thought of you. That your
aunt might attribute such motive to
mel was Indifferent to that, though
hpI chA
sutton, she's so daft about family
And she's not mercenary either. So
my own comparative poverty would
not stand in my way with her.
"Then I reasoned that in denying |
my heart l risked not only my own !
lies happiness, but yours as well.
Fortune hunters would swarm like |
bees about you, and in your guileless- |
ness how easily you might be deceived |
into a wretched marriage. Why should |
step aside for others even less worthy |
than myself? l wanted you now
now while that sweet wild wood flavor
was upon you. Perhaps you would |
never lose it If l took you to myself |
and kept you so close to me forever |
that the world could not get near to
you. Why should / leave it to others
to enjoy the charming opening up of
your young mind to the wonderful
panorama of life, for who could de-
your beautiful spirit? Had l not dis
covered you? Why should l not have
my reward? Why should | not WOO
you, marry you, travel with you all
over the world, teach and guide you
where l could and myself be taught
md guided by your womanly lowell
ness? Eunice, l was almost appalled,
when once l gave rein to myself at
he strength of my love for you, for l
'elt the hurt of it almost as much as
he ecstasy.
81 tried to persuade myself that your
owe for me was as fundamental as in
.vitable, as mine for you, but the very
'orce of my own passion made me dis
rust the sophistries of my selfishness.
knew that If l would not degrade
ny great love for you l must put your
pest welfare above my own desires, l
must leave you free-until you had
aiken your bearings in the world and
lad found yourself. And then, if it
we're not too late
THAT thought gripped my very soul!
"And so, Eunice, as l am man and |
lot a god my love and not my reason
'arried the day-and / am here with
you.'
He stopped in the solitary path into
which they had strayed and opened his
rms to her.