Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-07-16


and have something to look forward to,
by -! and some chance of happiness
In my life, instead of being entangled
cursed fool that am! into this idiotic
engagement with Matty Ferguson,
d-n her!"
Clifford flung himself down sullenly
In the arm chair beside the fire, and
something very like tears gathered In
his eyes. Regarded from my own point
Of view. this was just the one occasion
In Mr.. Mohun's life when he appeared
to the least advantage. His passion
was that of a child allowed to have his
own way, and then enraged because
his own way has not made him happy.
Still it was u natural passiOn-an I'M
pulse in the direction of good, giving
token, by its very weakness. that,
taken early into cunning hands, some
thing quite different to what he now
was might have been fashioned out OF
Clifford Mohun's vacillating and un-
stable moral character. But Miss
Grand always took the ideal, not the
rational view, Of every subject that
was presented to her consideration (she
was also looking at the conduct Of
Miss Fergusson's aff1anced husband):
and it really and truly seemed to her
that Clifford Mohun had never appeared
in such weak and despicable guise as
now. AS throughout. she had loved
him unwisely: SO in this last revulsion
Of feeling she judged him without
equity. Having chosen Matty for his
wife, lie ought, she averred, to hold by
Matty in all things. What did 1t avail
now to make lament over his past
Inconsistency? How could he tell that
he would have been different if he had
married her in his youth? A mans
strength should be in himself, not de.
pendent upon the outward circum.
stances Of his life. 1t was well, very
well, for Mr.. Mohun that he was to
fall for the rest of his days into such
hands as Matty Fergusson's! He would
not lack counsel. he would not have to
complain of hesitation or Over-sanctity
with Matty for his wife!
have heard that slaves. when set
free. become cruel Shareholders; | know
that gentlewOmen, who have sub
mitted to, and rather cOurted, the heel
of the oppressor for years. are. when
the tardy hour Of insurrectlon comes.
pitiless in their turn. The recollection
of all her deserted youth, Of her wasted
hopes. her recent. her still throbbing
love for him. swelled at Miss Grand's
heart, and steeled 1t against this man
whO-nOw that he had positively given
her up--would, il he could. have talked
covert sentiment to her still! And so
her voice was steady. her eyes Were
fearless. every nerve in her face was
unmoved, as she pronounced the fol.
lowing de profundis over the passion
that had been the very food OF her life
during the last half-score of years:
THE past is dead and gone, Clifford.
Let it remain so. We can never bring
it back, and II we could / don't think
We should do wisely to alter all that Is
gone before. You would not have been
happy II you had been married to me.
Your sense of the stain of my birth.
and of what the world thinks of such
a stain. would have weighed heavier
than all the poor love and faithfulness
that should have brought to you. Ii
you had loved me very fervently, you
know, you would have taken me as l
was-as I would have taken you. what
ever i'll fortune had chanced to come
upon you. But you did not; and lack
ing such love, you would have had no
strength to support you under the dis
grace Of having me for your wife. ]
have loved you, think, as much as any
human being can love another! Yes, !
don't mind saying it now that all IL
over between us forever. During those
seven years after you left me l just
spent my life in one long, miserable
thought Of you. Gifford-of you and OF
the cause that had broken off our mar
riage. You say have been sanctlfed
and cold since you came back to Vat
ton. Do you know that every day till
the last week I looked for your coming
Just as did when I was girl?-that
would have given up my life still ia
have been of the least use or happiness
to your Well. you don't know all this.
but I will tell it you now. tell II
you, and also say-well for me that
the past is interchangeable. and that !
am free again. Clifford, l hope you
will be happy with Matty Ferguson,
and I hope while you live you will
count me as your friend"
1t was the longest speech Jane
Grands lips ever put together-the
longest, and certainly the cruelest. Gif'
ford Mohun got quite white as ne lis
tened to her. Could this be Jane!-his
Jane, who, through good and evil re-
port. through Inconsistency, through dc.
sertion. had ever been so utterly and
without struggle his slave?
"You love some one else, Jane. or you
would never cast me off like this. l
know you too well to think you would
be so bitter with me-even after all my
brutal conduct to you yesterday--if !
was first withyou still as I used to be!'
Intensely mean and selfish minds do
occasionally show keenest insight in
their judgment upon noble natures.
TIL Clifford spoke out his singularly
coarse view of the case suspicion OF
her own capability Of change had
never crossed James thoughts. But as
he spoke ray Of light dawned upon
her mind: and bitterly confirming Mo-
hun in his suspicions) blush, guilty
deep as she had ever blushed IN her
young days fol him. rose into her
cheeks and brow, and neck. She knew
that another voice than Gifford's had
haunted her for months past; she knew
by what standard she had mentally
measured Clifford in his frequent short