The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1911-01-14
saw her sto0p and pick Il up my heart

wondered how | had dared do II.
What avail Is IL for the old 70 at
tempt 10 instill their ideas. their fears.
their hopes indeed. their varied ex-
perienceS- into the young? IL did not
enter my head that this delicate crea-
ture would ever be aught but a thing
! OF beauty and JOY forever My I'M
cle's prophecy had no more effect
upon my heart than a drop of rain on
my cheek From the moment I saw
her pick up the flower | had not the
courage 10 hand her openly | was n
changed man--boy. | grew bold as a
lion. A few days later went to
school with bunch Of violets In my
hand and on meeting her did not fear
marvel OF courage that l waste
toss them 10 her. She caught them.
and the smile she gave me set my
heart afiame.
And SO Dame Nature went on with
her work as quietly as II an old cur
mudgeon was not attempting to
thwart her, as unconcerned as the yio-
lets tossed 10 the maiden with whom
she designed should fulfil her inten-
tions. or what Importance 10 me
were my uncle's warnings that this
sweet creature was reptile with pol
son I'm her breast? And what booted
II that / had made n contract with
him never TO marry Marry What
had my love 10 do with marriage? II
was love-Iovc absolutely pure-that
had taken possession OF me. Mar
riage was something 10 be considered
when / should reach what 10 me was
an advanced age And the grill Be
tween her and that something which
falls 10 the lot OF older people was
still the gulf OF some five or six years
-an interminable period,
But time was passing more rapidly
even than one realized Before we
had had time 10 come 20 that COM
paratlvely prosalc period when young
people begin 10 talk Of the love they
feel-an advanced stage on the road
10 commonplace matrimony-we were
separated. going 10 college, she to a
seminary. However, there were four
years before US OF love dreaming
have always thought that we were
especially fortunate that the period Or
feeling was SO long IN giving way 70
that OF speech. There IS IN the former
delicious doubt. fear that there
Will nothing come Of Il all dread
that NJ any time we may hear that tho
loved one has entered into another
such world FAR more beautiful than
the FIRST and leaving a horrible void for
the forsaken one.
When We returned. an educated man
and woman. all was changed. The
flower had opened, but there were
lot OF thorns brlstlng about II. / knew
that the result OF love was marriage,
and between me and marriage stood a
fortune. Still ! was no wise old man.
was merely one beginning life and
endowed with the propensitlcs bestow-
cd rcQr mankind, l felt In honor
bound since ny uncle had brought me
az frr q certain purpose under certain
eo-C.tlons 10 fnlGll those conditions,
! W 49, @ @-dch 10 realize the
pons.bll''.-- Eas unler and that
q cor".. ing OUT VI The contract with my
uncle ycrld Involve the loss to me OF
my love. On one side Of me was
Sy.a ca the other Chaubdis,
Though was twenty-one l was no
wiser IN love than when | was six
teen. and my nrle. who was past fifty.
was greater fool as regards such
matters than /. The truth Is the far.
Their we get from that period when ma
ture intends we shall mate the less we
know about mating. When we are In
II we and II are the truth when we
pass beyond II we know II by cold ex-
perience only The boys and girls 10
whom In other matters we may be
solons. In matters OF love can nc;
what we cannot even feel
This analytical statement Is prelim
mary 20 n confession. The first thing
I knew | was married clandcstinely
The marrying occupied about three
minutes. the ragged edge period that
followed occupied months. Common
sense should have told me 20 arrange
the matter with my uncle fret and
marry aftcrward But common sense
IS very sparlng OF visits 70 young PEG.
pie. II Is supposed 10 be a natural
faculty. but / am inclined 10 think II
an artificial faculty. What does a pair
OF doves know about common sense?
After our clandestine marriage we
lived in perpetual whlrl between al
ternate bliss and mental torture AZ
least / did. My wife. with the delight
full stupidity OF woman. said II would
come out all right Her prediction
was followed by my uncle's suddenly
falling dead OF heart disease.
Here was n pretty kettle OF fish. !
was his heir under pledge OF bachelor
hood. and ! was married. However. ]
was glad that the blow had fallen, !
was tired OF living under false colors.
Then what happenedl Why. when
the Will was read II was found that
the bulk OF his estate was left 10 me
and under condition. What condl-
49, n