The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-12-08

tE 8NI lnhnhB, lnO man re
piled, little hurt.
,H SaiN you know very well what
2eA 8#$ / mean. 1t would be foolish
44P worse than foolish-for
E3s us to marry and-it is not
because / do not love you
George" she added, earnestly.
What on earth is necessary-ex
cept loye?" asked the impatient man.
The girl laughed. "Much-much
more" she said. you admit for in
stance that you are absolutely bored
to death in the country, that picnics
any kind of outing where you have to
get down to nature is uninteresting to
you. Even today you chafe under the
discomfort of having to sit on mossy
mound instead Of in a mahogany arm
chair with a leather hassock at your
feet. You would rather hear the clang
Of trolley car than the song Of a
bird; you would rather eat six
course dinner in a brilliantly lighted
restaurant with music and the gay
chatter Of many companions than sit
down quietly in your own home to a
simple domestic meal with-with a
single woman for a vis-a-vis. While,
well, set down all the opposites of
the things you live for and you have
what / like. Don't you see, George?"
For a time the man did not answer
He counted the buttons on his CATERS
with the tip Of his walking stick.
''Is it as bad as that, girl?" he asked.
Are we as far apart as that?"
Eleanore nodded while she looked
straight into his eyes. 1--WE are" she
repeated, "even as far as that"
And there we stand-do WEI"
"Yes--you in the city with all the
lights turned on you; l in the quiet,
peaceful country with only the eyes
Of my family and my friends to see
me and all Of nature to commune
with"
1T doesn't look like a very happy
prospect for life together, Eleanore.
We're old enough to see that-even in
our 20's-arent we? But oh" and
there was a great longing tenderness
in his voice-'T do love you. do want
you, dear"
The girl turned away. Presently she
rose to go. There was no buoyancy in
her movement. At last, the thing she
had been fearing had come to pass.
They had had their eXplanaticn-they
had tried to have an understanding as
to why they could not marry each
other. There was no further hope
that he would tire of the life she con-
sidered artificial, the life she had been
brought up in and-hated. Always, |
when she began to realize that she !
loved George Davidson it was with |
fading hope that she studied his life, |
his fancies, his preferences. He loved |
every inch of the merry avenues of the |
crowded cities, every atom of their ex-
istence.
On the way home the man told her
frankly that If he could not have her
if she could not marry him and take
a chance with it all-he would put her
out of his life. He, manlike, was will
ing to take any chance to have her for
his wife; but then, she explained to
him, he had not given it the thought
that was necessary.
We'll, III travel" Eleanore told him
when they were. parting 81 want to
see rural France and Germany and
with you out of my life, George
might be lonely" she said a little wist-
fully She looked hastily away that
he might not see the effort with which
she kept the sparkling tear-drop from
down her cheek. "And--if /
find that | can come back and-and
live with my ear on the trolley track,
Lll-Pll come and let you know Mean
.ime, you shall not know where / am"
she said, an almost imperceptible
break in her voice She had tried to
30 gay, but she had failed dismally-
Ind she knew he knew it.
All right, girl" the man said, hold
ng her hand closely in his own. "Since
you're afraid Of adding to the long list
# mis-niates among our friends-Tll
emain as / am. I'll have you or no
me, mate or mis-mate. Good-by"
He strobe off with never a look be-
lind and she knew he was gone out
f her life until-"Oh, forever" she
aid, as she dashed away the foolish l
ears that pushed each other from her
yes. c
True to her word, she travelled She b
here and there and enjoyed t
hings as only woman of her caliber
an enjoy the beautiful, rare old things
he had read Of and heard of all her t
fe. il
When she returned to her own coun- h
y 1t was to take up her profession Of II
in the country this time a
he found home in the rectory of an 81
d church The minister was family W
lend and she went into the family II
tutor his two children with the priv
eye of having few others during tc
Id hours in the week. W
She spent many happy days with the Ii
dldren; she taught them everything ca
10 knew how to teach them from bl
aiding and spelling to French and yC