The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-12

NdJOluS myself INTO IllS Dellel,
1 hesitated no longer. My mind once
made up, was seized with fever to
write such as l had not known since
the first days of my career in journal
ism.
Taking out my writing pad and
throwing myself across the bed, l
wrote with an enthusiasm l had sell
dom experienced. If one has not felt
this feverish desire to write he or she
cannot appreciate the feelings which
prompted me to hold up every detail
as / saw it and to lend IL color where
color might be lacking. Loving Miss
Ellen with passion that absorbed me
then, l described her as holy priest
might paint the Madonna whom he
worshiped and with the accuracy
with which the artist might put upon
the canvas the features of his wife and
children.
NY blood ran more rapidly through
my veins as / sketched Miss Ellen in
bold relief and as faithfully described
her honest father and manly brother.
The names and the locality were con-
cealed, but not more effectually than
the artist might hide the name Of the
mother model who sat for the Ma
donna. One who had known the art
list and his model would see in the
wrap of the Madonna a shawl the wife
had worn for q score Of years in the
humble neighborhood and in the in
fant Christ the idealized features of
the models child. When describing
Miss Ellen and her family l felt in
spired and uplifted and left nothing
out which thought would enhance the
letter as q picture. When had finished
1t / read It over carefully, altering not
q line, even adding here and there a
sentence which would lend one more
bit of color TO the whole.
With this letter I sent a note to the
editor telling him that l would re-
main in the vicinity of Oglethorpe an
other fortnight unless he wrote me
TO the contrary. / said there was
much more material about Oglethorpe
which | thought could be used 10 ad-
vantage So highly did l think Of
what l had written that l felt reason
ably certain he would make no objec-
tons to my plans, and in another two
weeks l hoped 10 have secured Miss
Ellen's consent 10 become my wife.
She seemed 10 know by intuition
what was in my heart and what had
a mind to do, for she avoided being
alone with me, and whenever we
would walk after that she would ask
Bud to go with us. There was a gen
tie dignity about her during these last
few days which kept me at distance,
and IL l paid her a compliment she
would show annoyance, and when our
conversation would become personal
in It's nature she would remember
ed TO or would find some excuse to
leave me with half finished sentence
on my lips.
/ soon saw too plainly that she did
not want me to speak to her of love,
though she could not prevent my tell
ing her Of it with my eyes and by the
silent way l would watch her when
she would work. Squire Hawkins
came again one evening, but she did
not walk with him, and once when
Bud got up to leave l saw her lay her
hand ever so gently on his sleeve,
which was sufficient TO have kept him
in his seat all night long had she wish
ed it.
One morning she received a letter at
the breakfast table, and after opening
it and glancing at the signature she
slipped it in her belt, and when break
fast was over she went quietly out OF
the room, and did not see her again
that day. For several days, in fact,
she avoided me altogether, and / be-
came wretched in the thought that /
had been mistaken after all; that she
cared nothing more for me than she
dld, for any one else, even Squire Haw-
kins.