Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-08-14

reality. A month ago and | was lgno-
rant, even, of your name. Now, you
seem the best known to me, the best
understood, of Gods creatures. One
afternoon Of perfect companionship-
one flash Of strong emotion, with its
deep, true insight into each others
soul, and the miracle was wrought.
We had met, apd henceforth, parting
would mean separation only, and not
the severing of a mutual bond. One
hand, and one only, could do that now.
will not name that hand. For US
there Is nought ahead but life.
Thus do ease my heart in the ST.
! lence which conditions impose upon
us. Some day shall hear your voice
again, and then"
The paper dropped from the read
er's hand. 1t was several minutes be-
fore he took up another. r.
This one, as 1t happened, antedated
the other, as will appear on reading
It:
my friend:
81 said that could not write to you
that we must wait, You were will
ing; but there is much to be accom-
plished. and the silence may be long.
My father Is not an easy man to
please, but he desires my happiness
and will listen to my plea when the
right hour comes. When you have
won your place-when you have
shown yourself to be the man l feel
you to be, then my father will recog-
nize your worth, and the way will be
cleared, despite the obstacles which
now intervene
But meantime! All, you will not
know 1t, but words will rise--the heart
must find utterance. What the lip
cannot utter, nor the looks reveal,
these pages shall hold in sacred trust
for you till the day when my father
will place my hand In yours, with
heartfelt approval
rs it a folly? A woman's weak
evasion of the strong silence of man?
You may say so some day; but some
how, / doubt i'll doubt It,"
The creaking of chair-the man
within had seated himself There was
no other sound; soul in turmoil
wakens no echoes. Sweetwater envied
the walls surrounding the unsympa-
thetic reader. They could see. He
could only listen.
A little while; then that slight
rustling again of the unfolding sheet.
The following was read, and then the
fourth and last:
Dearest:
did you think had never seen you
till that day we met in Lenox? l am
going to tell you secret-a great,
great secret-such a one as a woman
hardly whispers to her own heart
'One day, in early summer, was
sitting in st. Bartholomew church
on Fifth avenue, waiting for the serv-
ices to begin. 1t was early and the
congregation was assembling. While
idly watching the people coming in,
l saw gentleman pass by me up the
aisle, who made me forget all the 9TH
ers. He had not the air OF New
Yorker; he was not even dressed In
city style, but as noted his face and
expression, I said way down in my
heart, That is the kind of man could
love; the only man I have ever seen
who could make me forget my own
world and my own people, 1t was a
passing thought, soon forgotten. But
when in that hour of embarrassment
and peril on Greylock mountain. |
looked up into the face of my rescuer
and saw again that countenance which
SO short time before had called into
life impulses till then utterly I'M
known, l knew chat my hour was
come. And that was why my conf
dence was so Spontaneous and my be-
lief in the future SO absolute
Il trust your love which will work
wonders; and l trust my own, which
sprang at look but only gathered
strength and permanence when
found that the soul of the man loved
bettered his outward attractions, MAJ
king the ideal of my foolish girlhood
seem as unsubstantial and evanescent
as dream in the glowing noontide."
My Own
II can say so now; for you have
words with which to silence any un-
sought doubt which might subdue the
exuberance of these secret outpour-
ings.
81 did not expect this. thought
that you would remain, as silent as
myself. But meh's ways are not our
ways. They cannot exhaust longing
in purposeless words on scraps of
soulless paper, and l am glad that
they cannot. / love you for your I'M
patience; for your purpose, and for
the manliness which win win you yet
all that you covet of fame, accom-
plishment and love. You expect no
reply, but there are ways in which one
can keep silent and yet speak. Won't
you be surprised when your answer
comes in manner you have never
thought OFF,"
CHAPTER Xxx.