New-York tribune., 1918-02-10
The Dickens Way

T BEGAN to think I would put it of Till
tomorrow.
"I hope your poor horse was not tired
when you got home at night" said Dora,
lifting up her beautiful eyes. "It was long
way for him."
began to think I would do it to-day.
"It was long way for him." said I, "for
he had nothing to uphold him on the
journey"
Wasn't he fed poor thing?" asked Dora
began to think I would put it off till
tomorrow.
"Ye-yes," answered, "he was we'll taken
care Of I mean he had not the unutterable
happiness that had in being so near you
Dora bent her head over her drawing, and
said after little while-I had sat in the
interval in burning fever and with my
legs in a very rigid state:
"You didn't seem to be sensible OF that
happiness yourself at one time Of the day"
saw now that I was in for il, and it
must be done on the spot.
"You didn't care for that happiness in the
least" said Dora, slightly raising her eye
brows and shaking her head, "when you were
sitting by Miss Kitt."
Kit, / should observe, the name Of
the creature in pink with the little eyes.
Though certainly l don't know why you
should" said Dora, cor why you should call
it happiness at all. But, of course, you don't
mean what you say. And ! am sure no one
doubts your being at liberty to do whatever
you like. Jip, you naughty boy, come here!
don't know how I did it. I did it in a
moment. I intercepted Jip. I had Dora in
my arms. / was full of eloquence. I never
stopped for word. I told her how ! loved
her. I told her l should die without her.
told her that I idolized and worshipped her.
Jp barked madly all the time.
When Dora hung her head and cried and
trembled my cloquence increased so much
the If she would like me to die for
her she had but to say the word and I was
ready. Life without Dora's love was not q
thing to have any terms. 1 couldn't bear
it, and wouldn't. I had loved her every min
ute, day and night, since I first saw her.
loved her at that minute to distraction. I
should always love her, every minute, to dis
traction. Lovers had loved before and lovers
would love again, but no lover had ever loved
might, could, would, or should ever love-
as loved Dora. The more raved the more
Jip barked. Each of us, in his own way, got
mad every moment
Well, we'll! Dora and were sitting on
the sofa by and by, quiet enough, and Jip
was lying in her lap, wnking peacefully at
me. 1t was off my mind. I was in state
of perfect rapture. Dora and I were en-
gagged.
What an idle time it vast What an un-
substantial, happy, foolish time it was!
When measured Dora's finger for ring
that was to be made of forget me -nots, and
when the jeweller to whom l took the measure
found me out and laughed over his order
book and charged me anything he liked for
the pretty little toy with its blue stones, SO
associated in my remembrance with Dora's
hand that yesterday when saw such another
by chance on the finger of my own daughter
there was momentary stirring in my heart
like pain.
When I walked about, exalted with nv
secret and full of my own interest, and felt
the dignity of loving Dora and of being be-
loved much that if I had walked the air
/ could not have been more above the people
not so situated who were creeping on the
earth.