Year: 1871

LII OuC VI tAC iOWCf CUUutlCO VI uSlulds thS
writer of this happened to be thrown in the
company of two old gentlemen whom we viii
call Messrs. Jones and Smith. These are not
their true names but the purport of this com
municati0n is true.


1t was during the month of July 1870, al
the house of Mr. Smith that [ chanced to meet
with them. The weather being very warm il
was proposed that we should take our chairs
out under large walnut tree that stood in the
yard.


Mr. Smith was apparently about seventy
years Of age, and Mr.. Jones seemed little his
senior. They were both types Of the ''old
Virginia gentleman. They had been boys to-
gether, raised iE the same neighborhood, and
upon very intimate terms all their lives. They
had been cronies when young, and were still
cronies after they had grown old. 1t was real
ly pleasant to hear them talk over old times
After talking of many little incidents that oc-
Cured In their boyhood days, Mr.. Smith face
Frightened and be said to Mr. Jones:


''Sam," THAT was Mr.. Jones christian name)
''have you forgotten Alice Page?"


mo, remember her very well, was the re-
ply"


.'Well, said MIR. Smith, she was the only
girl | ever loved, and love her to this day. !"


did you ever tell her that you loved her p
asked Mr.. Jones.


Yes"


'And what did she sayzto t?''


swell, she was. as much devoted to me as
was to her.


why were you not married, then !?


''Simply because her family was not consld-
cred as good as niue, and she was poor.


Those were very poor reasons TOR two low
ing hearts to be torn asunder, were they not T.


Eyes, and | have regretted it all throug b my
lfe [ have always felt vacuum In my lite
that could never be filled, and that vacuum was
lust the place that nat nre designed she should
FILL My pride was too great to marry one so
far beneath me In many respects as then
thought She had never had the advantage
of first rate education, and. as you know, her
father did not stand very we'll IN the commu-
nifty, and felt as if Ii would have been too
great condescension Oh my part to marry her,
and gradually withdrew from her company
in order to forget her. She had by nature a
quick perception and fne intellect. Very
few ladies possessed more native intellect than
she The last time was with her, she seemed
much disturbed, and had evidently made up
her mind to speak out, let it cost her what
pain it might what she wished me to know
She looked at me very affectionately. shall
never forget the expression her face then bore,
and she said:


''Mr Smith, l know you love me- and that
love is fully returned on my part. l am we'll
aware that [ am not your equal in many res
poets, and that | am not fit to move in the cir
Gle of your friends. For these reasons see it
would be CALLING to your pride to make me
YOUR wife-therefore, think it would perhaps
be better for you if you would select wife out
of your own circle and learn to forget me.
fully appreciate your love, and feel the high
compliment of being loved by one who is so
much nv superior. [ had made up my mind
a month ago to tell you at our next meeting
that could never be your wife. You may
now consider our engagement, as painful as 1t
is for me to say it, null and void. Take back
this ring, Mr. Smith, from one who Is unwll-
ling to marry the only man she ever loved and
the only man she ever will love.


Il took the ring, but cannot describe my
feelings at the time. They were OF peculiar
order. | telt gratifed at the idea of being re-
leased from the engagement, for [ then did not
wish to marry her, but it was like death to
give up one that [ so tenderly loved. Oh
what will not pride make us suffer? Foolish
pride caused me to lose the woman that nature
had made for me- [ controlled my feelings as
we'll as I could, and replied that there was toe
much truth in what she h9d said-that my
friends. especially my father, were very much
opposed 10 my marrying her and perhaps it
would be best for US TO cease to love each other.
The tears stood 10 her eyes when she gave me
her hand to bid me farewell, which | took
without uttering word We parted in 81
lence. and have never seen her from that day
to this She moved to Kentucky in short
time and lived with her uncle


did you never write to her
mo. | tried to forget her. AS you know |
used to drink pretty freely IN my youth, and
that was the cause. INDUCED in the chase
would frequent every place OF excitement
could find to drive her from my mind, bu
could not. [ then thought If L would get mar
ried l would cease to love her. 80, married
my first wife, whom you know very well, anc
lived pleasantly with her, but did not love her
Alice Page had my heart My wife Was mere
| ly an excellent companion 70 me:


Did your wife not perceive that you did no
| love her ?"


yes, and attributed it to lack of soul OF
nv part. But it was not that. When [ lool
upon nv two boys, John and William, | low
them. but cannot help feeling that | woul,
love them much more if Alice Page were thei
mother


THAT is very strange, indeed, Mr.. Smith
they are as much your children by one woma
as they would be by another, and cannot Sc
| Why YOU cannot love them as we'll -


THAT would seem TO be so, but if Alic
Page had been their mother, then they woul
have been our children. ! cannot help feelin
that there is something wanting In their CON
position, the lack of which makes me Low
them less And that something sl9<he lines
ments of Alice Pages face in theirs. And i
their dispositions l can see nothing OF Alice
Could turn back the clock of time, Aic
Page should be my wife at all hazards.