A Little Journey in the World

hool. There was nothing un usual in this afternoon call; Mr. Lyon's visits had become frequent and informal; but Miss Forsythe had a nervous presentime

days) which takes impressions retains all its delicacy from the fact that none of them have ever been developed, and perhaps it is a wise provision of nature that age in a heart unsatisfied should awaken lively apprehensive curiosity and sympathy about the manifestation of the tender passion in others. It certainly is a note of the kindliness and charity of the ma

seem to have in their ability to upset the Christian religion by a fictitious representation of life, but her visitor was too preocc

ss Forsythe, to-to consu

iss Forsythe, with a nervou

is, in a way," turning towa

es

why I stayed on and on. But it was, it is, all so uncertai

ow your own mind?" asked M

had the feeling for any o

very independent," suggested Miss

down into the coals. "She is the only woman in the world to me. I love her.

e responsibility of being against you, or-or otherwise. It is very manly in you to come to m

r permission?" h

h a little attempt at pleasantry. "But as her aunt-and guardian, as one may say-personally I should have the gre

aid Mr. Lyon, coming forw

ference in education, in all the habits of your lives, in all your relations. Margaret would never be happy in a p

as my

nt in your mind. Have you con

t y

en to any one at ho

t y

than the questioner knew. Mr. Lyon hesitated, seeing again as in a vision the astonis

lt, but I thought I would wait til

me a great deal of what we call common sense. Though her heart might be very much engaged, she would hesitat

current of his feeling. He thought of the probable comments of the men of his London club upon the drift his conversation was taking with a New England spinster

of the situation, "I was not thinking of you, Mr. Lyon, but of the family and t

er be anything else. But if it were otherwise, I

t there are Americans who make a distinction between rank and blood. Perhaps it is very undemocratic, but there is nowhere else more pride of family, of honorable descent, than here. We think very much of what we call good blood. And you will pardon me for saying that we are accustomed to speak of some persons and

if I am so fortunate as to win Miss Debree's love, I have no fear that she would not win the hea

its and traditions and associations of a lifetime and of one's kindred, is a serious affair. One would ne

to wish to bring any change in her life

to feel sur

have your

on with a man like you. But whatever I wish, you two have your destiny in your own hands." Her tone was wholly frank and

he next thought was one of unselfish consideration for Margaret herself. He would not subject her to any chance of social mortifications. He would wait. He would return home and test his love by renewing his lifelong associations, and by th

s are set up. A humorist says that he must have a great deal of mind, it takes him so long to make it up. There is the same apparent deliberation where love is concerned. Everything "contra" is carefully placed in one scale of the balance, and it is always satisfactory and convincing to see how quickly it kicks the beam when love is placed in the other scale. The lightest love in the world, under a law as invariable as gravitation, is heavier than any othe

er notion, fortunately not yet extinct, that the manliest thing a man can do is to take his life in his hand, pay the woman he loves the highest tribute in his power by offering her his heart and name, and giving her the definite word that may be the touchstone to reveal to herself her own feeling. In our conventional life women must move behind a mask in a world of uncertainties. What wonder that many of them learn in their defensive position to play a game, and sometimes experiment upon the

tter of the heart that Margaret received Mr. Lyon that afternoon. If she had doubts, they were dissipated by a certain constraint in his manner, and the importanc

hington. You know you recommended it

d strangers there to be educated

ou not wi

ocial opportunity; everybody there is in society. You will be able to

say there are

ions, and a code that is very curious and comp

don me-a good d

capital in the world where the principle of natural selection applies to society; that it is there shown fo

ry interesting

ey find society there more agreeable than at any other capital-at least those

e a court? I cannot s

s dissolved every four years. And society, always forming and reforming, as the voters of the republic d

uite an ide

such constant change, can still be what is called 'society.' And I am told that while it is all open in a certain way, it neverthel

t money makes your

so simple there as it used to be, and that rich men in the Government, vying with rich men who have built fine houses and who live there permanently without any Government position, have introduced an element of expense

so. I have spent here the mos

lattery. You will make

ad awakened something more valuable to m

world to us. Reading about foreign life does not give one at all t

see that life for yours

reached heaven and there had to confess that she never had seen Europe. It is one of the things that is expected of a person. Though yo

He confessed, looking down, that he had not been in Alaska, and he had no desire to go there. "In fact, Miss Debree," h

aunt?" said Marga

that is, that concerns myself. I couldn't go away w

of embarrassment, and said, with haste: "Some other time; I

uld not heed her hand raised in a gesture of protest; he stood nearer her now, his face flushed an

rrassment, and anger that her face should contradict the want of tenderness in her eyes. In an instant self-possession came back to

low, the worst a man can receive-a bludgeon on the head is nothing to it. He half turned, he looked again for an instant at the form th

answered, not looking up, and in

of all conventionality; but habit is strong, and he turned almost immediately back

ioned it to her. I thought perhaps she had told you, perhaps-I should like to

could never be anything but a

me other time:' Mi

her time; do not go on.

rent from mine. And you must not doubt my esteem, my appreciation," (her sense of justice forced this

e had really gone! She was not sorry-no. If she

dreamed of that, hardly confessing it to herself, and thought of such a scene, and feared it. And a man had said that he loved her. Her eyes grew tenderer and her face burned at the thought. Was it with pleasure? Yes, and with womanly pain. What an a

Lyon be

ry not to see you and say good-by. He

g as if to go) "did he sa

hypocrite, looking frankly in her aunt's eyes. "He said how

ing else,

ng to Washington." And the