A Struggle for a Ring — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A MEETING, AND A PROMISE. 21 ‘‘T hope you will not be angry with me for writing, but I have been thinking of you ever since I saw you. It must have been a kind fate that led me to you. I am leaving here in a few days; let me see you once more. There is a beautiful walk here, called the ‘ Fairy Glen.’ Will you be there at three tormorrow afternoon? I shall await you—as Romeo awaited Juliet.” No objection was raised when she asked permission to go out. Do not blame her too severely; she was young and beautiful, she loved pleasure and happiness, she saw no harm in taking this great bliss offered to her. She spent the happiest hour of her life in the glen—the very. happiest ; every hour after that had a shadow over it. She told him all the simple history of her life, the uncongenial home, the dull, dreary school. He was more struck by her fear of the doctor than anything else; he could under- stand and appreciate it. **You will be happy sometime,” he said, looking into her beautiful face. ‘‘l am not very old, nor a great philosopher, but I have always noticed one thing—people have to be unhappy in some part of their lives; it is better to have it over while you are young. With a face like yours, fortune could not be hard always. Tell me, have you really never had one happy day?” ‘‘No,” she replied; ‘‘ never.” ‘©That seems hard. I should like you to have that. We may not meet again just yet, but I should like you to connect me with the happiest day in your life. I havea grand plan in my mind. If you would like—if you would have courage—one happy day is a great deal to think of. Are you brave?” ‘‘T think so,” she replied. cS. co ecomic 900