"Daisy, it seems to me that an old and known friend is in general much preferable to the stranger."
"That is a good reason, Cornelius, and I am talking of a feeling. Mine is so strong that, much as I like William, I feel a sort of relief in thinking we shall not meet in haste."
"Oh! Daisy," sadly said Cornelius, "do you impute that poor boy's affection for you, as a crime to him."
"Heaven forbid; but can I help feeling that the charm of our friendship is gone? He liked me one way, I liked him another; after that, what can there be between us? Could I again be free with him? I could not; and to be cold and constrained when I was once so trusting and so frank, would be worse than utter separation. I would rather never see him more, than feel my friendship for him breaking miserably away, Cornelius."
I spoke as I felt, with a warmth and earnestness that again made my eyes overflow. Cornelius heard me with an attentive look, then placing his hand on my arm, said, quietly—
"Oh, Daisy, what a lesson!"
"A lesson, Cornelius?"
"Yes, a lesson, which I, for one, shall not forget. If ever I find myself circumstanced as was your friend, Daisy, I shall have the wisdom not to cast away friendship before I am sure of love."
"Cornelius," I said, earnestly, "do you blame me?"
"No, no," he quickly replied.