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309 A STEADFAST IXJVEB. «{09 in his. adoration and love for a woman that is eter- nally mirrored upon the looking glass of his brain, he is in a bad way; but it is one of those inexplicable, mysterious ways of the Almighty which finite man cannot comprehend, but he is permitted to endeavor to fathom such an ordeal. It would be presumptuous to attempt to commune with the Great All- wise, but may not a few interrogatories be put to you, dear reader? What do you think of the proix)sition that a male of the human family is compelled to go through the period of longing for her he loves to such an ex- tent that the wish becomes a mania? Again, may not the Giver of All Thoughts have brought about this state of things so that when the being upon whom the man's thoughts are eternally concentrated comes into his presence, she will appear as an angel, and the brute in the man will be so subdued by her presence that his conduct will be such that his Maker will re- cord in the great book of deeds and thoughts: "WeU done, you weak and frail man?" Or, i« this order of things brought about so that the great longing for her company and presence will cause him to be more con- siderate of the fraU creature when the time arrives that, he is given the moral and legal right to the sole possession of that one creature whom he has selected out of the millions from which he has chosen his one love? Perhaps the reason for putting a man through such experiences is to try him by fire, as it were: for does it not demonstrate the constancy of the lover? So should the last idea be correct, then if ever there was a man true to his sweetheart it was Alonso. It has already been noted what C!oronado vrrot©