Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1856-11-20
From Mrs Stephens Monthly
TIE POWER OF GOLD,
OR
MAUD, THE ESS.
BY J. 4. DALLAS.
TcoNCLUDED.l

amused at seeing the terror in which
she was held; but when she found that
every heart was cold, and every door
closed against her, she acknowledged
the mistake she had made, and would
sometimes, when not very willful have
undone the past if possible. But she
trusted to the power of time; and went
ON, doing her kindly duties diligently.
If neighbours child fell sick Maud
would spare herself no trouble-she
would sit up all night with the poor
mother, or to give her some hours OF
rest, while she nursed the little one; she
would think nothing of miles and hours
if she could but find some rare herb on
the moor which would do the sufferer
good: Ii any one was wanted, Maud
would be the messenger, and she went
more swiftly than any one else, the coun-
try people used to accept the convent
ence and vilify the mode, always beliey-
ing that she went on her errands OF
Christian charity in. some most unchris-
tan fashion. Yet still she was not APP
preciated nor understood; and her life
had grown into wild loneliness, where
III her love, sown broadcast as it might
be, was all cast back, harvestless on her
self.
1t may easily be imagined, then, what
under such conditions, Paul became to
Maud. She used to be startled herself,
sometimes, at the happiness she had
centred on him, and ask herself and Won
der, what he would do with a love he per-
hapS neither knew or returned. And
yet she used to fancy he loved her. 1t
was not that his manners were pas
slonate nor poetic; neither absorbed nor
excited. But they were so intensely
calm with such an atmosphere Of peace
and repose about them when Maud was
there, that she could not fail to see the
change. If she left the room, he was
restless, sad and uneasy; when she re-
turned, he was like q nursing child re
stored to its mother. He would sleep
sometimes for hours when she was sit
ting by him, not for an instant if she was
away. And when he grew stronger,
they used to sit by the easement, talking
forlOng hours together verdeeper things
than mere youthful sentiment, over
thoughts, and aspirations that made the
life Of both. He was always SO atten-
tive to what she said, so respectful, so
docile-that noble kind Of manly docili-
ty which is so sweet a thing, and sopuri-
flying for woman to receive. And he
used to adopt her opinions one by one
fighting hard sometimes, and sometimes
yielding suddenly, till she laughed and
called him her pupil, and said she would
make something grand out of him at
last. And Maud, who was no selfde-
ceiver, and would rather have heard the
bitterest truth than lived in the most en-
chanting falsehood, pondered over all
these things diligently; asking herself
whether they meant sick mans graft
tude, or a strong mans love. But she
never received a clear response from
either her hopes or her fears, so she was
iain to leave to time the unloosing of her
life's problem. -
When Eva heard of Maud's care to
Paul, and how all the world said they
were to be married as soon as the artist
was sufficiently strong to be carried to
church for they all declared he was be-
witched-she put on an incredulous
look, and said abruptly: ''Paul Des-
PREF marry Maud of the Hollow? he has
stopped low after soaring hight
Paul was weak and faint yet, and to
sit in the autumn sunsets, was all he could
do; with purple grapes, the rich red
leaves overshadow them, and the golden
bloom ofpriscots beside him.
GLOW is it Maud, that | did not think
you beautiful" asked Paul suddenly one
day.
''Because I am not beautiful" an
swered Maud calmly. But she felt the
blood come in her cheek, and another
light than the one now in it, steal into
her eye.
as thatmodestyo raffectation, Maud?"
Paul asked laughingly.
''Neither, my friend"
at must be. You are beautiful"
DO you think so? | am deformed."
Though this last speech was said very
quietly, bystander would have seen
from the quivering lip and the sudden
straining of the nerves how much it
cost Maud to make that confession.
mo, no. exclaimed Paul, vehement
". Il cannot believe it."
The gypsy smiled ''You saw it once
| believe, my boy. Whenyoufrstknew
me, you were aware of it, Was it not
sou
"Gh," he answered impatiently, 81
was MI blind then, and knew nothing.
But do not see it. And whylibel YOUR
self, Maud, when YOU would not libel
another? Why tell falsehood even for
modesty:"
at is truth, Paul"
"No, nor
you shall judge, then, for yourself"
She stood up before him and the SIAN
ting shadow on the ground elongated
and showed an evident deformity. >
Il grant this exaggeration, shethen said.
quietly reseating herself, ''but tits an ex-
aggeration of the truth only; it is not
falsehood."
"Why do you tell me this?" cried
Paul, mournfully. Il had begun to be-
lieve You beautiful, and was so happy
in that belief" He spoke as if some
thing had been taken from him.
"Chld in mind yet" said Maud in
wardly carressing his hair; ''and vet how
women love the very men they accuse OF
childishness! And shall | cease to be
Your friend" she said aloud, because /
carry little more flesh on my right
shoulder than on my left? If you value
me at all, is it for anything but my
heart and mind? II not for these, then
for what? You would not surely that
should trust to the sincerity of a friend
ship sown on the shifting sands OF fail
skin and symmetrical form? If so, al
fever caught by the bedside of a dy-
ing mother, or fab from a height
when protecting a wandering child,