Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-12-17
THE RE- oNcILIA TOM
"A Story Of two Proud Hearts, :
CHApTERl

!. . sA Story Of two Proud Heartss
~ ass sf CHAPTER rs sa7foi =
-ssA mild May. fresh, and pleasan
e and bright; the soft sir full of II
songs Of happy birds; the wild flos
ters lifting up their heads in the sul
e shine, and the green leaves rnstlin
!, and waving in The woods, as if the
were whispering secrets to the gent
wind that stirred them. sa g
aI 1t was a lovely day-aE day to b
happy in; and yet saddened Loo
was visible on the sweet face OF Faitl
Egerton, as she left thee door Of he
house, and went slowly downthe gray
lei walk that led to the road side e
Her home--the home Of her .hus
band and cbildren-was a pretty
brown stone cottage oyerhung' will
vines, and surrounded by beds Of fra
grant flowers. Behind the house wa,
a.leyel and beautiful grose,' in whose
cool recesses she had often lain as a
child, and watched the fickering light
and shade come down upon the
ground; for the earliest years Of Faith,
fas well as these latter ones, had been
spent in this quiet Place. Here she
had been born-here her kind moth
er had fdied--bere she had lived with
a dear and only brother--here she
had married her first love, and here
her children were springing up--and
here she hoped to close her dying
eyes, with all the familiar scenes ,smil-
ing in beauty around bel.
She leaned upon the little gate and
looked wistfulIy up the road. She
was waiting there for the coming Of
her best and earliest friend. and the
sound of wheels made her start, and
sent color into herpaie cheek that
had long been Stranger. there. 3 A
dusty stage coach came. whirling. up
beside the gate, stopped long enough
for a lady to alight and give some or
ders respecting herluggage, and dash
ed away again. The new conner did
not see Faith for moment, so screen.
ed was she by the branches ola wild
rose that grew beside the gate. The
traveller lifted her veil and exposed a
broad, high forehead, shaded by silky
masses of black hair, a face well fea-l
tured, but grave, and full Of thought,
and deep, dark eyes, whose glances
were kind, and her smiles were beau
tiful. ,e.s -. !
How strange contrast between
these two women !! the one fair haired
and soft-eyed, with meek, quiet,
face, on whose features conteptment
and home-bappiness were most plain
ly stamped; the other, dark and proud,
and sell.sustained, with d look. that
said to the most careless observer;
eOh, ! have suffered J" Toone, life /
had been a fair summers day, with
only now and then light and happy
cloud, to the. other-ah! what to her |
but bleak storm, where every !
thing she bad loved ,witbered and
died? And yet they we're of the same |
age, Of the same station in life; and
side by side they bad sat at school,
ard played at, Iome, in the childhood
that lay behind them., sss,lg
The tears sprung unbidden to, the
eyes Of Faith Egerton, as she saw the
sfeadfast look with which her visitor
regarded the scene around her. She
ifted the latch of the gate, and step
ped out beside her.. ssi -.
Gertrude Gertrude Alewyne-f
won't you speak to mel she said.
/. Faith, dear Faith, is it your said |
.llsC-l sssal issil1 <ssE q
They were clasped IN each others
arms at. once. Faith Wept BITTERLY
1ut- Gertrude was pale and calm; and
the fair hair Of her friend
With ascarcssiDg gesture, such as one
might use TO sootbe q little child. i
Come, Faith, she Said atlast, as iff
weary of her tears; this is but a sor-P
y welcome to give me after so long
! journey. You know1 bever liked
o see you cfy g
But you are Sc changed, Gertrudep1
'eplied Faith. ag 1ssa' ? F'ssa1
We'll, and ifSI amt said Gertrude. /
1T Is some years since we met, dear
Faith, and theyhave not been mark
ID With roseleasesfor me- You must
not expect me to be quite the same
It twenty five as fifteen. Life chan
res ss ali, yod know aesl Z sgs1sa
Il bnov,' answered Faith, sadIy;l
but Ipe9ef knew so we'll till now. |
We'll. VIC will LET il drop.' said