Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-06-10

! teheu her uellcate form as she uttered
these words.
Elinor Fairchild was beautiful. Her
alight form, was very fragile, though
full of grace; her beautiful eyes were
very dark, sometimes full of sadness
and melancholy, again of love and ten
derness, then of passionate feeling and
strong pride. Her little mouth has a
sweet, wistful and longing. expression.
ithough it sometimes be curved in scorn.
She had beautiful teeth, SO small, and
even pearly white; she had highly
arched foot, so elastic and light, so tiny
and we'll shaped, she had an elegantly
rounded arm, with shapely hand, and
tapering fingers, all so small and white
that her mother gazed with pride on
her beautiful daughter, who had not
married to suit her mother.
Reginald Fairchild was thirty and
Nora Rivers seventeen when they stood
at the alter of Hymen. Mrs. Rivers
was a widow, still young and fair, and
who loved to collect around her all those
who gathered in the upper courts of
fashion; and then to hear her gifted
child entertain and outshine all, by her
brilliant wit and superior know ledge, as
we'll as surprising loveliness. But Re-
ginald Fairchild, high minded, high
souled man, was passionate and stub
born, or firm, as he expressed 1t, when
ever he deemed the occasion; and now
deeming that his wife went too much in
company, forbade her going one evening.
Elinor was very high spirited, and be-
cause of his command, resolved to brave
his displcasure. He badc her, if she
went, never to return; and she did not;
but oh, the suffering that she endured,
when her babes were sent to her the
next day, and no message of love or
forgiveness from Reginald. 1t was now
three months since she had seen him,
and he had returned, stranger, to her
who had been his wife.
'sNora,' said Mrs Rivers, one morn
ing, as she entered the luxuriously fur
nished parlor, "Nora, love we have an
escort for the party this evening"
"Who is it, mothcr?' asked Nora.
with little interest.
"Gerlld Hastings" cried Mrs. Riv-
ers triumphantly.
''I think L won't go; will stay with
Mae and Lily"
''Stay at home No you won't Nora
you must not offend Gerald"
"Why not?'' asked Nora Rivers pas
sionately.
"Why not? How foolish you talk
Elinor Why not? Gerald loves you
and hope that you will return it. He
told me so, to day, and he is coming this
, afternoon to tell you; so Elinor, dor
your most becoming dress to receive
him.
D "What one, mother?" said Nora in
; the same passive way.
"Your pale blue silk, is becoming
love; but don't look SO white, and speal
e in such tone"
''Reginald bought me that dress,
That is Reginald's favorite Dress con
. tinued Elinor, in the same tone.
"Hush, my child don't say SOL ant
/ Mrs. Rivers turned away quietly, think
. ing of what evening dress No and sh
= would wear, Instead of the anguish he
lovely daughter endured.
G That afternoon Nora listened to word
II OF love from Gerald Hastings with
i guilty air, as if she had no right to lis
a ten, for she belonged to another, Nc
@ Elinor felt all the crushing weight @
her isolation from him She knew sh
, did not belong to him now. He ha
IT returned to her all her jewels-all tn
many presents he had given her, an
! everything she called hers though h
u still lived in the stately mansion i
le which they had past SO many happ
l. hours.
IF That evening Elinor Fairchild enter
lt ed the large drawing room, at lat
n hour, leaning on the arm of Geral
Hastings, his affianced wife while h,
TO mother, still young and fair, leaned o
~ his other arm, with proud, pleased al
for her hopes now were realized,
ne about to be, even though Gerald Ha
as tings was in every respect, save wealt
as in which he was his equal, below Regir
aid Fairchild He. Reginald; was the
K half reclining in the shadow of a dee
of curtain, nearly hidden from all vie
yet free to lcok, with a maddeniug heai
or at the fair young girl and Gerald Ha
e tings. He alCne saw, beneath the maj
ne lamps, the sparkling wit, down into Il
aching heart beneath, even he did n
h, comprehend one half of the wretche
ness of that sad heart.
as Gerald spoke in low tone to NoI
and, as she bent forward to listen, h
nix brown curls fell over her face and shot
ar, ders like shining mist, and Reginal
a unable to bear longer this agony, W
de about to rise, and to leave the scene
his misery, when he heard his name
ed whispered conversation near.
seemed nailed to that low window SCI
IN he tried, but he could not arise; the CO
vas versation which affected him was CT
af- ried on, with him for an unwilling liste
iv er.
"What lovely, graceful woman NJ
nd. Fairchild is; she moves like fairy o
of sylph.''
eyes, and her mind, if possible :
her ceeds all the charms of her person"
"Is it possible? How much her h
rer band lost when he lost her.
ess "Yes; but she could never have bt
to blame"
md 'Look at the angelic smile-a vir;
,ok could never smile like that