Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-12-29
faint tingc of pink had faded out from her cheek
and left dead pallor behind

1Or taat out the little, restless, tnroDOng near
so late gay as bird, wild as bit Of thistle
down, and joyous as the warble Of a Juue rir
ulet, was breaking in its voiccless agony.
But the old man had rightly calculated th
depth of her tenderness, and his subtle medi
cine worked well.
The next evening, when Arthur Meredit
came, as usual, to while away the delicious twi
light moments with the musical cadences of loy
er's talk-that untranslatablc language whic
is so full of sweetness to the young, and sound
so direfully stupid to those who have passed tn
magic age-Amy was gone!
Yes, gone, he knew not whithcr No trace
no clue to her sweet presence remaining, saw
one tiny bit of paper wrapped round whit
rose bud, on which was traced, in fairy, trcmb
ling characters, few words. 1t said:
"DEAREST ARTHUR: I shall never sec yol
more. Up to this moment have been induls
ing in vain and selfish dream, and you wer.
too noble, too diSinterested, to undeceive Inc
know now that if you marry me, your friends
will desert you, your prospects will he ruined
and your uncleS affections will be totally alien
ated. You love me tenderly and truly ar
sure of that-but the time might come wher
you would repent your choice, and could / evel
forgive myself for being the obstacle in youl
path to wealth and fame? Dear Arthur, think
of me as one dead, but, Oh, remember that my
love ends only with my life. AMY"
Years passed by-the hoary usurer hcaped UP
wealth III piles, but the darling hopes of his
| lifetime were. destined to sore disappointment
True, he had succeeded in effectually breaking
off the love affair between Arthur Meredith and
Amy Stillman; but with it Lad broken the
heart Of the only person OH earth whom he
loved. All hopes of brilliant career or u
glorious name were shattered to the very earth.
Arthur moved silently through the busy world,
like one who walks in dream, taking no inter.
est in its affairs, no pleasure in its f,cnations-
ever brooding on the great disappointment Of his
life.
And did the old man feel no pang of bitter
remorse, as he watched the white-halrs gradu-
ally stealing in among the raven locks Of his
adopted son-the gloomy abstraction ever sur
rounding his brow, and the premature age set
Ting down on his glorious youth? We cannot
tcll-thc human heart is q vast volume Of mys-
terry.
1t was time when peStilence walked in dark
ness over the myriad purlieus of the great city
rumorS, growing every hour, startled the public
ear-there was scarcely a hcarthStone where
death had not penetrated, while tie de,troyers
sickle moved down youth and age, strength and
weakness alike. The atfrishted inhabitants fed
in all directions to avoid the contagion, and the
broad streets and thoroughfares of the city were
silent and descr,ed as the grave
The strong, arid glow of sunset was illurnin-
ing the vine-clad porch Of little tavern in a
small village, near the city, when two or three
men entered, hot and dusty, with carpet-bags
and vaises in hand. They were eagerly met by
Others lounging OH the st'ps, but none Of thctn
cared to notice woman, clad in rusty black,
and closely veiled, who sat waiting for the stage
on the corner Of the piazza. Yet she was very
lovely, or would have been, had not her face
been so excessively pale.
Well, what Is the news from the city2" was
querird to the new comcrs.
eWhat news do you expect? I have moth
ing to Relate but death and pestience," was the
reply:
"Ncw York is comparatively empty, sup
pose? Has old Meredith left his money bags
yet?"
"No; but he is soon likely to leave them
forever"
"IIow do you mean 2" exclaimed the first
speaker, while the woman leaned forward with
dlated eyes and trembling lips.
I" His nephew was taken i'll day or two ago,
and he became so excited and distressed that he,
too, was attacked Willie on his way to urge the
doctor to come more irequently-to bribe him,
if need be, to neglect other paticnts-he fell in
sensible on the pavement, and was brought
home in high fever"
"And the nepLew?"
{" Both are dying, they say"
II 70 ind;
topics. But the instant the relation of this ep-
ISOLDE of the pestilence was finished, the woman
had risen and left the porch. She could not
wait for the stage-she could not check the
strong impulse at her helrt-sun and storm
were alike to her. for what could keep Amy
Stillman from Arthur Meredith's dying pillow
Onward she plodded, needless of the burning
sky above, or the stony road beneath-urged OH
by one strong, unaltering hope "rhey may
be mistakcn-he may live yet Oh! surely,
God will not let Arthur die"
The next days sun was high up in the hea-
vens, Us the weary exhausted creature crept up
the marble steps of old Meredith's stately man
sion. She was met on the very threshold by
the gray-haired doctor, who started with sur
prise at beholding her.
"Woman, do you know where you are going 81
he questioned her. "Would you rush to certain
death?"
Let me co." size said, pettishly, throwing
off his OBTAINING hand.
| "Do you know that one breath of yondel
fever-ireighted atmosphere would be fatal tc
twenty such as you" he continued, pityingly
She pushed past him with all impatient ges
ture, and entered the gloomy restibulcs of tho
doomed house. In the same room lay both un
Gle and nephew; but Amy went straight to tLt
he sile of him whom she had not seen for ter
long years. Changed--adly changed. alas bu
still beautiful, with the marvellous liz ht of com
ing death
Two days she watched beside the dim lanlI
of expiring lile-moistcned the parchcd lips
smoothed back the tangled hair, and knelt be
side the pillow of pain, needless Of the fierce
ferer-thrub in her own ovcrtaSkcd brain. Blu
she had her reward. One minute before tn
spirit went forth into the vast portals of eterni
ty, his reason came back-he smiled at her witt
the old fuu,l Look, and called her Any," q
though they had never been parted, and thel
died!
That nights pare, pale moon lookcd in Oh tw'
dead faces, radiant with the beauty of nmor
tai love and youth, for death, in one day, hat
erased the traces Of ten weary years of pail
and woe, and lett only lovelincSs behind.
The uSurcr livetl-wherc youth and strength
were stricken down, his lioary age survived
but his existence was worse than death. Pco
pie pited him as he crcpt by in the streets wit
bowed down heal, and whispered how tn
death Of his nephew had affected lin butno
knew tie terrible secret Of remorse ever gnaw
ing at his heart, nor how bitterly he repentc
the fatal mistake of years. years ago!