Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-12-28

she drove thither, and when she reached the
place dispatched her driver for physician.
She entered the humble house, and by her
kindly attentions endeavored to atone as
much as possible for the pain of which she
bad innocently been the cause.
1t proved to be the child of our acquain-
tance, Mrs. Brown; and the poor mother
showered down thanks upon Florence, who
remained long after the physician had per-
formed his painful Office; and who after pay
ng him had bestowed upon Mrs. Brown
large sum Of money.
You are Of the right stamp, gentle lady,
cried the grateful woman. "There amt many
would have done as you, may heaven bless
you for it. I know of but one that has such
good heart to feel for the poor, and that is
Miss Cora Harry, God love her sweet face !"
"You know Miss Harry, then?" Florence
was interested.
"Indeed, I do, honey-aint she the blessed
one that keeps me from starvation, and don't
she nurse me when I am sick, the same as if 1
was born equal ?" Then she continued
with the garrulity of old age. "Aye, and
don't it grieYe my heart to see her wasting
away like poor hail-beaten flower, and she
SO good and beautiful 2"
"Is she so unhappy then 2"
"Why lor' bless you honey, thought eve.
rybody knowed it; but you may be a stranger
here. You see it's town-talk, or wouldn't
mention it for the world. Don't everybody
know she was engaged to her cousin Eustace
Walcot and they acas to be married as soon
as lie came from .ji,,rin parts? But you see
like all other men, child, he has proved false !;
the whole town is talking how he has fell in
love with some actress or mother, and is about
to marry her; and all his family is up in arms
against it because as how he ought to marry
real born lady, and not show-woman. and
.fu7'iner too. Miss Cora is pining away
till she's worn to a sAader, and yet she don't
say word to him. All! itseems to me lady,
that the good suffers most in this world, though
it may be wicked in me to say So"
Florence left the house-sick as death she
was driven through the streets to her Hotel.
1t was not the same world which her eyes
rested upon an hour before-all was changed
because OF the pang within, which could never
nevermore leave her heart
Oh! Gossip! demon that constantly de-
stroys the happiness of mortals, for how much
wilt thou have to answer.
When Eustace Walcot called to receive his
final answer from Florence, letter was
handed him.
StuDg to madness he read:
"The Opera season is over, and the Opera
singer is gone from your sight forever! When
this reaches you shall be miles away. Forget
my existence, for our paths sever to meet no
more. 1t was by accident learned the an
guish of which have been the unconscious
cause. I have erred ignorantly; and YOU,
oh! Eustace, can you have sinned wilfully (!
They tell me that your betrothed is good as
she is lovely. I would not come between
her and her happiness; nor would cause
you to break VOW you might live to regret.
1 know that you love me, and yet let me hope,
even though the thought be more painful
than death, that your passion is momentary,
and will die in our separation. They tell
me too that your relatives scorn your humble
love, so it were better that we part, although
you were free as once deemed you.
"Eustace, we have been very happy togeth-
er; the miserable life throug h which had
passed faded into nothingness when your smile
rested upon me-when your hand clasped
mine. have had glimpse of heaven, but
the gates are closed against me, and now
back to the world, and the petty triunphs
which must hcnceforth be my all Of life. /
bless you, my beloved one, for the joy you
have given me. bless you for the happy
hours which were as stars in the black sky of
my existence. will not say .forgire you,
for have nothing to forgiye-the heart is
sometimes beyond our control, and does not
always 60 to the one whom fate wills should
possess the hand. Yet oh ! Eustace, lore
your betrothed. She is your equal in birth
and standing. ! lam only q stray wair cast upon
the shores of time for some unknown pur-
pose, to glitter and dazzle awhile like short
lived meteor, and tken to die, and be
forgotten.
"My hand fingers DER tue sheets, and
feel that | could write forever. We may
meet no more save in the duties Of my pro-
fession. Should you see me thus, close your
heart against our leye-stare at me as the
rest, and forget the woman in the Prima
Ji0R7ia.
"Perhaps I shall see hcr at your side-the
sight will be maddening. Yet Eustace promise
10 look at me as though the past had never
been-as though we had ncrer met.
g My brain wanders, and a mist swims before
my eyes. Dear Eustacc, canNot say ,tare-
arel1, but can and do say from my heart God
bless you always!
FLORENCE DE WERE"
A year passed away; and Eustace mad only
heard from Florence through the public
newspapers. The last intelligence had been
paragraph stating that she had failed to full
fill a professional engagement in Paris because
of impaired health caused by a severe cold,
contracted in the trying climate of America.
He made no effort to regain her, for the reply
which he had written to her farewell note had
been returned unread. lie travelled occa-
sionally- "ay in society, and to the world
he seemed 80 .. .le as ever. One only knew
his sorrow-tor the ,corld said that lie had
forsaken the cantatrice and ranked him among
the " gay deccivers"--one only kept him
from lnisanthropy, and that was Cora Harry.
Another year died; and then on Christmas