Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1860-08-09

four hours did not bring back Harry. Days
matured into weeks, and still he did not
come, nor in all that time did she see him.
And now she began to think herself quite a
martyr, and acted accordingly. In fact
she did as almost any heroine would have
done under the circumstances-grew pale
and interesting Mariana began to suggest
delicacics to tempt Sophie's palate. 1.-The
poor dear child was getting so thin" In
vain Sophie protested that she had no APP
petite.
In vain papa bought dainty gifts and
piled up costly dresses before his pet. A
faint smile or distracted ''thank you" was
his only recompense. If sister Kate sug-
gested that Harry's absence was in any way
connected with her altered demeanor, So
phie would toss her rim leted head with an
air Of supreme Indifference, and go away
and cry over it, hours at a time. Every
body thought something was the matter with
Sophie. Sophie among the rest
Her suspense and penitence became in
supportable at last Sister Kate, who had
come so near the solution of the mystery,
should know also said Sophie Perhaps
she could advise her what to DO, for to give
Harry up forever seemed every day moro
and more of an impossibility.
evil you como into the garden with me,
Kate p she asked, in trembling voice, Of
her sister one day, about month after her
trouble with Harry Il have something
of Importance to tell you"
$50 away darling, and [ will be with you
in few moments" replied Kate, casting a
searching glance at Sophie's flushed cheek
and swollen eyes.
Running swiftly along the garden paths,
as if from fear of pursuit, Sophie turned
aside into her favorite arbor, and, finging
herself down on a low scat, buried her head
among the cool vines, and gave herself up
to paroxysm Of passionate grief. Soon
she heard one approaching. and an arm was
twined tenderly about her waist, and warm
hand was laid caressingly on her dropped
head.
80, Kate, Kate % she cried in the agony
Of her repentance, Il am perfectly wretch
ed-you don't know why, though you have
come very near guessing two or three times.
Harry and p
Here convulsive sob interrupted her,
and the hand upon her head passed over
her disordered curls with gentle soothing
motion
Harry and T'-another sob-quarreled
two or three weeks ago. [ was willful and
rude, just as it was natural for me to be,
and he got angry. [ don't think he is
going to forgive, for he hasn't been here
since"
Sophie felt herself drawn in closer en-
brace, and was sure Kate pitied her.
Il would not have owned it to anybody
if it had not been just as it is" she continu-
ed, rubbing her little white hands into her
eyes ''but I think I love him almost as l
do you and father and mother"
A kiss dropped on Sophies glossy head,
and tighter was she held. She wondered
that Kate was so silent, but still kept her
face hidden in the vines.
'He asked me to be his wife," she con-
tinued, ''asked me as nobody else ever did
in such manly way that he made me feel
as though [ ought to have been the one to
plead instead of him. [ could not bear that,
and answered him as [ should not. He
thought it was because he was poor and |
was rich and all the time was thinking I
would rather live in a cottage with him than
in the grandest palace in the world with any
other man, only | was too proud to tell him
so to his face. What can [ do? Tell me
Kate, you are much better than I am, and
you never get into trouble. [ am sure l
shall die if you don't" And poor Sophie
wept anew.
'Look up dear and I'll tell you
Sophie did look up with a start, and the
next moment, with a little Scream leaped
into the arms-not Of sister Kate, but of
Harry Ainslee.
Sophie declares to this day that she has
never forgotten either of them, though she
has been Mrs Ainslee two years.
The Druses
We compile from the Philadelphia Press
the following account Of this singular race,
whose atrocious massacre of Christians is
now thrilling the civilized world with horror
Details to the 18th July show that the
Druses has burnt and pillaged Isl villages
since the 10Th of May. while from 7, 500 to
5000 Christians, inhabitants of Lebanon,
many Of whom were wealthy men, and all
strangers to anything like poverty, are
homeless beggars, depending On charity tor
daily bread.
Over and above the number of Christians
shot in actual warefare, it is believed seven
or eight thousand have been butchered in
cold blood.
The massacres at Damascus were not
known at this date
The Druses are singular religious sect,
which is supposed to have been founded
about 1920, by a Mahommedan fanatic or
hereto. The chief feature of their creed is
an intense Unitarianism. and although they
adopt portions Of the Old Testament and
Jewish religion, Of the Koran and Mahom-
medan creed, and Of the New Testament
and Christian creed, they agree fully with
neither, and have peculiar faith of their
own. They do not seek to make proselytes.
and even cndeavor to maintain profound
secresy, except among the initiated portions
go Il ga