Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-05-05

What1 hau d0ne d2T:nS her absence, telling
mo, too, of her travels, of the people she had
seen and the places she had visited, but never
word said she of him she called her husband.
From the bank where We sat, the village grave
yard was discernible, with its marble cleaning
through the trees, and at last, as her eye wan
dercd in that direction, she said, " Have any
of our villagers died Mothers letters wero
never very definite"
Yes" ] answered, "our minister, Mr..
Sumner, died two months ago"
Who takes his place 2" she asked; and,
as if suspicion of the truth were flashing
upon her, her eyes turned toward me with an
eager, startled glance.
Walter Beaumont ITeis 10 be ordained
next Sabbath, ard you arc Just in time" ]
replied, rcgrctt;ng my words the next instant;
for never saw | 50 fearful .uvk of anguish as
that which swept over her face, and was sue
cecdcd by cold, hard defiant expression,
scarcely less painful to witness.
She would have questioned nc of him,
think, had not an approaching footstep caught
our ear, sending crimson flush to Cora's
hitherto marble check, and producing on me
most unpleasant sensation, for | knew that
the grayhared man now within few PAGES
Of us, was he who called that young creature
his wife. Golden was the chain by which he
had bound her, md every link was set with
diamonds and costly stones, but it had rusted
and eaten to her very hearts core, for the most
precious gem of all was missing from that
chain-lovc for her husband, who, fortunate
~ for his own peace of mind, vas too concet-
ed to dream how little she cared for him. -
| He was not handsome, and still many would
have called him fnc-looking, middle-agcd
man, though there was something disagreeube
in his thin, compressed lips and intensely black
eycs-the one betokening a violent temper,
and the other an indomitablc will To me he
was exceedingly politc--ratber too much SO
for my perfect ease, while toward Cora he tried
to be very afectionatc.
Seating himself at her side and throwing
his arm around her. he called her 'littlc
truant," and asked "why she had run away
| from him Z"
Half pcttishly she answered, "Bccouse
like sometimes to be 0lone;" then, rising up
and turning toward me. she asked if I" the
water still ran over the old mil-dam in the
west woods Just as it used to do" saying If
it did, she wished to sec it, {" You cans
60" she continued, addressing her husband,
" for it is more than a mile, over fences and
ploughed fields"
J This was sufficient, for Mr. Douglass was
dress, and had no fancy for soiling his white
pants or patent feathers. So Cora and set off
together, while he walked slowly back to the
village. Scarcely was he out of sight, how
ever, when, seating herself beneath a tree
and throwing her hat upon the ground, Cora
announced her intent of not going any fur
ther.
" only wished to be alone. ! breathe so
much BETTER" she said and when Il looked
inquiringly at her, she continued, "Never
marry man for his wealth. I.ottie, unless you
wish to bccouIe rs hard, as wicked and unhap-
py as | am. John Douglass is worth more
than half million, and yet ! would give it
ALI | were the same little girl who, six years
ago. waded with you through the snow drifts
to school on thatstormy day. Do you remcm-
bcr what We played chat noon, aud my fool
ish remark that would marry for money and
diamonds Woe is me- I've won them both"
and her tears fell fast on the sparkling gems
whfcT covered her slender fingers.
Just then saw in the distance young
man whom knew to be Walter Beaumont -
He seemed to be approaching us, and when
Cora became aware of that, she started up,
and, grasping my arm, hurried away, saying,
as she cast backward fearful glance, {" would
rather die than meet him now | am not pre-.
pared"
For the remainder of the way we walked
on III silence, until we reached her mothers
gate, where we found her husband waiting for
! her. Bidding me Pood-mornng, she followed
him slow'' IN the gravoled walk, and | saw
her no more until the following Sabbath 1t
was gloriously beautiful morning, aud at an
early hour the old brick churrh was filed to
overilowng, for Walter had many friends, and
they came together gladly to- sec him made a
minister of God During the first part of
the service he was very pale, and his eye wan
dered often toward the large, square pew,
where sat portly man and beautiful Young
woman, richly attired in satin and jewels 1t
had cost her a struggle to be there, but she
felt that she must look again on one whom she
had loved so much and so deeply wrongcd -
SO she came, and the sight of him standing
there in his early manhood, his soft brown
hair clustering about his brow, and his calm,
pale face wearing an expression almost angel
lc, was more than she could bear, and leaning
forward she kept her countenance concealed
from view until the ceremony was ended, and
Walters clear, musical voice announced the
closing hymn Then she raised her head
and her face, seen through the folds of her
costly veil, looked haggard and ghastly, as if
fierce storm of passion had swept over her.
By the door she paused, and when the newly
ordained clergyman passed out, she offered
him her hand-the hand which, when he
held it last, was pledged to him. There were
diamonds ON it now-diamonds of value rare,
but their brightness was hateful to that
| Tpr ichp f,,.c Il, 4