The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1860-04-25

UtASJu6GAOQolL
face, meek, gentle, and loving, as was its usual
expression, now looked on the shrinking Flora
with some thing of that loftiness, solemn res
proach and gfieved displeasure, that we imaR-
inc shines forth in the holy face of an aveng-
ing angel. -s---z----------s-
"Why has another usurped the place Of
The question made the coward heart Of
Eustace Fame 7" ,g.s.e = - = 49,,
Flora quiver and shrink within herself She
stroEe to answer with some, degree Of eom.
posure., The Words ,.saf - .esS se3 :.
! g You have no.right, Evelyn; you are mista-
ken, /" fell from her lips, but her voice died
away to whisper rs she ceased. She began
to feel now that she had heart her better
nature awoke within her, she yearned to be
what she had once BEEN Evelyn's cherished
friend Tears sWelled in, her eyes, and eloNly
coursed down her cheeks So, e',.. Z, 6 s,
Evelyn drew nearer to her. She seated her
self beside her, and took her hands se0h,
Flora !! she murmured, sfonly prove to me that
L am mistaken, am ready, OH so gladly,sta
gotten. J" ~
Flora crept closer to her inyoluntarily; she
pressed her hand. There was. struggle yet
in her heart. between good and evil. Evelyn
was reassured, and she went on. ~ s.is,s.y -
"There has been cloud of distrust- of dis
content-betweeny you, but you will be- the first
to disperse it you will go to. him and tell him
that you are sorry; you will ask forgiveness;
you will be happy again. - - "a s
You are still wrong" !" said Flora, with sud-
den haughtiness' "I cannot do as YOU saw r
would not, If I could. Mr., Eustace Fame .is
nothing to me-. And then she continued
with q successful effort at proud calmpess
81 am betrothed to Lord Courtnaye - - 5ss
good IN the heart was vanished. She was nor
self possessed in her spurious pride.
Evelyn rose from beside her. Once more. her
figure dilated, and her. eyes flashed with .
grander haueh ehtiness than that of pride. on her
erewhiie ffiend. Her voice lost its tone of
mumuring tenderness; it was clear and reso-
nant when she again spoke. g
"And you dare to do this To bind your-
self for life to enc man while your heart Is
full OF love for another. For you cannot tell
me that you no longer love Eustace Fame,
Your eyes have not yet learned to lie. On.
Flora when we parted, but little time ago.
there was sweet holiness in your heart that
looked out in your face. 1t was your love for
him. You have sullied it; yop have tried to
crush it; but it fingers there vet Il Is the
only relic of my lost friend that recognise
Will you dare to crush it thus? VIII you
Care to suffer the brightness Of his life pnd
yours to pass away by your own Fill; your own
Insensible. Evelyn had elided from stern
reproach to entreaty. She was struggling for
the happiness OF one who was deareDto her than
her own life; she would neglect no means Of
softening and turning Flora's heart. But
Flora's words and aspect, the next moment,
chilled her as if with an ice bolt.
EsnSuch words as these" said she, in meas
ured tone, sit is not ct that I, the betrothed
wife of Lord Courtnaye, should hear j must
request you, Evelyn, to discourse of somes
thing else.p Est - 'Ss+ss -
There was a long pause, and then Eveiyz
once more looked afxedly in Flora's face IS
was rigid, calm with determination and strong
purpose But the eyes were not raised to
Evelyn's; they rested on the glittering brace
let, which still decked her arm, and with which
she was now toying. - 49,
s''I have finished, !" said Evelyn, in : low
voice, "and win leave you now. IF wealth.
and grandeur can console you for forfeiting :
your happiness, your truth, your peace, let it .
be So see now you are not worthy of Eus-
tace Fame; one day whatsoever it. Farewell lss
Flora did not attempt the detain her, and !
Evelyn placed her hand en- the door but be- 6
fore she passed forth she turned to look back !
on her who once had been her friend, And a.
her gaze fell on the motionless figure, thd
young face with its youthful expression oficy
the dropped eyes fixed on the
speaking ornament that clasped her wrist, and
and her fingers fitfully clutching it-as Evelyn
looked there burst from her full heart the So
lemn words of agonized compassion. "God s
help you'll" And SO they parted e = = ti2s 9ii'
Z It was spring again, and Evelyn Lester sat )
beneath the branches, just bursting into leaf, ,
of large mulberry tree in her fathers garden.
A newspaper had just fallen from her hand on
the grass and how she pressed her brow, and
leaned forward in deep sad thought -
+ She had been reading the magniloquent mars
rativs Of Flora's grand wedding, of the bril-
liant dresses, the costly equipages, and the de-. :
yotion of the noble bridegreon 70 this beauti-
full bride. Now she was thinking how he
would bear it. And her thoughts ended in q
ong sigh. eAhi xhet asaid thing il Uasteds
,ove 2" Qsf2
3 Let us forgive Evelyn that sigh, as she
mused thus and felt how the love which Flora 3
east away would have made her dreaTy life 81
blissful; for it was dreary life 70 which sha
now looked forward. Life to the young, Want-s
ing love, wants everything, and Evelyn had 9
never been blessed with the happy dream of si
being beloved. 1t was joy enough for her 2.
,nly to love, and even that was torn from her :
after asbrief space when she discovered that s1
he mere delight of loving vainly, hopelessly,sa
Is it was, the wrong. Poor Evelynl difaH
lad had little brightness for her az yet, CIV bsss
"He will, perhaps, go abroad. He may be 8
lbseut for years, and I'll shall never see him
gain. It is better thatsit should be so.--
Heaven only grant that he may soon hnd peace a
md comfort" ssazi ,ssa'es5 ~ s546 Asf-a
Thus Evelyn thought, while tears stole from 2
Ter eyes unbidden but unchecked But the ii
ustling of some bushes near her caused her 10 Ii
aise her head from its dropping posture, and ID
he could hardly repress cry when she beheld Il
Eustac Fame approach her. She rose hastily
rom the low bench on which she had been &c
ittino but her feet staprard nnder her and,