Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-06-11
HlLDRED HAYNE.
STORY INTERESTING TO EVERYBODY.

Hildred Hayne 50. alone in her quiet
par'or. 1t was late in November, and U
great wood ire'blazed on the hearth, light
ing up the rsmotest corner Of <the apart.
uent with ruddy glare. The warm
light fell full over the lonely woman, and
brought out with vivid dis,inctness every
line and curve Of her motionless figure.
Miss Hayne had, probably seea thirty
years Of life, though the silver threads in
her temple gave you the impression .ha.
she was older. She was slight and tall,
with deep gray eyes, abundant brown
hair put plainly back from her forehead
we'll cut, clearly defoed features, and a
mouth which had once been sweet and
wonanly, but now its expression was cold
and hard. The crimson lips, shut tight
ly, and there was steelike determination
about them at variance with the tender
light in the downcast eyes, and the
thoughtful curve Of the fair brow. Look.
ing at her face, you knew that all Miss
Haynes life had not passed as quietly as
The days she was now living. The exis-
tence of her girlhood was thing entirely
discovered from the present; looking back
upon it, she could scarcely realize that
she was the same gay girl who, six years
ago made the Red Rock farm house vocal
with the music of her laughter.
For six weary years she had been re-
clure. Her only companions at the farm
were the sturdy hired man and his wife,
who under her supervision, managed the
farm work. She had received no com.
pany-gone none abroad; she had buried
the world and its interests; and a little re-
moved from the turmoil of the city, she
dwelt on in seclusion. Little chilpren a.
voided her. Neighbors never ran in of an
evening for an hours chat with her; the
very dogs trotted pas. her gate without
battling to utter friendly bark Yet, Miss
Hsyne was unkind to no living creature.
She was supremely Indifferent. Positive
in temper would have made her more po-
pular than the strange, passionless apathy,
through the ice Of which Lothing could
penetrate.
At twenty-five, Hildred Hayne was the
acknowled belle Of her vicinity-,he love.
liest, gayest girl for miles aud miles
around. To her personal grace and beauty
she united charms of mind and heart far
above the common order. Sensitive,
high-spirited, confding, afrsctiona,e, she
won the love Of Paul Lancaster, at the
hall and with the consent Of all concern.
ed, they we're betrothed
Mr.. Lancaster was handsome. we'll edu.
Gated engaging in his manners, and selc>
willed. Never in his life had SIM gle
wish Of bis been allowed to Gle ungratif.
ed. He knew nothing of disappoin,ments,
nothing of sell: sacrifice; he was noble and
generous, but impulsve and reckless.
They had been engaged year, when
they came to Portland-the city of Mr..
Lancaster's birth-a fair Southern lady,
a distant relative Of Paul's mother. Isabel
CORTLAND was beautiful and fascinating,
and was much in the society of the Lam
casters. There is no need Of enlarring
on the subject it was but repetition Of
the old story-the FIRST love was yalue!ess
beside the second. Almost before he was
conscious Of his per6dy, Paul Lancaster
avowed his passion for the fair stranger.
and heard the words from her lips which
made life for him an Eden. -, # .. .....<
Like flash of lightning from cloud.
less sky came the knowledge to Hildred,
that her lover was hers no longe. She did
not weep nor raye--she. heard it with a
white face and nerves ike steel; her own
hear. was SO true and loyal that, it was
with difficulty she could understand such
dishoner in the man she loved. She did
not censure him for loving another better
than herself, and re membering how he had
kept her in ignorance Of the change in
his feelings, she was cold and uniorgiving
and when she sent Paul from her pres.
ence, it was with the command never to
show his face to her again SO long as they
both should live. ">7' %'''
From that time Hildred was an altered
being. She did not pine nor NOPE, bu,
her youth seemed dead. She went abou,
slowly aud me,hodicaIly; became hard
and calculating in her disposition, and
shut out all love from her heart. When
her parents died, within few months o.
each other, leaving her alone in the world
bos for her sister Mary, she refused tt
break up the old establishment AZ Rec
Rock farm, - her friends advised, ba,
lived there s.ill taking I'll The responsible