Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1865-07-14

night before, with her simple white wrapper tie
about the waist witt, slken cord, aud her darl
hair braided plainlyback She took a small min
iature from her bosom, and pressed it passionatel
to her lips. murmunng tenderly: -nl.m'aq 1aaE
QUO Harold, Haroidi how can live withou
theo2 Is it worth while to suffer all this wtetched
ness, this separation, for difference Of opinion
Could not as his beloved wife win him. TO m.
country No, no, my poor mother hoped the sAmc
but hoped in vain. And yet, 0 Harold my spiri
yearns for thee my soul goes out over land a4d sea
to blend with thinel Icannotstay it'll would no
IL could. And yet this is all wrong. Imust b'
faithful, faithful to the end" ~ brt'
She bowed her head upon the wndow-ledge, ant
noaned aloud. A step upon the gravcl-walE
startled her; and,i looking up quickly, Edgar
Berne stood before her.
Agnes recovered her composure quickly, and ris
ing, extended her hand, bidding him be seated.
aAgnes have come thus carly, because havt
learned through my sister your habit earlyrisiug
and because leave in an hour for Washington
where pressing business calls mo, and must know
my fate before go. Agnes, am man Of few
words, and am here to tell you--what you have
perhaps already divined-that I love you YoJ
arc the first woman I have loved, Agnes. Ilay tht
first fruits Of my heart at your feet"
He stopped, pale With intense feeling; but it did
not need further words to ten Agnes she was be
loved. 'i ''''' ~ ."s
Your answer, Agnes p
"Oh, Mr.. Bernei take back your words: for II
cannot cannot be. have no love to give. De
lieye ME, the knowledge that you love me hal
brought me bitter pain. respect aud esteem yor
above most men but love have none to give p
"Copld you not give me some hope for thu
future, Agnes7 can wait. Jacob served sever
ye'''s WI w ' iv'pttpo' WV
Agnes"
at is impossblel"
And Agnes bowed her face and wepta 9CpTt) )
Edgar Berne grow pale as DEATH andii strong
man as he was, his hand trembled as he raised l
to his brow Agnes saw the action, and as he rost
to go said: TgEL UICIAW-9 W 7 4
"Do not go yet, Mr.. Bernc. owe it to you tc
explain why I cannot love yourj that IL will cos
me something you viii readily divine. II low
another Mr.. Berne,'' -p''.r674 u8 ',d f; ios frf
Z 40 Godt Not Elton Stanmore2 / could no
bear thatr
GNo. Il would be impossible for me TO low
Elton Stanmore. | learned TO love one noble ant
good before 7 left italy; but we are separated by
fate cruel as death"
Then briefly che told the story Of her love 70
Harold We're; her. pale cheek and. qnivering Ii
revealed what II cost her to lay hare her cher she
secret, And while Edgar loved her the more ,ha
she too had suffered he thanked her for her candol
Then they parted, ne others have before them
And 1t is the saddest part of life to think hot
uiaiy hearts have been shipwrecked like to their
Years passed away, going down in the murk
shadow of other years that had gone before, Ag
mes two cousins were married and settled In house
of their own, and she was left to comfort the oil
folks" she said, ,)aa yeritable I'D maid"
Many letters had come over the sea from Lor
We're 10. agnes, but the sorely-tfied woman wa
firm She knew that no happiness ever came fror
union with those whoJe opinions differed 80 wide
ly.' 1t was hard life, though; contrasting eve
what was. with the what "might have been.
There were hours when she longed with an unut
loved, and who loved her-there is this charm to
womsn-when to look into his kind eyes, feels hi
hands clasp hers would be gay without measure
Then she put these away and looked only on tn
long stretch of years that lay before her, and tn
time when she would be old woman, gray
haired, and full of peace, alone still, but beyon
the caring for it. But 1t was such long, lon
time to wait with that loved face ever before her
thronging memories; that dull thud, thud of com
ing footsteps behind her, which she was foreve
hearing. She would pat the face away, she woul
not listen to foots, she would be brave and strong
living her life out rs best She coaldnsIHJ
1t would have done very well, at this reasoning
if she had only not been o woman, with woman
tender, loving heart her exquisite sensibilitiei
her dependencies. Ah to make a woman augh
but what God has made her, You ninst first east he
into a crucibc and make her over; throwing i
much of wrong, misrepresentation, neglect lonel
ness, aud thousand other things, else there
danger of her copiing out pure gold, after all
Three more years passed away; the world VIZ
jus. the same; there was no change on leaf or tire
the sunshine was as golden; the flowers rs fair
Time and waiting had stolen par, of tho red frol
Agness cheek, apart of the light from her eye
and deal of hope from her heart but il 4ha
given her spiritual beauty impossible to describ,
When we meetlher again Nf(er these three year
she is visiting in New York; at the house of he
cousin, Mrs. Leonard Baker which said lady swai
on the very topmost wave of fashionahelife; la,
ing, by her marriage with the elderly Englishma
bearing that name, secuted all the requisites so
swim, i.e., Fifth avenue mansion, opera-box, ca
rings diamonds etc, etcl 1t was this lady's Gu
tom to draw around her, weekly u select circl
including all the elite in her "setr--lions, foreg
and natives literary characters, artists, fnslC
conversationists etc, etc 1t was on one of the
nights that Agnes stood wearily robing herself f
| tho ehov Shs yras tireH nf II all tired of hcai