The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-24

ana there wandered about till day
light. saw the sun rise, and the
golden little waves ripple in with the
tide, and the white cliffs become rud-
dy as the day came in. And in the
face of all that eternal glory and
strength and tranquility, 1 felt the
folly and the impotence of my anger,
the vanity of struggling against what
was to be and by degrees I came to
see things in their true light, and to
say to myself what I have Just said to
you. Rosy, that man will never love
you as I love you /; it is not in him,
and he is not worthy of you. I tell
you so, not because am jealous of
him, but because [ know it of a truth
Nevertheless, if you prefer him tc me,
and that l stand in the way of what
you consider your happiness, Rosy
let me say, my Rosy, if it be for she
last time-I give you back your free
DOM
"stephen, o dear Stephen, how
good you are to me how little I de:
serve it ! But indeed. indeed, you
only do me justice in thinking have
not been deceiving you. 1t was not
till last night that really knew II
preferred Mr.. Wilbraham. Oh, can
you forgive me can you bear it {?
Oh, what a change-what a heart
break! for papa, for everybody I
wish [ never had seen Mr.. Wilbra-
ham. But I can't helpi t, Stephen !;
you believe that %
''1es, Rosy; you never wilfully de-
ceived me in your life, and I believe
You have not yielded to this feeling
without many struggles. Let them
be over now. Shall I tell your
father 90
"Will you ? Oh, it viii save me SO
much But no I have no right to
save myself No, dear Stephen, will
do it What a wretch L am-and
you, what can call you ?''
"1our friend I shall always be.
Rosy. Dear child, dear, darling love
of my heart it seems like such a
terrible nightmare to think that you
are mine no longer! To think-after
the delicious months of peaceful, hap
Ply, holy love, of tranquil security
have enjoyed-that all is swept away
in an instant, and that I am to go
forth alone, tossed hither and thither
over the worlds tide, leaving to an
other all that deemed so wholly nv
own. And l do not feel the worst or
the fullest of it yet Oh, Rosy, Rosy,
it is Killing! I thought had made up
my mind to bear it but when see
you--!'
He passed his hand rapidly across
his eyes, and Rosy sobbed aloud
"Of course" he went on, after q
pause, II can't stay here and see it..
Tomorrow shall go to town to wind
up my different matters, and in a week
at furthest 1 shall be across the
water
"Where do you go, Stephen 2"
Heaven knows if it could be amy
where, anywhere out of the world, ut
would be all the better
"You'I bid papa good-by o
Eyes, yes, Of course. I'll come to-
morrow morning; you'll tell him in
the meantime. And now, Rosy, best
and only beloved Of women, may God
bless and protect you, and make you
as happy with your new choice as
once fancied you would be with no !
One kiss, Rosy-the last of all the
hundreds I have, in undoubting Sc
curity, taken. Farewell -
He strained her to his breast with
a long and convulsive embrace, and
without another word departed.
She stood some time on the spot
where he had left her, bewildered by
the suddenness of the scene, by the
novelty of her position. For an
instant, her impulse was to call him
back. Was it thus that was to end
forever an engagement she had, not
many months back, willingly entered
into with the man she had, almost
from her childhood, esteemed above
all others-the dearest friend of her
absent brother, the man whom her
father regarded as another son? How