Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-12-25
TUESDAY. DECEMBER 25, 1866.

''Oh, Edith, don't you think that Mr.. Hop
well has really proposed 90
4 Edith's iieart grew cold, but forcing
sitile, she said, .ai.i
!. '..Well, Fannie, what is there so terribl,
! about that; Of course you accepted, and W,
shall have a wedding soon.'
8 sNow that is just ike yod, Edith" net
tishly exclaimed Fannie 'sI tell you 1 Eil
not have him, aid told him so, tool"
what, Fannie, are you in earnest | You
surely cannot mcanlwhat you say 70
"Never more SO in my life, Edith I fatty
refused him."
Edith rose to her feet, her face grew pale
as death, her breath came in quick gasps.
My God, Fannie, what have you dbnh +
She uttered, and sank fainting upon the floor.
I"Fannie's screams soon brought assistance.
and Edith was carried to her bed, where, after
the use ct proper restofatiyes, she recovered ;
and, accounting for her fainting by pleading
d severe headache, she requested them to
| leave her and she would soon be we'll The
next day she sought Fannie and babe her tell
her ALL
Fannie said she did not mean to be so bad:
she did not think he loved her so very much:
| poor fellow, she was sorry, but she could mob
help 1t now she did not love him. and never
could, for she loved some one else (Herc
| she hid her fearful, blushing face in her
hands.) '''YeS, she loved Will Lauehton and
he loved her, too, and SO who knows, Sis. how
soon we may have a wedding"
Seeing that Edith did not smile; she con-
tinued:
.'Weli, I did.not mean to break his heart.
oh, am very sorry never will fiirt again.
no, never, in all my life !'
And she went off sobbing. but in an hour
6r 1Ts /:
All! Fannie, Fannie, what bitterpain might
have been spared two loving hearts if You
had made that promise months ago, sighed
Edith, yet she thought not then of her own
sorrow. she thought of him aud oh, how her
heart ached for him; how she longed to go to
him and tell him how deeply she sympathized
with him.
Thus month passed away, and during that
time Edith saw nothing of Mr. HopweIl; but
at the end of the month she received letter
from him, written from New York City, clos
ing with these words,
Thank you, Edith, for your nian5 acts Of
kindness, which will ever be remembered
regret that I could nethave seen YOU before
| left, but Edith, L could not. With this
letter bid you good bye, perhaps forever; 1
leave here by the next steamer for Europe.
Tell Fannie that forgive her, (thoueh God
knows how miserable she has made me y and
pray God that she may be happy. Good bye.1
Edith, my friend and sister / shall never f5ff-4
get you; accept this little picture in remem.
brance of one who has known your goodness
and an Will ever prize your friendship. Adr,su
Edith: God bless you, and may you some
times think OF your absent friend,
I. j. B. HoPwELL."
Many and bitter were the tears that Edith
shed III secret over this letter and the little
ffIra fIa4 81 n
sweet, uncomplaining girl, thino is sad,
lonely lotY'
Kind reader, my little sketch will soon be
hnishad. You ask. "Did Edith die of bro
ken heart? and did Fannie marry Will
Laughton (" Fannie has not married Will
yet, butthore is to be wedding soou Edith
st'il ives, ana no one dreams that beneath
that cain. peaceful exterior there beats a SAD.
desoate heart Her cheek is thin and pale
and she seldom laughs or sings now. vet, she
strives to be patient and bear her lot without
murmurlng. The love light on her hearts
altar still burns bright and undyipe: she has
ceased her efforts to smother the fame. for
she knows, now, that Ged lit it there, and He
alone can queuch it, She docs not give yav
to useless rePinings, but, often as she sits
gazing into the clear blue eyes that seem to
look cut SO calmly upon her from the little
golden frame the misty dew Of sorrow dims
her eyes, aud she murmurs 'sNever again. Oh
never more." ia
A year has flown away since Mr.. Howell
left his native land. By the, last steamer
came a letter from him to Edith, SAYING,
Don't think me tickle minded, kind friend,
awhenI tell you that on my return home
(Which will be soon) I bring with mo ono of
Italy bright starry-eyed daughters. love
her very dearly, yet, strange to say, she is not
in the least ike Fannie Her ewes are IKE.
your own, and herzvoice low and sweet asa
yours; Do you know, Edith, when look
back think if You had not zone and left
my young heart to fall a victim tD Fannie,s
coquettish charms, that Certain nair of
brown eyes would have taken it captive. and
that would have been as vain as the Oder
But you are laughing at me /; we'll. / Isiiope YOU
will like my sweet Italian bride."
Sweet Edith, her pale cheek crirnsons as
she reads her heart beats quickly aud a glad.
bright light shines in her eyes, but it is only
for moment; FOR it quickly fades and. press
ing her lips close to stife the sad moan that
would escape them, she gazes upon the writ
| ten page unsIl her eyes grow dim with blind
ing tears, and She sobs, 1T might have been.
but, alas it is too late"
Reader. this is not a story of lone atFo. and
should ever meet Edith's eyes trust she
l will forgive me for having thus psbiiciv told
her lore. Sheiss sweetand good, and. though
Fannie declaresshe Is horrid old maid. ]
will tell you thai she is not very old, as all
this happened hdttwo years ago So you see
the end is not yet i and / tEonld say, cheer
the dear, faithful, loving Edith, and who
knows but some day that that bright eyed
Italian girl may die, aud Tom H6p%eif take
unto himself second wife aud if he. reads
this, as he surely viii, two loving hearts will
be made glad and thus, after all, wedding
viii come from Fannie's flirting. 75