The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-07-21
The Forged Links.


very well, except the closing / have brought T
my characters through, but their disposal |
surpasscs my ingenuity"
With due reverence to the creatures Of |
your brain, bury some and leave the rest at |
the altar.
How absurd just as if L could weep
over the grave Of our laurcled hero, and then I
marry the charming rivals to commonplace |
wooers.
&" You are extremely sensitive but read
me the sketch, and l viii cXtEicate you from
your rather difficult dilemma Trust me to
add the finishing touch, and it shall have at
least one redeeming feature-a happy ter
mination If / were a writer, the course Of
true love should Iun as smoothly as a tide
less lake. ! would leave out the tears and
partings, the wrangling and diseord, FOR
there IS enough Of them In real life.
Fie Walter there would be no romance
in that; it's the ups and downs that make
life interesting. If ever 1 am bound by an
electric chain, the precious links be must
broken and forged again Why, intend to
have a succession Of hurricanes, beside one
tremendous tornado, with nay liege lord be-
fore / am married But dOnt trouble your
self about my story. l am drawing from
real life, and having immortalized yourself
1 expect you to remain in blissful ignorance
until the denOument
Beware, Lynde how you place me in
black and white before the public
The conversation related was between
Walter Cleveland and l4ynde Ward. Wal
ter was a man Of solid worth, but rather too
impetuous when his sense of honor was
touched. lie had been paying his addresses
TO Miss Fannie Finch whose rare loneliness
had won his admiration but upon discover
ing that she lacked that beauty which sur
passes personal charms, his attentions were
transferred to Lynde Ward, whose mind be-
ing too versatile to weary him, his interest
in her increased.
AT the commencement Of our story she
had been amusing herself by sketching his
courtship with the village girls adding such
items as she thought best calculated to tease
him. But his rebuke spoiled all her sport,
and she threw the paper aside. His lively
conversation soon reassured her, and dissi-
pated the transient shadow that had damp
ened her spirits.
In process of time he rehearsed to her
the old story so often repeated since Adam
first breathed it into the ear Of Eden's fair
daughter, and an early day was appointed
for the wedding. Bridal robes were IN readi-
ness, guests invited, when the village was
startled by reading in the Weekly Organ,
Walter Cleveland; an original story, by
Lynde Ward"
Stung with resentment, Walter met Lynde
with harsh invectives slipping from his
tongue She remembered having written
the piece, but thoughtit long since destroyed,
nor could she tell by what possible miracle
it had come to light But protested limo
ceuce was Of no avail His pride was in
iured, and he refused to be recOneiled The
engagement was broken, and from spite, or
some kindred cause, he resumed his courte
sizes to Miss Fannie Finch.
Lyndo at first felt only grief for the loss
of one she held dearer than life, but as time
passed other feelings held their sway She
had been the injured victim Of plot and
was deserted by the very person whose bust
ness it was to investigate the matter and cs-
tablish her innocence. She met Walter
often IN society with Fannie leaning on his
arm; her large dark eyes flashing proud de
fance, and glittering with ill-concealed con-
tempt. Madame Rumor predicted u wed
ding, but Lynde was incredulous until COM
PEELED to believe by receiving an invitation
to stand os bridesmaid, which was to com
plete her punishment
Too proud to refuse, with the village doe
tor as her escort, sho was there at an early
hour, and wishing to escape as much Of the
torture as possible she assembled to tho IL
brary selected book and sat down, striving
to lose herself in the beautiful pictures OF
the poet. Walter sat unObserved, trying to
allay his uncomfortable sensations in Moore.
He was not aware of her presence until with
startled scream she cried
Here it is and fell fainting upon the
sofa.
In a moment nc was by her side, the fatal
paper still in her grasp. He saw at once
that it was the manuscript that had caused
their alienation, written In her own careless
hand, evidently not intended for publication.
Instantly comprehonding the whole affair
he left Lynde as soon as she was sufficiently
restored, and sought his would-be bride
charging her with purloiuing the manuscript
and causing its publication She confessed
chat she did it, asserting that it was only ia
have a little fun, as the village was becoming
unbearably dull
And l viii be generous" said he, in
contributing food for the gossiping club
Would that this affair had come to light be-
fore matters had Zone so far as TO render il
both painful and dishonorablc to retreat
Woman should be the soul Of truth, the en-
bodiment of all that is pure, noble and Gle
waiting When she ignores principle and
stoops to an act like this, she has no longer
a claim upon mans respect No, Fannie
dishonorablo or not, 1 shall never unite my
destiny with yours.
The proud girl was humbled Statue-IikC
and white as her gossamer robes she stood
tremblingly before him, teaTfuly pleading
for his forgiveness.
Walter, you have kind heart, and j
you love me, you can, win pardon this m,
first false step. ] viii acknowledge thu
truth My regard for you was the only in
centiye to the act you deem so base. Yol
loved another, and the thought maddene,
me When the last CLEAN of hope had 1ed
and despair had grown weak in agony,
grasped at the only means that could say
without any distinct perception Of the enol
nifty of the crime"
Walter could not behold the violence G
her emotion as he replied:
alt is useless 10 proIoug this interview
Painful as it Is, I must, in justice to myself
decide according TO my sense of right, eve
though it might be against the dictates Of m
feeling. / am not actuated by anger or II
sentiment; my heart knows | wish you wei
but I cannot take TO my bosom heart {;
miliarized to deceit and falsehood'
Her parents were called, and the bond di
solved. The party dissolved, some please,