The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-12-28
NEW YEARS AT LEIGH HOUSE.
9.FT's rcoNff,I AI11An7

yvMnsrLeigh. locked anxiously at the
pale little Faces as Anna @eame in to
breakfast, butshe gave himya brave
sweet smile, and he was satisfied
Il never dreamed the little witch
had ~ much pride,Huhe saido to his
sister
'..She's a true Leigh" ~, was the
And Anna 0nlyg smiled, thinking
the day would come when she might
confess baltimore than pride sus-
S ish' Was Il sore gsafradaggIe II Arst for
Anna Leigh to again enter into So
ciety soon enough to prevent Aeonject-
ure as to her withdrawal Her en-
| gagement was so recent that mo GER
| tain itidings of itfwere afoat, and the
New Years party, planned that the
loving father might introduce his in
tended son in-law to his friends, had
passed without any supicion being
aroused of the failure Of its main OBJ
jects The days crept YEARLY to the
girls darkened life. In vain she
brought pride, religion, and duty to
bear upon her heart; there was still
ever present the bitter, yearning sense
of loneliness, and pain. She loved
her father fondly; she loved her aunt,
but she had given to Harold deeper,
stronger love than either, and her heart
cried out against the cruel separation
and the cloud upon his name. Could she
have thought him the Unworthy man
the public voice proclaimed him to be,
she had pride enough to have thrust
his love from her heart, even if she
broke it with, the rupture; but her
faith was not yet shaken. There was
some mystery yet to be explained; he
had been forced, perhaps, to join his
father, implicated innocently. She
knew nothing of business arrange
ments, but she was sure he would re-
turn yet, unspotted, and prove his in
nOcence. bAH 9D 4 .f1u4 sG934D
K Nearly a year had passed, and no
news had been obtained of the de-
faulters.i The bank was closed, and
the directors trying TO meet some of
the claims upon them. Excavations
against the name of the president had
gone up from merchants crippled or
ruined, from widows and orphans
beggared, from old men and women
who had been years toiling for the
sums invested, from sufferers and
sympathizers, till Annals heart would
cover and shrink, as if froma blow,
whenever the name fell upon her ears.
Yet in her heart she gave the lie to
every word that touched her lovers
good name. 3 ''e'',''. - -.
Summer was over and fall brought
the Leighs from Newport to Leigh
House, their city home. It was an
| old-fashioned homestead, built during
the Revolution, before the city was
more than ayillage, aud. in spite lof
modern improvements and additions,
it retained its old title still Annals
face had changed in these months of
suspense and trial. From careless
child she had become thoughtful
woman, bearing a secret sorrow hid
den from every eye The laughing
eyes of old were now earnest and
grave; the smiling lips frmer, the
face less mobile, yes sweet and win
ming in its expression of dignity. A
tiny woman, but winsome and lovely
in her dignified grace.
Leon Markham worshipped her. 1t
Is not too strong word to paint the
passionate alteration he poured forth
at her feet. He had guessed some
thing on that New Year night, when
he missed her from the room, but her
temperance few days later, her
gentle loylinesss all unchanged, with
only a dignity that might be the
=, L
pletely deceived him. He'had none
of the claim Of childhood's acquaint-
ance, for he had come from a New
England home to Annals native city
but a few years before. There was
everything to favor him. His position
and family were good, he was wealthy
and talented, so without much fear he
went to James Leigh for permission
to address his daughter. oa
The father was, delighted. Here
was chance to blot out entirely the
memory Of the prior engagement, if
lf--hls thoughts halted over that if.
Anna's demeanor was not that of one
who had forgotten. Yet he was sin
cere when he babe Leon Markham
good speed in his wooing.
L wish l could paint for you this
young New England gentleman, who
loved Anna Leigh He was hand
some, yet ii wassnot mere outline of
feature that made his face SO winning.
There was charm in the earnest ex-
preston Of his full dark eyes, feel
ing of security in the play Of the
beautiful mouth, a beauty of express
sion that made trust cling instinctiyeiy
to this man wherever he went A He
was that rarely perfect combination,
Christian gentleman. . m8aagEa
Seeing these two in the highest at
tributes of their hearts, you can pic
ture the torture Of that, interview
when Leon besought Anna to be his
wife. She admired, respected, trusted
him, but there was no love in herb
for any but Harold.
Noting the agony on his face when.