Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-03-30

| NV oohSo ebbeuS duo SOtuo Oue tnat lie
did not kuow-a tall, pleasant-faced young
man, with clear blue eyes and brown hair,
like Genevieve's he thought, only not quite
as handsome, led her to a seat. The
young man bent over her chair, whispering
softly to her; and Genevieves blue eyes
looked up into his face with an expression
in their depths that startled Roscoe's Var
ley, look Of deep interesE with shade
OF anxiety, lie thought-not look of mere
friendship but something moro he fancied.
She was not usel to listen so attentively
ard with such earnest, thoughtful eyes to
ballroom.t talk, never the kind of conyersa.
tion to call up the deeper feelings Of her
womanly nature, the kind of feelings ex-
pressed on her face as she watched her.
lie saw her take something from her
hair. 1t glittered and gIistened in the
lamplight like frost in the early sunshine.
She held it up to her companion, and he
took it and put it away carefully in case
that held the miniature, doubtless, of some
friend.
Roscoe Varley saw it plainly enough,
and heard her say as she gave it to the
young man, heard her SO distinctly that
there could be no mistaking her words.
"Keep that as a gift of friendship from
me, Will. 1t was sent TO me this after
noon, with the request to wear it to. night,
by person that hardly like we'll enough
10 include among my friends; consequently,
do not care to keep his gifts as should
those Of Others"
Was he really hearing arighta Roscoe
Varley doubted for a moment, but there
was no room for doubt. Her voice yibra-
brated in his ear, and the cold bitter words
that she was saying burnt themselves into
his heart like words of doom.
False! and he had thought her the soul
Of all that is pure and womanly in woman.
Sic had smiled on him, and beguiled him
into the sweet belief that she loved him,
and won away bis heart for the cake Of
trampling it beneath her feet. What a
pi,iful fool lie had been! Hc had fallen
victim to a heartlesa, .fathless woman-a
woman undeserving the name-a woman
that won mems hearts and cast them aside
as she did wi.hered flowers, valuiDg them
as lightly.
lie turned away from the light and glare
and mockery Of the scene before bin, with
heart full Of selfscorn and ashamed Of
its own weakness. The dream was over.
The playsanishcd, aud the curtain down !;
and what had seemed real and life like was
the skilful impersoua,ion of eopanmmate
actress, nothing more. He shadloolsed
behind the scenes for one moment, but
that WAS sufficient, and at last he was, un-
The afternoon sunshine lay warn, and
bright on tbeJudean landscape. The far.
off hills were clothed in purple mists, and
their outlines showed family against the
blue sky behind them. "A dreamy solemn
languor seemed to fli the airs, stiffness
halt divine. : - >,
A man stood on the hillside and looked
away to the blue bills beyond, lying dim
and indistinct in the hazv sunshine, with
strange thoughts at his heart. There
where he was standing, years and years
before, Christ had stood. The air seemed
full Of His holy presence still. The sound
Of His voice seemed to linger in the quiet
cir. There He had spoken words Of holy
inspiration-words that had given peace
to many weary, restless, troubled hearts.
The place seemed full Of divine influences.
Roscoe varley's eyes grew dim and misty,
and his heart soitened beneath the strange
feelings that the scene called up. 1t seem.
ed almost like aacrilegs for man to tread
where the Son of God had stood, but the
peace and quiet that his heart had known,
but which had been denied His earthly
life, seemed to permeate the air and affiliate
with all around. There He had spoken
words Of forgiveness to those who had
J prosecuted Him, and had driven Him out
from the walls Of. the Holy City. Roscoe
Varley asked himself as he stood there, II
he could forgive and cast out from bis
heart all hardness sgain.s his fellow man;
Could he forgive the woman that had made
fhis iifs a-dssolate, one-thst had wrecked
his hopes Of happiaess:. He: had ne1e,
forgiven her; ;tor,s always the memory q
; that night whenthebad found ous her faithl.
lessuess came back to him when be thought
of bs, and In his hssft sksshsld shsnguihy
IL crime 10 wb;Sh ttle4lsx sitsssno name
or penalty, but crime nsvsr.heless--ths
erins of xiuhips ID ats e / i i, sad 81 swsrAotEng
| thf "A. II aaai.nxins shanninaaa and hlishte.