The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-12-18
wooDsFIELD MONROE COUNTY, OHIO. DECEMBER 49, 1866.

neither one nor the other. at any Other
time / should have gone after her, ,coaxec
and caressed her into good temper; bu
now with feeling Of relief that she was
gone, sat in the window, staring out in
to the dark, scented night, and counted
the cost of the sacrifice. Long, long
sat there, long after the moonhad risen
and set, and the stars began to grow dark
before the streak of gray light in the
east. | thoaght of Mark, of what haG
9one, Of what I had given up,until wa'
nearly mad, for when stood up ane
closed the window before going to my
: room, ! had said to myself that wonlc
write to Mark Switzerland when morning
came, and tell him that / had chosen
once more between the two I loved, anG
chosen differently. Therefore | hoped
that | was mad; but [ wentup stairs quite
lresolved and quiet; undressed without
ever once glancing at the bed where my
little sister lay; l meant to lie down on
my pillow without doing so. but OIL ]
could not say my prayers and leave Milly
without the kiss had always given her
before I slept.
So l went up to the bed, and drawing
back the curtain, looked down upon what
had been for years my sole earthly treas
ure. The child looked pale in the cold
gray dawn, her golden hair was tossed
wildly back from her face and covered
the pillow; and while l stood and gazed,
my madness dying away,my old self COM
ing back, she stirred in her sleep, two
great tears .wellea out from the closed
eyes, and, with a heavy sob ,she murmur-
ed, chester"
Then kne.t down in the gray dawn
ing, and thanked God that my madness
was passed, and prayed that as He had
given ME strength to make the sacrifice,
so He would help me never to regret it.
did not see Mark Sutherland again;
but the next time that Milly went up to
the Hollies, she told me, on her roturn,
"that he had left the Rollies, gone away
to that dreadful India, and was never
coming back again." My heart echoed
the words, but I drew Milly to me and
kissed her, and tried to be patient and
forget.
could not forget; my nature was te-
nacious of what had once taken hold up
on it, and the course Of our lives was too
uniform and monotonous to permit change
and variety having their usual influence.
| scarcely knew, after Mark went away,
how the days and years glided away, their
course was so marked and everything
seemed unchanged. At first I used to
shrink and shiver at the chance mention
of Mark Sutherland's name at the Hol-
lies; that passed, and I pined to hear Of
him with a weary, anxious longing, sell
doan satisfied. They cased to speak OF
him after a while, as people do after a
long absent friend, and by degrees it
seemed as if he was only remembered in
one poor Woman's heart, who almost
came to think of him as if he had been
removed by death. So that one day Mil
ly came back from the Hollies, and said
as she united her hat and threw it down
"Hester, guess; who in the world do you
think came to the Hollies last night?'-
Not even ny thoughts suggested the right
person.
"No, no, said Milly, as | named one
or two; lsno; who but Cousin Mark, who
! went away to India years ago. / was {
mere child at that time, but | remember
ed him Instantly compliments he did
not return, the-by; though, when hi
found whe | was, he asked after you. 5.
/ Years ago, was 1t, since Mark wen
away? Ali as Milly spoke it seemed
only yesterday; the, jey, the sorrow, th,
i old plans, SO fresh now, were throbbins
wildly once more in my heart. He hat
not quite forgotten me, then? but did ht
remember me as remembered him?
Il do not believe you have forgotten
all about him. Milly went on; "and, lie
me tell you, l wonder at that, for re
member he used to be so fond of taIkin,
to you, Hetty, and he is the kind of
man that women may be proud of attract
ing, none the less because he cares yer,
little, should say, for women in gene
raln E
Greatly, Milly, you seem to have stud
led Mr.. Sutherland very closely, consid
ering this may be your first acquaint
: ance with him."
She blushed, laughed, and threw bacl
her beautiful golden hair
: mo, I don't know as | have; he deyo
ted himself to me good deal this even
ing, and I-couldn help forming my opin
ion you know. There is to be croque
party at the Hellies, and Mr.. Sutherland
made ne promise to come up and brin!
you, if you would come; but | told hin
beforehand that knew you would not
knowing your dislike to that delectabl
means for the promotion Of flirting"
e And, after this, it happened that Mill,
; either went or was sent for nearly ever
day up to the Hollies-where, indeed
! she was very much in the habit Of going
, while l, who had long ago ceased to car
1 for any companionship beside my sister:
S sat at home, longing with feyerish de
sire to see Mark Sutherland once more
2 and yet fearing, with sickening dreac
to meet the careless,f estrauged glance G
the dark eyes that had looked into mine
/, full of love.
k 1t seemed that Mark not unfrequentl
e accompanied Nlilly part Of tho way home
e hus be never came near enough to ou
o cottage for me to catch even the mos
distant glimpse of him, and my little 81;
: ter had somehow ceased to talk of hil