Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-04-04
THURSDAY, APRIL A. 1857

homeward; and even then Harry must go
round by Crane-neck Hill to leave note at
the Gilberts and bring away receipt for
gooseberry wine, with which his wife had
commissioned him, with earnest emphasis,
not to forget it, and a blue ribbon knotted
about his little finger as a reminder.
1t was an ugly road, rough and rocky be-
tween the Mores and Gilberts, but to Ned
Breeze, who had ridden through tortuous ca
mons of South America and along the rude
flanks of Californian mountains, it was like
lawn, and his flow of words faltered no
more than his horses feet.
"Do you Think" said he, at last, 81 met
Laurence last week !"
Laurence? All, how was he looking? /
haven't seen him these six or seven years
which is it, Laura?"
"Why, you see," Ned resumed, "he's
been very unfortunate, and he looked SO see
dy and wretched that / almost passed him
before could settle if it was himself"
Laurence seedy!" cried Harry; "that's
new character for the Captain"
"'Tis ndeed he used to be the best-d dress
ed man in the city. But he ran through with
his wife's money before you could say Jack
Robinson; and, to be even with him, only
last fall she ran away with sort of fsporting
fellow, whom he had invited to his house
number of times. 1t told upon him sadly,
though they led a cat-and-dog's life together
she always reproaching him with marrying
her for her fortune and squandering it, and
he retorting that nothing but her fortune
could have reduced him to such an extremi-
ty; but"
There was noise just behind them like
tho stumble of horse, little moan, and
then Arrow shot past them with an empty
saddle and galloped into the darkness. He
had started at something in the road, when
Laura, who had dropped behind step alb
sorbed in listening, drew the bride little
sharply, and he reared and threw her.
A young moon hung over the crest Of the
distant wood and made sort Of glorifled
twilight in the place, while they improvised
an ambulance of fallen boughs and rails from
the nearest fence, cushioned and pillowed
with their coats,upon which they laid Laura
and bore her home, leading their horses with
one arm passed through the bride, hardly
conscious whether she were alive or no--a
ghastly retinue.
There was great stir at Devon Place that
night-domestics running hither and yon,
Mrs. Harry in Mysteries the children waking
up in terror at the confusion, neighbors
whispering together in hall and chamber,
Mrs. Devon wringing her hands, and Ned
Breeze and Harry galloping after the doc
tors; but when the morning sun filtered in
through the Venetian blinds Laura opened
her eyes wearily, and seemed to look for
some one, asking, with difficulty, If the Ma
jor had come in !; then she dropped into a
dull, heavy stupor again, and the doctors
shook their heads over her. So the day wore
, through, bringing the Major, with face like
/ mask of ice, and he made his way straight
to Laura, and besought her to speak to him
! once more, not to leave him so utterly desc
! late but her lips only moved as if she tried
: to smile, and her breath labored, while pre-
. sently she sobbed to herself as though al
r ready she had forgotten he was near.
"Oh, if had never loued Captai,
Q Laurence !"
Then she sighed deeply, and opened wide
f her eyes, and great light filled them with a
: sudden, glad recognition OF some sweet
truth, as she fixed them upon him and said
+ "Itove you."
? And so the lids dropped.
e Laura had "gone over to the majority"
. !, Laura's grave was green before Geordit
: saw it-she would have liked that best; ant
, from time to time, as he came home on hi
vacations, he used to sit beside it with thu
Major, and recall her words and deeds, th'
tones of her voice, the gleam of her lumi
nous eyes, till, by-and-by, as he grew older
and other interests and pleasures engaged
him, she became dim, pictorial being
whose actual features he found it hard to re
member though leaning over her resting
place; SO at last it was only the Major VIII
! found his way daily through the long, scent
= ed grass to one green mound, fragrant wit
! ! lilies of the valley in their season-only tn
Major, TO whom she was something NOR
than name-a living, radiant presence.
Is 1t was more than twenty years later, whe
Y. Major Thorne had long reposed besid
a. Laura, and their graves were almost lost be
r. meath tangled growth, known best to bir
and bee. that man, bowed and withered
ID his face scanned with many burrows, his ha
I'd white before its time, was found kneelin
W against the stone in death, an amulet Of arc
to matte seeds shut into his cold hand. No or
e, in the neighborhood recognized him, but
sy could have been no other than Captain Bel
ne sarious Laurence.
ae So they wait-"'till the day break, ar
VIC the shadows flee away"
no THE END.