The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1868-12-07

him swiftly homeward.
had always been afraid Of Lightning
from child, but never had it found me
in such fearful position as this. Far
from home, with my riding-habit drenched
with the rain that was now falling in tor
rents, and no haven of shelter in sight,
is it any wonder that it needed all my
nerve to keep up my sinking courage?
A forlorn, desolate picture must have
made as, an hour later, when the storm
had all passed and the sun was struggling
through broken riffs in the clouds, drew
rein before the door, where Edgar and
my guardian We're excitedly pacing the
veranda.
They rushed forward to assist me in
dismonnting, but the moment they had
reached me the excitement that had thus
far sustained me gave way, and l fell,
faint and powerless, into the arms Of ny
guardian, who reached me FIRST.
Your long absence frightened us so,
Ida,' he exclaimed: land We neither
knew where to seek you. Poor child,
you are drenched to the skim" and he at
tempted to carry INC into the house past
Edgar. But the passionate, boyish face
was between him and the door, and Ed
gar holly exclaimed:
GIVE her to me. Mine is the prior
right; she is my promised wife. Ida,
come to NE, darling" and his tones mel
lowed into tenderness as he held out his
arms toward me.
l was too weak to move, as lay quite
still, looking hclplessly at him.
$50 you hcar?' he cried. 'Ida, you
must decile between us two, and now"
Preached out my hands to him with a
sobbing cry, and suffered him to lift me
from my guardians protecting hold, and
bear me into the house.
Love was triumphant then, and strain
ing me to his heart, he pressed burning
kisses on check, brow and lip.
caught sight of my guardians face
as he resigned me- It was set in hard,
rigid lines, and there was a whitcness
about his lip1 and pain in his eyes that
made me close my own to shut out the
sight.
A few more such days, and the end
had come. Edgar Harrington and ! were
no more to each other tkan strangers, fol
| had freed him from his engagement,
knowing that it was for the best. | tried
to appear calm through that trying or.
deal, but such wild entrcaty and passion
ate frenzy l pray heaven ] may never
again witness.
He was gone. NIordaunt Hall hat
lost the handsome, bewildering face tina
brought back so forcibly the beautiful
counterpart that had once rcigned there
Removed from the rare fascination tina
bad !:eld me for so long, was fast learn
ing to forgct, when, one day, letter
bearing foreign post-mark, was handle,
me, in the wcll.known handwriting 0
Edgar Harrington.
Ny guardians eyes were upon me as
opened the letter and read the character
that were once so familiar. had III
need to read slowly to have what wa
written there impressed on my memory
Each word was lined there in letters o
fire, that sent me reeling from my seat d
finished. In a ct of intoxication h
MARRIED n low ballet-dancer. That wa
the hard reality; and every cruel taun
that human ingenuity could devise h
poured ruthlessly upon me, accusing M
Of wreeEing bis life and making it ca-s
! for ever.
was i'll for many days after that, bu
when at last recovered | put back tn
dead past from my sight for ever, AM
with sigh for what might have been a
its funeral requiem, turned without on
pang of regret from the silent mound
And when one calm spring twilight m.
guardian stood beside me, put my han'
in his and murmured second love vow
perfect in its fulfllmcnt.