The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-12-04
SticctrO StorU.
LOVE.

EN FRANCES MEnHHNW NhlENs
"Ohl lee mo sim but breathe the Dir.
The Blessed afr that's hrcaibci by thee;
And e'en 81 ON is wings Sc bear
Illness ct Death, It's life o. me-
doctor Manning, tell me Of my dearest
friend and school-nlato, Dora Austin ]
asked. "You were her physician, adviser
aud confdaut; and 7 feel sure from no one
else could 7 obtain so full aud truo a state
mont of tho events which truuspircd inter
1 len her ten vcnrs ago"
when did You see her llst:'
'The winter of1Sl-. 7 was with her, ut
the time of hor engagement 60 Ahnor Gray
son. I remained until ait1r the arrival of
Aet cousin from Europe, I answered.
"l WIS absent then. / have often wished
T. know the particulars oithoscf few months
Tell me. ID You please, al that happened
hiring vour visit, and then you shall hear
her sorrowtud story, said the doctor, and
H-.us be wolhed TO tho window for n few
m1monts-T think 10 conceal and calm his
q itation. He returned, seated himself.
aid mentioned me proceed.
'As I old YOU before, Doru and l were
schoulmatos. I accepted the invitation
often urged. TO visit her, and there met
Abnor Guysou. / knew Of him, well. She
woali many times In our school days, cell
me how handsome. and talented ho was.
How kind 20 her. / knew she loved him:
long before she would admit 10 even TO her
SILT When 1 would tell her 80, she would
always answer, 4 love him ms il he was my
.gothur, he has over been as such to me.
nothing else. We have grown mp together.
Oar plantations Join. Abuer IL such an
ardent admirCr of beauty. he could never
look on me so very plain looking as /,
with any feelings, othcrthan simple friend
ship
~ had been with Dom about q week:
when one afternoon 1 was sitting roadingiu
% deeply curtaiuyd window. ] was so ab-
soIbcl i'm my book, that / had no Enowl.
edge OF any entering the room, until
my attention WINS uttmttcd by the deep,
manly voice Of Mr.. Gnyson, wooiug Dora
in sotl, loving tones.
Ny first idea was to let them know OF
nv presence. Then l thought it would be
batter for Inc 10 remain quiet than TO inter
rupt them, Nt that moment so fraught with
fond hopes and bright a|nticipations.
"Thus it was ] became a listener 10 their
betrothsl.
"uJa still chung to the idea that he could
not love her, because she was not beautiful.
She said:
"Abncr, wait until you have seen my
cousin before you give your heart 10 me.
You will surely love her better than you
possibly can me. Remember how fond you
were Of her, years ago in our childhood.
She is far more beautiful now. Papa says
she is the iairgst woman he hss ever seen.
Sho is coming homo 10 ms. She is an
orphan now. Next month she will be
here.
Then he answered her:
" You dear, shy little bird-do not try
10 hy away, and bid me seek q mato of
brighter plum0gel Come nestle down be-
side me, love, and let mo Try TO prove to
you how lovely vou truly are, / admire
the beautiful, Dora, but i0uc tho good.
You are all and everything ] would have
yuu; nothing wanting. Iwould not change
one feature, N glance of yours, darling,
for the tHirost woman on earth. l know
your heart, how tuio md pure It is, and ]
must WOO until win it,. Whisper 10 me,
Dom, that you love me q little.
'Eou LslaF / do love you, Ahrcr. Who
else have had 90 love, since my child
hood, but papa and Won! You have been
PLAYMATE, friend and brother.
Excuse me, doctor, but then came forth
tie selfish, oy1cting nature Of man, in the
words.
" Dom, DO not talk Of such lovo to me.
lis not rs this I would be loved. I would
have you
10 m- uatiu i.ncv love me not ia fasri
Iut love Ug %, ID aia ag'@'e5 IN M. when I am
near"
Thus, or not OF an. would 7 he loved
'Abuer. she answered, III YOU will tell
INC this again, after Won have seen Lillian,
then j will be to you all you wish. Your
happiness is dcarcr 20 ME than my own.
Then you Will soon be truly my own.
Come, little one, look no yourself in this
mirror. Why, truly, you Gre growing beau
tiul. Your cycsure beaming brightly; and
no" your cheeks atyliho blush rOses,
He led heI IRON the glass, and ont on
the piazza; and i escaped 10 my room.
every devoted he continued to be: and
Dora really looked SO happy that her plain
face became quite pretty.
"The next month brought tho beautiful
Lillian Frost.
LILLIAN Frost How wonderful were her
name md nature adapted 10 each othorl-
beautifully fam, and cruelty cold,
'tDoru's fears proved true. Abner / we'd
Lillian md forsook hsr. 1 never knew the
result TO Dora. married in O short time,
Rnd mover heard from her again.
Now, Doctor, you must SO on and tell
mo what / am 80 anxious TO know
ooh, curse himl but for him she might
have been mine. Pardon me, madam. l
never Enew of ibis. l suspected, but never
was certain, OF an engagement.
Dora Austin was the only woman / ever
loved, save my mother i was much older
than Ghe-Dy twantv years. / always fear
ed Abncr Grnyson was my favored rival. /
returned from 10y travels, aud found him
on tho ovo Of marriage with Miss Frost. !
thought J had mistaken their friendship
Ion love. ! placed my heart before Dora
Austin.
I'm q true vomaply manner, she told
me that she had loved, and in all proba
bihty her heart wodld never know another
love.
she dismissed liner over but secured a
true, firm friend.
about the TIME of the marriage, the
yellow fever was making sad havoc in our
section. Very few Of the country folks
went near the neighboring villages or towns.
Abnef, 50 blindly happy and busy in pre-
paratiOn for his approaching nupitals,
would go frequently into the town.
They We're married, at Dora's home,
and Immediately started for a North err
tour. .
Iwenty-four hours had only passed,
when the teuiblo news reached us that
Abner was i'll with the fever, and was 10 q
hospital abOut thirty miles from us.
In atew hours more, Lillian was bach
again with Dom and Mrs. Austin,
"Sho had fed and left him.
''Ihen, for the only time in my lie.
feW Dora Austin eTcited-almost madden
'''You have tiel-leh him 10 auftef and
perhaps, die with strangers. ,You, his wife
Where are y%ouryows, girls1 Strewn to III,
winds. bhamel ghamel This is your love
your Devotion Twill teach you woman'i
friendship. ] am going to him-to com
lag, and return him to the arms Of his de
voted wife