The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-09-30
DRIFTING WITH THE TIDE.
BY EDITH LEE.

sunset poured their lasG tlntS, anu cneereu
into song the woodland warblers fitting
from beagh to bough: Here, Nature was
rugged, but grand. The mountains were
lofty and majestic, and raising their
broad fronts on either side, Graded the
flowing river, and husbed it into noise
less s}dmber. The sun-beams went SIAN
ting down the hill.sides, impartng their
bril- ght.colored tints to the clinging moss,
and gla6cing in and out the gay foliage
then falling upon the river, made long
tracks of rosy light, whose bright cour-
sinss we're intently watched by one occu-
pant OF a pretty little boat that was
drifting with the tide. Philip Randolph
dropped the oars, and followed in its
course the circling light. He was won
dering what the angel of dreams was
whispering to the quiet stream for if
eyer!river slept, this one was slumbering
now. Over its surface, the winds chan
ted a asweetlullably, and the strong noun,
tains folded it in their great arms, and
all was stiusg,=
IA quaint 1ittle .boatit was, and quaint
]ittsesmaiden she, who sat at one END,
withgbead bowed down on her hand. A
rustic hat shaded her face, from beneath
which the soft brown eufls fell lin grace
fulnegligepce. Her only beauty was
pair pair Of hazel eyes, both sogish and spark.
linz: but when a word Of love would
cali into being the most beautiful bushes
and the merriest dimples, you would
travel far before finding swecter or
gentler face. So thought Philip Ran
dolph. .4asa7 ii ae =
ofwbat was she SO steadfastly think
ing, on this brightSummer evening, when
ali maidenhood should be merry and gay?
Perhaps, like the river, she was dreaming
of1ti,e oneabright sky the waters OF her
he;atrrt reflected and, raising her head
with sigh, she glanced at her compa'n1-
ion, Very gravo and earnest was his
foolsashe asked the question, " Nettie,
what is your decision?" Again her head
drooped down on her hand, with the an
swer: "Hush! let. me think"
G*Weighty and momcntvus thoughts were
they that filed that pretty head her
whole2 life, rose -up before her
changing and shifting like the pictures in
a kaleidoscope. Philip Randolph and she
had grown up from childhood. together
under the guardianship of Philips father.
How well she remembered the old red
scbool.house, where both had gone day
after day to receive knowledge; the
snow covered hill, up and down which
Phillip had drawn her on5+his sled, and
made her cheeks glow like roses when he
wor,ld stontly 5reflsesany rival the honor
Of doing likewise. Her first ride on
cold Whitley" she standing on the farm
ward gate and springing into the saddle,
.and Phnip leading che dear old horse;
Them when she could gallop and leap
bitches, he had brought her homo the
prettiest of ponies to be all her very own;
htfterward, their separation; she bcing
sent to boarding school and he to college.
All the home-sickness of that dreary
night came back to her now, and Nettie's
,tears flowed down her cheeks at thevery
remembrance. How Madame 49,
fro%$ned $nld when letter in Philips bold,
free handwriting was given her; and the
;anger of Nettie when Madame tore it up,
MS She +" didn't allow young ladies to re-
ceiye; letters from gentlemen"
The long three years that seemed to
have no ending. and then the meeting at
ABe did homestead. How she blushed
and smiled. as, instead of mere youth,
Philip appeared before her as young
gentleman, and complimented her upon
her improved appearance. Then the long
DAYS of heart-sickness, when the fiirt OF
the county maneuvered in all sorts OF
wavs to gain Philips heart, and Nettie
was so wounded that she treated Philip
.eoldly and answered him rudely; then
wept all night about it. How nobly Phiiip
had saved her life; saved her from hor.
rble death, and in recompense thereof
claimed her as his own. Well she re-.
members the hearts blood surging up to
her check, and the thrill of pleasure con-
vulsing her whole being; and now she
feels that without him this world would
bera dreary void, and she was stray
waif Then the day, this very day it
was. Philip had asked his father to give
n blessing to their bctrothal, but MIR.
Randolph had declared, 1t must never
he they must forget one another, and
i've happy apart" He refused all OK.
plantations until Philip vowed not to obey
him in this case, and not until then dla ne
tell his son why he must not love Nettle.
lag ago, aaduel had been fought be-
.masn Nettie's father and Philips; the
soryoar ] was instantly killed the latter,
strnck by remorse, had endeavored to
o.one tone by educating The daughter of his
anemv never dreaming of so disastrous
. consequence as the two young people
s,II;no in love. But it is the DID, old sto-
," rv repeating itself once again. Worldly
as ore wise; they are tar-seeing and
v!g;Iant, and worldly hands would on.
daavor to draw asunder two lives that
1o ohonld mingle as one; but, in spite of all
st'ou,S .hO worldly eyes and hands, the current
of love that for - time had been =. turned ':
out of its course, flows back into ., It's org g