Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-10-08
famed upon her cheek

"
est depths Of pity and tenderness. ~
The knowledge of his passion, suddenl.
as it had come to her, had brought with l
no loathing-no repugnance. but a vague
dreamy sense of sorrow, and pity almos
akin to love.
Something within her heart seemed to 50.
to her-this, is your true lover-the noble
genial, gentle. souled man, so well suited t.
take your hayward life into his own, ant
make it serenely, perfectly happy. TURF
away while there is yet time from that Other
love which you have madly hoped to claim
fer this is the stronger, the purcr, the ten
derer of the two.
But across these inward promptings drift:
ed the vision OF face-a manly, splendid
face, lit with dark, magnetic eyes, and
crowned with halo of sunny hair-a face
so wondrously, SO gloriously beautiful, that
once seen it could never by forgotten; even
an imaginary vision, its beauty held Mabel
spell bound. She had no word of hope for
poor Ben; she could only look. at him in
painful silence, while the grandly formed
head, and bright, vivid face of his rival,
seemed still to float before her fearful eyes.
Again Morford spoke, and his voice was
full Of the anguish Of doubt 4' 4
.sDon't look at me SO sorrowfully, Mabel.
ask not for pity, but for love, and if you
cannot give it to me, say SO at once, and /
will 90 away and never again intrude my
self upon YOU" $500,
ssBeu, dear Ben," she said, falteringly,
II do love you, but not with the love for
which you ask You cannot think how it
surprises and pains me to hear that you care
for me other than as friend aisa9.g H{
Surprise and pain-thesc, then are the
return for the love Of a lifetime" r
The love Of lifetime the words thrilled
her with solemn awe, and again the inward
voice seemed to plead for the stronger, purer
and tenderer love, but she steeled her heart
against it as she thought Of him whom. in a
few short weeks, she had learned to love
with all the fervor, and intensity Of her ma
ture. .,-. ~, VIZ af
'sWe have known each other from child
hood--we have always been like brother and
sister, and oh Ben it does make me won.
der and grieve to think that you should
now" ai=
s'Hush p he said, hoarsely, II do not
care to hear about wonder or grief asked
you for your lovc-you refuse it to me, it is
enough. See how calmly / can part with
you," and with harsh, ironical laugh, he
held out his right hand, which was quiver-
ing like that Of one suddenly palsied.
TT e. IL -
ut is hard for me to give you pain. !
shall never know a friendship dearer OF
sweeter than yours has been to me, and fol
yonr love-I shall live tosee it given to one
more worthy than myself"
He did not respond to her words. The
white silence Of anguish rested upon his face
as he lifted her hand to his lips, and wen
out from her bright, beautiful presence
leaving with her the sunshine of his life, ane
taking with him the brooding shadow of ar
unrequited love.
Two hours later, and Mabel still sat alone
in her boudoir. and now her face was very
very sorrowful, for it seemed to her as i
she should never again behold the face o
her rejected lover, and the thought was sc
exquisitely painful to her that her heart be
gan to throb with strange doubt, seeming
to ask itself-is it true that I do not care fo
him-is it that really loue the other-ma,
I not have mistaken a Aeeting passion fo
that diviner feeling SO much calmer, yet SC
much more beautiful and true?
sGarth Clarendon" f5aa
Again her revery had been broken, ane
this time by servant bearing card witt
the above name traced thereon in firm, clea
characters. iao PSI hs pas' g 2a57FaeI
II will see him presently" she said, and
the servant left the room. d. .z-..
There was now no Question in her hear
in regard to her relative feeling toward he
two lovers Every fibre in her body respon
ded to the magic of that penciled name
fancy or love, it was all the same to her
Garth Clarendon was the man to marry
She went down to meet him, striving hare
to keep up the semblance Of the 8outwart
frigidity which had disguised her jealousy o
the night previous striving hard to remem
Der that, with the exception of the last tire
hours, she had spent the day in nursing he
anger against him, feeding its flames will
the recollection of the tender glances she ha'
seen him bestowing upon another.
In vain! Mabel, strong and proud in al
things else, was very weak in her love 70
this man. ,.. .so
The first clasp Of his hand brought bacl
the wild, sweet idolatry which it was his tri
umph to read in her great flashing eyes.
.You are not well this morning, Mabel.
All! the subtle tenderness Of the words
it thrilled her whole being with rapturou
joy.
ri am quite we'll, Mr. Clarendon"
How calmly she tried to speak, but Cart
Clarendon smiled as her eyes dropped shy
ly beneath his. E6g Fla FL.
He knelt beside her playfully.
"We were not friends last night, wer
we p ''''
'tIt was your fault and not mine" o4
..My bright Queen Nab, I only wante
to see if you cared for me sufficiently to. b
Jealous of my attentions tola1 belle blonde
Your amsouciance stung me to the quick
was it real or assumed-teH me.''
I ut was real" '%.
Pride prompted her to speak the untruth
Of course, Clarendon did not believe her,
He determined that she should confess th
truth he was very proud of his power owe
the beautiful woman.
81 will ask you again. Mabel and this tim
you will tell me what will make me. yer.
bappy-that the indifference aoas assumed.
He laid his hand lightly upon hers, an
she quivered beneath the electric touch.
A subtle dreamy splendor came into hi
eyes as he looked up at her beseechingly.
''Tell me the truth, Mabel; you ,oer
angry at my apparent neglect of you,I las
nights it not 500 3" .si@s
eyes," and the tears would come as sh
remembered the long night Of matrydom-
for what's it but matyrdom to woman t
| behold the nam she loves having homage