Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-09-17
From the New York Mercury.
Through the Shadows.
RY COL. A B. HOWELL.

"And thisi your final dccision?'
1T is."
The full, lustrous eyes looked
nnwavcringly into his :; There was
no sign Of trcmor i'll the ripe, cur
wing lips.
81 tionghtI loved a true woman;
find that l aln mistaSen," said
Raync BouGllton, bitterly. "l on
are rs falsc-'
Her gesture was half c@trcaty,
half command.
"Sparc your comment; this con-
versation is distastcful to nc.
Let us end it,"
Raync BouSliton bowed coldlv
and turned away. She watched
him as he went down the walk, his
proud head thrown back, every mo-
ton expressing powerful manhood,
tense and nervcd by sudden con-
trolling passion.
Flame colorcd leaves foatcd slow
j. down; the sunbeams danced
g'yly upon the path; and in the
yellow-robed, huge, old maple a
gray sGairrel chattered shrilly; but
he took no notice Of them. AT
the gate only he turned and saw
her watching him.
lie lifted. his lat, mockingly,
bowed low, and. strobe firmly down
the road.
With choking eye and dimmed
eyes, Hope Warton turned, and
fed to the privacy of her room.
30 Charlie, Charlie! !" she moan
ed, "what have you done? Must
lose all now-all JOY, hope, love :
God! how have thirsted for love
how I have hungered for some one
who should absorb every feeling,
emotion, and give equal passion in
return! Aid to lose it now, after
years of waiting; to sc back to
tho hushs and poverty Of divided
hearts, to feel the bitterness Of a
lonely, solitary existence! ueav-
en-! it is more than I can bear"
She wrung her hands dcspairing e.
ly, The pride that had sustained
her was all gone now. She was a
woman, wretched, solitary, stripped
of woman's primest necd-love.
"And to be condemned by him
Looked upon as false. .trifling, gull
ty! Condemned, and yet unable
to reveal the truth! But 7 am true,
Rayne Boughton-true as life"
She looked up proudly through
her tears. She was no wcak-hcart-
ed, sentimental girl, Hope Warren
but glorious woman-rcsolute and
assertive. After that first conces-
sion to suffering womanhood, she
put aside weakness, and was Hope
Warton again.
Thirty-four years had crowned
her with quecnly gracc-a form full
rounded, and commanding, a regal
head, and . truthful, noble face.
Weak, prcsuming dandies had
dashed their vanity against her self
reliant nature, and pronounced her
heartless; strong, noble men had
caught glimpses of her true worth
and nature, and gone sorrowfully
away because they were unable to
stir It's deepest impulses; and at
thlrty-four she was Hopo Warton
still.
But Rayne Boughton that sum.
mer in the country had gained
Whist many longed for. Hope War
ton,found in him what her heart
craved, and her surrender was COM
plete tapd entire.
It seemed like dream to her
That this man-courted, lattered
and honored by his fellows-should
some and lay at her feet, honors,
anne, heart, and supreme love. In
Pturn che yielded her most perfect
Rve; all the longing Of lonely
afs found complete satisfaction
his love, every thought, feeling,
Rtion, and desire in him.
Ne Warton's nature was proud
ong; and like all selfreliant
}, when she succnmbed, her
l!tit lasion was perfect and total.