The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1869-09-02
OLIVE RAYMoND's
STORY.

SlUhI.
ITO leave me, Elliot p shc ex claim.
ed; is not wife's place at her hus-
bands side?"
"Not when her presence would un-
nerve him, Lily, and make his duties
harder"
"And would my presence do this for
you, Elliott?"
ut would, my own, while I am in
the midst Of all that makes war fright
full; but soon peace will come we ask
only Justice, and the people here arc
becoming more sober-justice will be
done-we shall all be friends soon, and
Your father will not like me the less
for having run some risk to secure my
treasure"
tBut in tho mean time, you-Oh |!
Elliot how can 1.-Two here and know
that you-it is impossiblc-oh, take me
with youv
To do this was clearly impossible,
and even our petted Lilly mus yield to
the inevitable. All was arranged as
Elliot Forester desired, At one
O'clock that 28th day of April, Lily
and l went to the house of the clergy
man whose services had been engaged.
There Elliot and his friend met us,
and, when the clock struck two, all had
been done that man could do to bind
together two lives which only that
morning I had feared were severed for
ever.
The next few hours seemed then,
and have seemed ever since, like a
dream. Elliot Forester accompanied
US home. He was to leave US at four
o'clock, and, when the clock chimed
the half-hour after three, I saw Lily
turn pale, and look wistfully at her
young husband, who rose and moved
restlcssly about tho room. I felt my
presence mnst be restraint on their
last words, and went into the adjoining
room, through which Elliot must pass
10 leaving the house. I watched the
slov-moving hands, determined to in.
sist, if necessary, on his departure al
four, anxious above all things that my
father should not find him there. But
punctually as the little bell chimed
four, the door opened, and Elliot For
rester and Lily entered. The arm he
had thrown around her was necessary
for her support, as was evident from
her trembling, and from the ghastl,
whiteness Of her face, yet she tried t,
smile a. she met the eyes which seem
ed as1if they could not turn away from
her but the smile was more painful
than tears would have been, and some
thing like sob burst from him as h
elasped her close aud kissed her pas
sionately once. and again; then putting
her into my arms, he said, hurriedly
"Take care of her, Olive; and Go
bless you." The next moment tn
strect-door slammed behind him. IL
was gone.
| Oh! the weary mouths that follow
ed, and the weary questionings wit
myself which came to no conclusion
"Was I right? Was I wrong? Ho,
could I have resisted them? Ho,
could I have deceived my father? An
what was to do now? Such va
the round of thought, travelling in
circle, which wasted my lite away. Ha
I alone been concerned, I should hav
fallen at my fathers feet, and confcssc
all, the FIRST tine he smiled on NJ
Some ctimes I hoped that Lily woul
speak; bnt no thought of having don
wrong seemed to enter her. mind; sh
had only fulfilled = compact made wit
her iather's sanction, aud now she v.
obey,ng her husband, in keeping thej
marriage secret for /. timo. She ha
enough to suffer, poor child! witbor
the pangs Of conscience. One Latte
she received by returned prisoner,
whom Elliot had shown kindness, il
forming her Of his safe arrival With
the Confederate lines, and then follow
ed that dead silence in which imagin'
ton is left undisturbed, to weave ht
own torturing visions. The slow day
) grew into weeks, and months, and year
and Lily watched aud waited, but y