The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-03-12

would prove how much her stout heart
could bear.
Goodnight, dearestr' said Stanley, Is
they parted at the foot Of the staircase in
the hall of their hotel. GOOD night
Don't dream of cruel steel Dream of me,
and the graceful little bride shall claim
one of these days"
The old ready flush flickered on Per-
sis cheek, but no smile came with it. She
shuddered and drew away. Something
in her lovers tone hurt her. She had
been half conscious of the same thing
before; but tonight, as If she had
Weakened TO il for the first time, it gave her
q thrill of pain.
al am doing it for Stanley" thought
she, as her head sought the pillow.
But the magic had somehow gone out
of the words. What If she were doing ii
for Stanleys Was that going to take away
the terror and the agonyf Was there
length and breadth and depth enough in
his love to atone for all thiss How could
he let her suffer soi All, there was the
sting. Not that he had persuaded or even
advised her; but then he certainly had
not opposed the undertaking. He had let
her see clearly that he should be gratified
if she had the fortitude to bear it And
why? Because then he could claim a
graceful bride" Not a wounded
dove" Not a woman who faltered in her
gait, but one who walked among other
women as their peer.
And this was the way he loved herl The
man for whom she was ready to sacrifice
so muchI Persis could not sleep.
Her soul kept mp to much light
Under her eyelids for the night"
Next morning she knocked betimes at
her mothers door.
aWhat is it, my daughterf"
"When does the early train leave,
mammal I think win 60 home"
"Why, Persis, this In the day"
"On which I have come to my senses. "
"What do you mean. childs 1 wish
could hope you had given mp this mad
scheme; but suppose that Is past praying
for"
"No, mamma, I hdoe given 1t up; and
that is not all, nor half l give up also
the proud man who is willing to let me
suffer"
Mrs. Talbot caught her beautiful dsugh-
ter in her arms
BLESS you, my own little Persis," said
she; and the rigid look she had worn ever
since starting for Boston fell OF Ike q
mask.
"He Is 8 cold, ambitious man." went on
Persis, rapidly. al always knew 1t, but
kept trying to think 1t WAS not 90. The
man marry must not be like that BE
must be as tender and kind to me Is you
are, mother"
This was all the poor little girl could say,
clinging fast to the one dear friend whose
love had never failed her. The brave spirit
which had been ready for physical suffer
ing had not yet braced itself against this
new and worse trial. To live, and live
without Stanley The thought seemed to
blacken the whole future with the sbomi-
nation of desolation.
Stanley" said she, as they met in the
parlor, " I am going home to-day"
"Going home I" repeated he, in aston
ishment looking at her with his placid
blue eyes which certainly were not dimmed
by want of sleep.
"Yes," said Persis, with sad emphasis.
"I have spent the whole night in think
ing. I do not blame you for being
what you are but shall not give up my
crutch. Stanley, aud 80 can nsver keep
pace with you. For the future you and /
must go separate ways, my friend"
my sweet Persis, and you have never
so much as limited at this before. You
nerves are shaken. Let Us walk in the
fresh air and talk this over little"
The tone was kind, but there was just
enough patronage In it to irritate Persis
and confirm her in her new resolve.
"My nerves are as firm a. steel Oh,
Stanley, 1t is not that It is that you are
willing to let me do i'll Don't you talk to
me of Lowell have had vision of what
real love is, and it is something quite,
quite different from yoursr
Persis' voice quivered, and the words
came with difficulty.
aPoor child" replied Mr.. Warner, indul-
gently; "ss if had ever advised; as if l
wished" g.
But the girl had fed. Out of the room,
out of the house, anywhere Just then, to
escape the presence Of the man she had
determinedt to thrust from her heart. Gasp
poeea and qufct, she stopped 1t the end of
the corridor, near an open door, and cssu-
ally glanced out at the street. In 30 doing
her eye fell upon familiar face, and she
turned suddenly away, but not before she
had been observed.
"Persis Miss Persis !" cried an eager
voice, and Ephraim Zelie rushed up the
steps with both hands extended.
She had not thought of seeing q
friend from home, and when he came
forward and greeted her with
such unusual warmth of manner q
revulsion of feeling swept over her, the
fearful calmness gave way, and she
sobbed like q child
Dear Persis, if could only do any
thing for YOU" said Ephrsim, hanging
over her tenderly, and in his earnestness
to be awkward.
He never doubted she was weeping at
thought of the outrageous suffering be-
fore her, and he could have fought his
dastardly rival with good will He did
not tell her he had come to Boston for her
sake, just to learn how it Jared with her
much less would he have had her know
that he had slept last night as little as she,
and was now on his way to the surgeons
on FOOLS errand, to beg him have pity
and stay his knife.
"If there were only something could
10 for you," repeated Mr. Zelie in agony,
not daring to speak more excitedly, for he
was supposed to be profoundly ignorant
Of the whole affair.
"You can't help me, you can't help me-"
'aid poor Persis, sitting the sudden wish |
70 confide in him. At that moment their !
I'D friendship asserted its halfforgotten |
way; she was carried back in feeling IN |
he years when she had gone with all her |
childish griefs to this awkward, worthy"
Ephraim. But no, 1t would |
lever do to tell him what she was suffer
Dg now; pride forbade. She only said
We have been here at Boston-father,
mother, and I--for a few days We are
,oing home this morning. Something has
,ccurred-I can not tell you what-which
makes me unhappy; but it is all for the
,est, EPhrsim, and one of these days
hall see it so.n
"God grant itp calculated Mr.. Zelie,
Iaving no idea of Persists meaning, but
ecretly exultant that at any rate she was
DING home, and the object Of the Journey
lad not been accomplished.
The days and weeks which followed
Eere dreary ones for Persis. She could
Ar better have borne tie surgeons knife
han the luke-warm regrets of Stanley, L
7ho felt that gallantry demanded him to
nth protestations Of his undiminished
egard
"No," replied Persis, firmly, and feeling
lore and more that she was in the right, I
l win not make 1t possible for you to re- 1
emit and be ashamed of me-"
At last Stanley made q fnal bow and ,
'ithdrew, a little relieved, perhaps, to find !
is persistence all In vain. Persis was I
srtainly charming creature, but he had
i along been conscious that his feelings r
I'd betrayed him into rash engagement '
lame wife pould b rather milestone a
'und mans neck, as she had the good e
nse to perceive. He married, six months =
fair girl with little feet like
ice" which could trip faultlessly through n
.,aadrille. -
" That was the way he loved me-" said
ersis, bitterly; and she caressed the worn II
Id at the top of her crutch as II that ~
chanted wand had saved her from q Il
oxen heart.