The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-08

his usual mSh10n, ana ei6 Win nk IoUAo
head bobbing up and down like Chinese
mandarin in a toy-shop. Without, the
wind whistles drearily, as only the Novem..
Der wind knows how, and the moan OF
the surf upon the shore chants its monton-
Gus dirge.
Outside the cottage, close to the window,
stands q man needless of the bitter wind,
deaf to the roar of the angry sea, gazing,
gazing, with hungry heart and happy
smile, upon the picture within.
"How beautiful she is!' he whispers to
himself, and a proud and loving look
comes over the bronzed face, as he gazes
on the little figure in the merino dress.
1t was thus that he had pictured her,
many a time-the bright fire. the shining
little clock, even the pattern of the chinfz
curtain, had blended together in harmo-
NOUS whole, labeled in his mental picture
gallery, Home"
But the slight, girlish figure, bent a lit
tie forward, the falling brown hair, the
shining, truthful eyes, this had been the
brightest, because the dearest oil all.
She was thinking of him, perhaps, little
dreaming of the happy surprise in store
ior her in his unexpected return. What is
that? -
Ayl start, John Danforth, and reel as If
struck by sudden blow. Is this the wife
you have seen in doting dreams, for whom
YOU have kept your soul pure and un-
stained, that it might hold enshrined her
sacred image?
An inner door is opened, aquick, manly
step upon the floor, and a man, muffled
with coats and wrappings of fur, is beside
Robins shair. She looks up in his face.
How well John Danforth knows that low
ing smilei and though the wind prevents
their words from reaching him, she seems
from her gestures to be urging remon-
strances against his going out in such a
storm.
He shakes his head laughingly, the boy
ish curls CHANGING in the freight, and
stoops down beside her. She filings both
arms round his neck, presses her lips to
the smooth cheek, innocent of beard or
razor, and he lays his hand upon the latch,
slowly opens the door, and in a moment
more is out in the stormy night. ="
The heart of Captain Danforth, sinking
down, down like lead in his bosom with
the weight of his loss, leaps and burns with
all the fury of savage as he hears the
footsteps of his rival beside him, so close
that if he should stretch out his hand he
q
He looks at the darkening sky and starts
on the road to the village.
The village roadl That way is long and
rugged; few travellers ever tread the lone
ly way. Revenge, revengel
1t is said there Is drop of tigers blood
in every human heart. l think it must
have been alive in John Danforth's heart
then, and prompted the stealthy, creeping
pace with which he followed his victim
on, on, over rugged paths, watching the
boyish form, till the sudden, blind impulse
of revenge grew into a settled purpose
till the sure, relentless hand seconded the
murderous plans of the heart.
Halfway down the winding, rocky road
deep chasm runs parallel with it for q
little distance, then, with an abrupt turn
takes another direction toward the coast.
John, breathlessly logging the footstep:
| of the boy-he is but little more than thai
-chuckled with savage delight at the
thought of misstep, which might plunge
his unconscious enemy headlong down thu
abyss to a frightful death on the sharp
| jagged rocks below.
As he reaches this point in his journey
the youth pauses moment, turning hi
back to the fierce blast, which has beer
/ blowing steadily in his face all the way
John is beside him in moment.
"Villain!" He grasps the boy by thu
shoulder fiercely, with an oath Missed be
tween his shut teeth, and there is strug
gle-unequal, short decisive.
Unequal, for the youth>is but as babt
in that fierce, strong grasp, and over
powered, he shouts with all his might fo
help.
"Robinarn
That name, wrung from him in his ago
niZing fear, is his death-warrant.
thousand demons rage in the heart OF
Danforth, as he holds him for mOmen
over the abyss. The moon, shining
through rift in the clouds, show him twt
blue eyes gazing with a wild, beseeching
fear into his; TWO white hands tosseC
helplessly in the air; f1utter of yellow
curls, and then something goes crashing
over jagged points of rocks and rolling
stones below.
Murder"
The bowling winds, as they swee]
past, shrek the word in his ear, the
away, TO bear the cry still further on, leav
ing him sitting helplessly alone and weak
staring vacantly around and listening T.
the rush and roar of the increasing tide
as it murmurs in hollow tones, Murder
Gone now the blind rage and madnes
of the moment before, only the anguis
and the remorseful despair remain.
His brain is in a confused whirr; onl
half conscious o. what he is doing, b
rises to his feet and endeavors to stagge
onward, in vain. A yawning abyss open
beneath his feet; a roaring sound in hi
ears; lights flash before his eyes; he sink
in utter uncC nsciousn sss.
A million of devils caught him into thei
strong arms and were forcing him owe
a precipice. He fought, he struggled, h
prayed for mercy, but only derisiv
laughter answered him, and the tormeI
was redoubled. They picked his flesh wit
sharp needles; they burned his brain wit
hot irons. AT one moment he SCENE
plunged into Ii burning lake; the next, b
wandered through interminable fields {
ice and snow-nothing but the fierce glaI
of the sun Upon blocks and mountains {
polar ice met his aching eyes. And every
where, whether he wandered over burr
ing desert sands or sailed in phantol
ship amid the icebergs of a polar-sea,
blood-red banner tapped before his eye
inscribed with the word MURDER
At last tt exc cane day when the ban
ner no logger far ped in his ears, and
fioated upon an odorous summer lax
sweet with the perfume of lilacs. II
reached out his hand to grasp them, and
human touch met that hand. He opene
his eyes, and was conscious that he lay
Widow Danforth's best bedroom, who's
moreen curtains tapped in the soft sprin
air, which bore to his bedside the odor
early flowers.
A sepulchral sigh sounded in his ca
and Widow Danforth bent over him, IL
old-time motherly look on her woe-begoI
face as she turned her blue eyes to his.
"What am doing here?"
: She lifted one of his thin, wasted hand
which lay upon the coyerlit, and held
before his eyes,
He drew long breath His memor
was coming back, bringing the old stiI
pain to his heart
"Where is Robina?"
No answer.
He burst into passion of childish tear
, His mother tried to soothe him as OF
would soothe a fretful child.
"Where is she?"
, "She has worn herself out watchin
over you. One night, when you WEI
raving in delirium, you said somethin
which frightened her so that she has nevt
been herself since. DR.. Gray thinks til;
her mind was in weak state. ST.
mcurned good deal for her brother, WI
> waH not killed in the army, as was SUI
, poseo, hut came home few days befol
: you dld, md wandered off the edge ,
! the deep c% on his way to the villag
l ana was oaSheo N pieces, the same nigl
that you came SO n,'r, freezing to deaf