The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-10-18

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| In his fall from his horse, Delafond
1had not been much injured, but his ner-
ivous system had received severe
shock. He suffered from weakness
and weariness which confined him to his
room most of the time but Mr.. Tlerney
soon discovered that he was a man Of
remarkable abilities. He had Travelled
extensively, and read well for ayoung
man; and the old gentlemen conceived
a decided partiality fer him,
| But Maud took a dislike for Dalafond
She said he frightened her. And sunny,
boyish Ascot King was quite at a loss
with the gloomy-eyed taciturn man who
had appeared among them. Mrs Tier
may, who was invalid, confined to her
room, never saw him during the three
months of his stay 89i safl .rsr
! l have said that Maud disliked Della
fond. She. had been romping on the
terrace with Flora one evening" Full
of buoyant health and happiness, she
ran into the house at last, closely fol-
lowed by her bounding pet, A long,
weary sigh arrested her attention. Upon
a bench in the hall lay Delafond very
pale and weary. d sssa la
i He opened his eyes and saw her infan-
| tile fair face looking upon him in pity
1t seemed to him the face Of an angel,
! and he stretched out his liand toward it.
! "Do you feel unwell? Can / do any,
thing for you?'' said Maud; timidly APP
Iproachipg him.
/ .Can you stay a little while ?'s @
j "Oh, yes / am doing nothing. If
you will come into the drawing room, /
will sing for you"
He rose and followed her into the
drawing-roon. He sank upon couch
there, while she brought her guitar and
tuned it, sitting in the soft, hazy light,
chatting animatedly for fear had given
Iplace to pity, and Matd was never one
to half do anything. She sang. ballad
after ballad, talking between in guileless
eagerness TO amuse hilh; and Delafond
listened, and looked, and forgot. every
thing but that he coveted the girl for his
own.
"Perhaps," said Maud, ''it would do
you good to ride. Kitty canters very
gently. will order Her for you in the
morning, if yea iikex ,ssil sss-iFs
81 cannot ride" x1, say g
| aBut you should go out, You must
walk, then. You have hot been in tile
garden - = y ''.'
| "No.n ss7 a@fatIf eii q. i
'sIt is called very pretty. Our roses,
are remarkable, and / like the fountaihs.
The birds come there and drink There
are plenty of seats" -
! II will go to-morrow, If you will lead
the way"
| Il will--oh, yes. Tie flowers are
very fine now s,is.
Ascot King was ast6hished to dis
cover Maud walking IN the garden next
morning. He left the window and joiu-
ed them, whereupon Maud whispered to
him, over rosebusb, that Delafond had
been repeating beautiful poetry to her,
and she wasn't bit afraid of him, at
| which Ascot laughed, until he was fore
ed to go away to hide his shaking
shoulders. 3a
But Maud was imperious in her
whims; and now that she had taken
fancy 20 assist in Delafond's recovery,
she devoted much time to him, and won
| her fathers approval
'.Delafond is improving fast" he
said.
One morning, after late conference
between Maud and her father, and As
colt, in the breakfast-room, the girl ran
into the garden for some roses, where
she encountered Delafond. She came
tripping towards him, little gravity
softenine her bright eyes.
"Mr. Delafond. are you out so early !?
Papa has just been telling me that your
allotted time at The Roses is nearly at
an end, and you are so muth better that
he thinks you will go back to Guernsey
next month. -.
Delafond nodded in silerice. i
"But cannot you stay d little longer
than you intended? We shall be gay
here the last Of September; for We shall
have company from London. III am
| to be married then.''
| She looked up timidly bluSh on her
cheek Delafond,s face frighteiied her,.
She was about flying from him When he;
caught her hands. ~ - ''.9'
"Married- married. You?'
ayes" she faltered, 'sto Ascot. y
s.He? Thought he was your cousin 2
"Oh, no."
But she could not release her hands
and get away from his burning eyes. 4
s.GirI, / could kill youw he broke out
at length. s =
She began to cry.
weep, weepm he cried bitterly. s,,,ly
heart has scorched up the tears with 4
me. j cannot weep, though ] suffer the
curses Of the accursed. Oh, heaven,
this is cruelp finging himself, face
downward, upon the lawn Y ~ 2
A gigantic despair seemed TO poissess
the man. limiting at some pastisuile ring.
Maud stood appalled, for a momens, then
fled. s47 ala
/ That night Delafond disappeared
from The Roses. But, in the intsr.iiil.r,
Maud found beneath her lattice, q slip OF
paper, upon which these lines were
lpenned:
ws.A blight fall npon you for the cNrse
to which ,yeu have doomed me-. You
lhaye broken my heart, and the light OF
Imy misery shall be shared by the man to
lwhom YOU have given YOURS. Your
Ebeauty shalI perish upon your wedding.
day. - -gea GEoRGBl DEEAroNp l'5a
1 Maud carried the missive to her fas
lther.
3siThe iiianiis crasym he said. -
| y They talked the matter oyer, and de,
cided there was nothing 70 be feared !;
yet, . vague apprehensiond dweit IN every
breast; ana they Watched their darlihg
lcloself Day and night she was nntlef
the espionage ofloyesps3sa 4sIs .sgolse4,
1Sepn her wedding day came. Robed
/ in snowy muslin, her glorious hair uH-
bound, the pride OF every circling he;srt,
/ che rode to The VILLAGE church. where the