The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-11-09

NY friend Grant Selwyn was empleyea
as clerk kin the Dead Letter Office, md

.s'Ao nAo u flbi6s anu ACCOrQlQRlY one
peasant May evening found me nearing
Selwyn's home.
received o warm welcome from his
family, which consisted of his Young
wife. rosy, laughing brunette, and his
mother.
The next morning after nv arrival
Office. - W 'A
%alt is rather dull there, will allow. F"
said he, ''but you may be able to find
some1hing among the old letters to
amuse YOU"
Now. L delight in reading old letters,
80 did not need much urging.
We were seated before tho long table
ut the Office, when I noticed a letter
directed in delicate, womanly hand, to
"Marmaduke Vance, Riyerdale, N. Y"
took it up to examine it, and as I
opened the sheet. plain gold ring fell
from it to the floor. The words, "NIaud,
from Duke, were engraven inside. The
letter ran as follows:
DEAR DUKE: We must not see each
other again. My father commands me
TO marry Jacob Armstrong, and cannot
dlsobey him. You know how stern and
uny1eidlng he can be. I have begged
and prayed in vain. We must part, and
always be true to you. Farewell. dear
Duke. I shall never love another. MAY
GOD bless you. MAUD"
Duke Vance was my dearest friend and
chum in college. His fathers death and
failure, soon after we left school, had
left him alone in the world, and penn;-
less. SO, at tho time tho letter was
written-nearly two years ago-he had
entered q small dry goods store in the
country town of Riverdale, on meagre
salary that barely supported him. He
wrote to me soon after, and said lie was
going to Australia, and we might never
meet again. wondered what had
caused this sudden decision, and had
never forgotten him. But two years
had passed and brought no word from
him, and 1 had given him up for dead.
On my last visit homo, It had been
travelling for year,) had noticed
pale, golden-haired girl, fitting around
our house; but my short stay ut homo
had prevented my more than speaking to
her and learning that her name was
Maud Southerland-tha shs was our
governess. Her sweet, blue eyes seemed
always brimming over with tears, and
had far-away look in them.
After / left home, my mother wrote
that she had lost her governess, Just
when the children loved her SO much.
That one of tho wealthy men of the
city-Jacob Armstrong-twice Maud's
age. had been attracted by the beauty of
the girl, and had taken her to be mistress
of his family home. Poor Maud had
almost cried her eyes out, but her
father, poor, worthless creature, had
told her If she did not marry Armstrong,
he would kill "that Vance fellow" lust
as sure as she disobeyed him. This had
the desired effect, and Maud was living
in luxury.
I thought over all this, and took the
letter and ring and put them in my
pocket, resolved to keep them for Duke
Vance, should he ever return, and tell
him what had learned, for he no doubt
thought her heartless, and that she no
longer loved him.
took up paper to read until time
for Grant to leave. and this caught my
eye among the notices of the dead:
Jacob Armstrong died suddenly of
apoplexy on the Goth inst"
So. thought T, poor Maud Souther-
land is free.
A few days after, while walking down
the crowded street, I came face to face
with Duke Vance,
was his first greeting, as he grasped my
hand.
'Vancel how came you here? Il
thought you were in Australia" )" said I.
$50 have been, but am once more in
my native land. Come up to my rooms,
my boy, and we will have a talk over old
times"
He had grown bronzed and brown.
but was still the same Duke of old.
After we had chatted awhile, I said,
somewhat abruptly:
"By-the-vay. Duke. what has become
of the little golden-haired beauty you
used to rave 80 about?"
A troubled look of pain came into his
fine. brown eyes.
Don't. Guy; you don't know what
you ask"
He spoke calmly; but the muscles
around his bearded month trcmblcd.
Without further ado, placed the let
ter and ring in his hand, while I ex-
planned how they came into my posses
sion.
He read it and sprang to his feet, all
the look of pain gone for moment.
Dear FRIEND" lie cried, "you have
made mo new man. Put =" be o11nl