The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1870-06-11
Glls Albang grgister.
do you know Do you know Rome and
Xenice All tell me about then, >,


Her request was eager, but he was
very slow to do her bidding. Possibly
his thoughts were occupied to. night with
aud walls yet presently her quick ques-
tionings reused him; he warmed and
spoke There, where the light fell on
his face, illuminating each kindling line
ament, he stood and talked to her of the
mighty cities of the south
1t was a thing that might have been
dream, SO strange, unreal; the southern
summer night and softened lights the
the scene SO unlike the scene of home,
aud yet in the midst of it, so calmly,
quietly mingling with it, that one home
figure, the center star of Margaret's life.
But even he so changed. All calmed,
softened, refined the old dark face, dark
and irregular still, but in its whole ex-
preston grown so full of harmony and
strength its restive pride composed, its
aggressive temper all subdued.
She listened to him as he talked, lis
tened at first with strange thrilling
wonder of delight, then presently with a
nameless sickening pain. Oh she had
striven all these years to reach up to his
height, and he had left her in the race,
as if she had not run.
And now, after all your European
wandering" Mrs. Carlton said, "you
~haye at last como here"
He answered, " Yes"
''Are you going fulther south 2"
No; [ shall retrace my steps now"
" But not at once, hope 2"
sc may leave tomorrow. If not to-
morrow, still as soon as possible"
Sitting in the shadow Margaret heard,
and lifted up her head, swiftly, driven by
the startling cry of her sharp misery
She lifted up her head, and her raised
eyes saw
Oh! this was no strangers look upon
her-this was no strangers gaze sending
It's keen tight through her
SE So soon as tomorrow! Why, Mr..
Langtou, you will have seen nothing"
Il shall have seen what l came to see"
he answered.
.'Ah,- well About that 1 cannot
speak" she said laughing, and there was
few moments pause, which was broken
presently by the sound of music coming
through the open door.
"That is Mrs. Travers' voice." Mrs.
Carlton said. 81 Mr.. Langton, you must
come aud hear her, she has the finest
voice know. Miss Morton, will you re-
rnaiu here, or come with US? You had
better both come"
She went forward towards the door,
and Mr.. Langton followed her. One mo-
ment Margaret saw the two figures stand
upon the threshold then one went for
ward and the other retraced his steps.
He came back in silence, calmly and
quietly, to the place he had left, into
Margaret's full sight,-there where she
sat motioDless, her clasped hands as he
neared her only closing their fingers still
frIner.
He stood before her in silence for sew
eral moments then through the distant
music, she heard his voice.
% She said / should see nothing" I
said abruptly, g She was wrong. Shall l
tell you what have seen ?"
His eyes were directed towards her, ,.but
he did not wait for her to speak. Before
she could reply he spoke again.
She told me to tell her about ruined
cities. There are other ruins besides
fallen stones One such," aud his voice
sank into infinite tenderness, 9" / have
seen tonight temple that left entire
fresh from Gods hand"
She rose up suddenly from her seat,
and stood before him with her slight
figure erect, and with all that she had in
her gentle pride-gathered upon her
face.
My white face does me wrong to
night" she said. 81 am no ruin.
have known sorrow, as others have but
no sorrow l have felt has crushed me- /
have grown to look old perhaps; but /
am not young now, even in years.
His dark face had for moment thrown
off its mask, but all tenderness that in
word OF, look had begun to appear in him,
shrank back before her words. The pause
that came when she ceased to speak was
broken by this cold reply:
:" 1t there has been no suffering then
my petition may be granted the more
easily. have come long way" be
said slowly, " to ask your forgiveness fol
a wrong done to you long ago" HI
paused for moment, and then bis voice
grew bitter as he ended. " It will cos
you little to grant it. When the pain O
a wrong has ceased, we can forgive tn,
wronger easily"
She had been very calm outwardI,
when she had spoken, but how her hand
were crushed together, and her ewes
fixed on his face, were troubled and dark
She stood one moment shivering, then al
that nine years silence leapt this cry:
f" It has not ceased 0, the pain ha
not ceased y,
Her head fell down upon her parte
hands, she hid her face upon them, an
broke. with passionate helplesssness into
low piteous sob.
And then, as she stood there desolate
she felt his arm circling her round an
passionate once more, in its deep lovin
tenderness, she heard his voice
/" Margaret, have been faithful" h
cried. g La spite of that harsh wrong
have lived for you. I have worked fo
you. came to pray for more than fol
giveness. I came to pray for my re
ward"
1t was far away. that English yillap