Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1870-10-27

liuSually' dreary at dinner time, or whether
the ladies did not care much for the charms
of each others society,i Lucy found .hel
companions in the, drawing -room very. un
interesting, and not at all inclined for con
yersation; so, after one. or two vain at
otempts to amuse herself and others, she
took up a book, of engrayings, and sooI
grew so interested in its contents, that she
scarcely noticed the entrance of the gentle
men, two of whom-her host and another
seated themselves near her, and con
tinued a conversations that had apparently
commenced in the dining room. +'i
"And did that happen this year?" in
quired the guest. 90; t. IL.
Yes; in the early spring" was the re
ply, Ion H.t4E Z II
g; 9.;@ And the, loss was, great?R inquired the
guest. ..,,,,...-
Entire; the ship parted, and went
down, like a stone. The men ipn shore
i were frantic, and even tried to launch the
life boat, but of course in such sea it was
impossible, It was madness to attempt it
and every soul on board was lostG There
were afew bodies washed on shore.s''''9 :
But I suppose you had no clue to theil
identity ?" ~ a1t sri -a.. o- ai f.ii
ID" No; in the majority ofseases they had
been too much disfgIlred by. coming in
contact with the rocks, to be recognizable
There was one poor young fellow, though,
evidently passenger, who had escaped all
injury, and he had a small water proof case
strapped round him, but unfortunately
there was no name" |''''-
He had papers, then|
Only love-fetter, poor boy, with a
sprig of labarnum in it. that he spoke of as
'GoIde4 Chain sexidehtB senies pairing
token, and-Np 6 s-lt l[A Il
Mr. Wheeler did not finish his speech,
for at that moment Lucy rose, and totter-
ed, rather than walked, towhere they were
seated.
=" Have -You-cap you show me that
letter?" she gasped laying her hand, part
ly 70 steady herself, on her hosts arm, and
he,5too surprised TO Fbe cautious, simply
answered, Yes"
Then you will let me see it? 1 think
/ know-that is, / knew-the writer. No,
do not call mamma please - she added as
she saw Mr.. Wheeler's eyes seek Mrs
,Lansden; l't IaiwHl not give. you any
trouble" .f 10 u-fefa-. Iio4sf li;lsl
- .Oterpowered by the girls, earnestness,
and feeling that, having gone SO far, equiv
ocatiOn would be useless, Mr. Wheeler led
the, way to the, library, and then, after a
sary, Judging by the orderly appearance of
the desk, and which was in reality, pro-
longed IN order TO- gi3e lacy tihde to col
lect herself he placed o. lettefiiIl her hand /;
and the Instant She had taken out the en-,
closure, the last spark of hope died out
for the writing was Georges, and the Ia
burnm was the counterpart of those bios
SONS which had come to her from time to
time mute assurances of her lovers con-
stancy; and, like a message from the
grave, came the words of Lucys first and
last love1etter:
'My darling, my darlington at last,
after all this weary working and waiting,
the-rig44trk eS1H you mine IS WoA-thank
God this is my last day of Indian life; and
were it not that have strange wish to
write you my first letter, here IN the place
from whence, with the labuFhuna blossoms
you gathered for me. nearly three years
ago, have sent you 80 many unwritten
messsges, Fshoa1dA de noehhg stosnight, for
am so weary, Lucy love.
. II start frfor England tD|morrow,a so
shall see. you long before: your birthday !;
but as L may be delayed a few hours,
shall. send you this the first. opportunity
and i shall expect a warm welcome, for
my work is done. My uncle's death has
made me lonely, and rich even beyond
your fathers expectations; and then the
Golden Chain is completed; and so now,
Lucy, my own love, tried and true, am
ceEA1ng to claim your promise-the prom
Use that has held firm in spite of time and
: - ''GEoReE1"
To say that Lucy understood the mean
ing of the words she read would scarcely
be right She knew that George was dead,
that,heF hapRi9ess7 was wrecked, sand that
the treacherous sen to whose summer song
she had so often listened had come be-
tween her and her love; but as yet she
scarcely felt the force of the blow; still
Mr. Wheeler was alarmed by the whiteness
of her face. Deeply vexed with himself
for having so abruptly brought this trouble
to her knowledge, he went in search of
Mrs Lansdeni but to all her inquiries and
attempts at comfort, Lucy only moaned
out some indistinct words about George
coupled with request to be taken home;
and so, back t0Ehh pleasant seaside cot
tage, that henceforth would be associated
with misery nSReakable, the half-uncon-
scious girl was borne; and thus ended
LPeyi hanssdenf biTthdrYI 1lIiIJ 1
"Heaven knows + aid itfor her {gobd. I
wanted to save her from the misery atten
dant upon genteel poverty / and instead of
that, my precautions have broken her heart.
declare could bear anything, any re-
proaches, better than the gentle, uncom-
planning manner in which she goes about
l never thought to pass such Christmas
as this" -- -. ,.. ... ...-..-r...
The speaker was Mr.. Lansden, the place
the breakfast parlor of his own house;
the time, the Christmas day following the
summer they had spent at Brent. As he
finished speaking, Mrs. Lansden came to
his side, and there was panied look on.
her face. u
Walter" she said earnestly, al wish
you would try to throw aside this intense
feeling of self-reproach. No one would
think, Lucy least of all, that you are to
blame in the matter; and when she is a
little reconciled to her loss, it will be fresh
pain to her sensitive nature to see you
looking so worn and haggard. Do.try and
be cheerful just, for to-dayj depend on it,
it wilfdo the child good for my sake,
S The sound of aslight step ION the stairs
made her turn away to the breakfast table,
and Mr. Lansden, with a sigh he in vain at
tempted to conceal, looked IN the direction
of the door, where the next moment Lucy
entered; but so unlike was the pale, fra
gile-looking girl to the one who had stood
with her lover under the pendant blossoms
of" Golden Chain" ~ that it was little won
der her father mourned the change.
During the illness that followed close
upon the information of Georges death
Lucy's hair had been cut short, and it now
crIrled in. rings round her head but it was
in the hope1essly sad expression of her
face that the difference was most marked ;
II. II n