The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-06-10
BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON.
~ have other guests" said Marga

l had met somo of them before
all nice people. Tho summer prom.
iscd to DO gay. I know that was
very happy that evening, singing
| with Alice Lee. But thcro was an
| evil influence in the house. 1 soor
J felt it. Sutton's wealth and extrava
gancc bred spirit Of envy among
the young men; his snccring smile
blightcd our pure and simple pleas
urcs, and it cXaspcratcd tho mascu
line portion Of the company to OBJ
serve the influence this Mcphistophclcs
had over tho beautiful, innocent, TO
mantle girls whom they loved
There were those Of the men whom
he scduccd at the start. They copied
his vices in less than three weeks
Then followed dissatisfaction and
hcartachc among men and women.
But l, who from the first declined
to play cards and drink in Sutton's
rooms, felt uncontaminatcd, and free
to seek that priceless treasure in life,
q pure woman's love.
l tried to please Alice Lee, and sue
cceded. In July VIC wcro engaged.
And then just began to understand
how good and sweet my darling was.
remember that camc homo from
fishing one day, with u face nearly
blistcrcd by the sun. Alice, in her
cool, white dress, with vio!ct ribbon
ut the throat, pccpcd ont the door at
me as came up the garden, where l
had delivered the spoils OF the day
into the hands Of Mag's cook, and
held up her pretty hands in mock
horror. In truth, L was something
Of Il spectacle, with my white linen
suit illuminated with the juice "f
strawbcrrics-tEc pantaloons thrust
into tho legs of my muddy boots
plcntifillly bcsprinklcd with the dust
of country roads, and ticrcc!y sun
burnt. But had been gone all day,
and Alice made up face TO kiss Inc.
"No." said l ; 81 will excuse YOU,
since l have q bistcrcd nose, and l
am covered with dust"
was quite III earnest, and tried to
hold her off, fearing her delicate dress
would get soilcd if she touched nc :;
but she won her way to my breast,
rubbed II littlo place clean Oh my fore
head with her embroidered handIlcr-
chief, kissed the spot and laughed in
my eyes.
"Dear Lewis" said she, "it's you,
and I'm not afraid Of dirt that will
wash off,"
The mcrIimcnt softcncd in her
lovely face.
Lewis" sho said softly "Ion't
think l love you for your clothes, or
your complexion, or your whiskcrs,
which all the girls admire, but be-
cause you arc good and true, and l
feel that I can trust you. DO you
know what made me lovo you at
frst?"
I shook my head.
sDccausc, all Sutton's wilcs to draw
you over to his set failed. You ad-
miro honesty and purity, and have
maintained them SO nobly, that I
honor and admire you. If you were
q blacksmith I'd marry you and live
in a howell" And with her beautiful
eyes sparkling with tears, my darling
hugGcd INC, and then pushed nc off,
and then ran away TO hide how She
w:.s crying.
BlissfulIy happy I stumbled up
stairs, plunged into a bath, and dives
ted myself of all stains of earth.
But when I when [ went into my
drcssing-room I perceived tho fumes
of Sutton's cigars. They were of q
peculiar brand, and no ono smoked
them but himself lie was sitting in
the south portico, close to the door
where / had met Alico. How long
had he beon there?
My hand trcmblcd rs brushed my
hair. Shoald l have been ashamed, of
it? think not. Sutton had q rep
utation of taking horrible rcvcngcs,
end I had SO much to lose
But after moment I braccd my
self, mentally and physically, and
sat down to read. I was too tired to
go down stairs. But tho fumes of
that cigar seemed to have got into my
head; the page was hazy and indis-
tinct; I could sec nothing so plainly
as Sutton's Greek profile and hya-
cynthinc hair, and suspccting l was
ill l at length throw down Tho vol,
umc and went TO bed by starlight.
I was i'll for fortnight with q low
nervous fever. My valet took mo in
charge, but Alice camc in every day
with Margaret, and did mo moro
good with ten minutes pctting than
Eugcne's most patient attention &C.
complishcd the whole day. She kept
flowers 1T my bedside, and stretched
proprietics TO the utmost to SEQ me
At first her smiling eyes by my pill
low wcre delicious; but ono day ]
saw she regarded me i'll q troubled
wistful way, and afterwards l. discov
cred that she was growing pale.
"Wh.t is tho mattcr2 tell mo pot 7.
I said. ....
ooh, you got we'll SO slowly" she
said, transient flush on her delicate
check
did not dream what prosecutions
she was undergoing while I lay there
but she would not worry mo with
any complaints; bravo, faithful, low
ing little heart.
was nearly we'll ut last-sat ur
all day in my room, and sent word tt
my friends below that I would be with
them tho following day. -
At midnight tho radiance of tht
moonlight awoke mo from q deel
sleen. 7 couId never sIeeD in n room