The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-07-14


sounded drgc like, and feeling Of
gloom filed my heart But when We
reached the banks the silyery waves
sparkling brightly in the last rays of
the sun, brought moro cheerful feeling.
Enchantrcss by whose power the past
aud tho distant stand so yiyidly before
me, wave back thy wand and transform
this littlo room, and the scenes Of which
| am so weary, to the open sky, the
blue waters of my Georgia home, bid
me lay aside the burdened heart, the
bitter, bitter consciousness of a woman,
for the careless heart of the girl who
stood by the sea that day. Alone! alone!
We watched the spray as it arose aud
fell upon the rocks, and fualy |, who
was by nature fearless Of danger, clam.
bered up to gather spray of some flow.
ers clingihg to the messy side of the
rock. | had almost reached it, when |
slipped aud fell, my head grew dizzy and
| lost all consciousness, When awoke
to a sense Of what was passing around
me, felt the arm Of Arthur Howe
around me, aud fond, loving words
whispered in my ears. MARY, darling,
oh =, awake, it is |, Arthur who loves
you so wildly, awake my darling " /
opened my eyes and met the mpassion-
ed glance resting on my face. Kath-
leen stood little apart, pale, very pale,
was that sweet face, and my first feeling
was pity for her. Arthur had, in that
terrible moment Of danger, forgotten
honor, everything, but the love that
had ovcrpowered every other emotion.
Our walk home was silent one, and
when we re entered the little parlor
Kathleen pleading a headache, left US.
All how bitter was the struggle in my
heart that night. loved Arthur Howe,
but my better feelings taught me the
duty | owed to my sister
| would give him mp, and feeling
like that Of a martyr filed my soul at
the thought Dear, dear, Kathleen,
she shculd be happy, and | would never
let her know how much loved even
worshiped, the man who was her hus-
band With such thoughts in my heart
fell asleep, troubled sleep. for surely
coming events cast their sha lows be
fore" That night in my dreams l
saw the cold dead form Of my lover low
on coral bed, the eyes closed and the
heart that had throbbed so near my own
still and pulseless, and Kathleen, my
sister, knelt in the chapel taking upon
herself the VOWS that shut her out from
the world, its joys and its sorrows,
whilst the Nuns chanted the "Avc
Maria" When | awoke, dim sense
of The past events came to me, and l
almost dreaded to meet the calm pale
face of Kathleen.
Arthur Howe left us early that morn
ing, and l knew not what passed be-
tween them, but when sat alone in our
|
little room that evening, Kathleen came
in softly aud sat down near me. Her
eyes, with the deep purple lines beueath
them, showed that she had been weep.
ing. cannot tell how miserably | felt
at that moment, and | could not resist
an impulse to throw my arms around
her and tell her how unhappy | felt to
be the cause Of her trouble.
ooh dear sister, can you ever for.
give me" mummered, sobbing violent.
iy, II will never, never see him again,
and you shall have all his love |" She
smiled sadly and kissed me. "No
Mary, you know me too we'll to believe
that / could be SO base; Arthur loves
you, and even if honor prompted him
to fulfil the VOWS he once made to me,
still | could never be his wife"
| knew by the calm low tones of her
voice that she was firm in her resolve.
| went back to my school duties, and
letters from Arthur came filed with
words of the deepest affection. at
last learned to forget the sad eyes Of
Kathleen, and to look forward to a fu.
ture of happiness Oh what iugrati.
tude was mine towards one who had
been mother, sister, all to me
A'iew months went by and | was to
return home, to leave it only as the hap.
py wife of Arthur Howe. Ifelt indeed
sad at parting with the loved ones, my
school mates, for the friendships we
form at school are not very lasting, and
with promises of eternal affection and
remembrance, we parted. Home dear
home, once again | stood beneath the
old homestead and hurried to meet
Kathleen. / went to the little room
we had always occupied together, but
she was not there. On the table lay a
letter addressed to me. On opening it