The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1870-01-14
OeisilraI.
Written expressly for the Journal.
WAS IT FATE, OR CHANCE2
BY MIRIAM MERLE.
CONCLUDED.

CONCLUDED.
All this time he had dreamed n
less because ofthe uncertainty whicl
he felt: but he had hOped-and thi
was the letter he had waited for
Abingdon Wis, Oct. Is.
Mr.. Brace Clifton:
Miss Lawrenc would be sorry t.
keep Mr.. Clifton in Benton after hi
"business" there is completed: ant
she, therefore writes-as she woult
not, otherwise be likely to do-t'
say that she declines his acquaint
ance by letter or otherwise.
L. Lawrence"
Well! II was shock, after he hat
allowed himself to expect something
different; for, at the worst, he hat
not thought she would thus cut o
all means of fseeking her, even shoulC
she refuse, as he thought she would
to allow him to write again.
If he had only known that thi
same naughty girl had written thre'
several notes before this, in each 0
which, despite her prejudice, she hac
not forbidden him to find some aven
tie to their acquaintance; but haC
destroyed them, and, ,obeyed her frs
impulse in the cutting note befor'
him, he would not have felt quite 81
keenly the wounds it made.
HE will not give up if he cares,
she thought; cor ifhe is worth know
ing"
And Brace Clifton sighed to thinl
as he looked at the elegant, and pc
culiar chirography of the word h
ihad received, that, either he mus
seek further, for the maiden of hi
aspirations, or he must devise som,
new method by which to oyercom
her scruples.
His was not a nature to give III
Tightly anything once undertaken, il
earnest: but with this, what could h
lido?
One day, he called to say good-by
Ito Daisy Cummings, between whom
and himself, a warm friendship ha'
arisen.
While carelessly looking at tn
Ipictured faces in her album, he start
led, at beholding, on the back of on
of the cards, handwriting, he we
knew. The words are few: but no.
different from those he had seen b
the same fair hand.
"To my darling friend, Daisy, i
token Of the love of
Leila"
That was all. The gentleman ha
no longer any doubt, that, ifhe turn
ed the page, the face of his wakiu
dreams, would be revealed.
"She could be gentle and loving
then as he thought her" How b
envied Daisy those tender words!
Should he look at the face, on th
other side?
Daisy had left the room a few mC
ments before, and, as she came. in
gain, he slowly closed the book, +
solving that, without her free consel
he would not even gaze on the pi
: tured semblanee of Leila Lawrenc
"Why, how serious you look" sat
daisy; and is it true Mr.. Cliftc
that you are going away as Give
as Mr.. Hartley says"
eyes! 1 am serious, my lit
} friend; and I am going home" b
replied smiling.
"You and Give must not forg
me, quite, and, sometimes 1 hope, v
shall meet again"
And Daisy gave him her hand
parting, almost as warmly as she d
to Give when they met,
"What noble fellow, he is"! 81
: thought-"only second to Give
the wide world.
+ Dear Give! And she forgot,
n many another has, the poSslDle sC
rows of another, in her own excee
a ing joy.
i, When Daisy again wrote to b
> Western friend, she mentioned cas-
ir ally, that very intimate friend
Give Hartley's had added much
their pleasure, while he remain
" there, but that he had lately go
- home, to the regret of all.
He is Splendid! she add
ir warmly.
"And even you, cold and proud
you are called, would admit it, if y
knew him.
But Leila had no thought that
- was Brace Clifton of whom she wrC
Indeed, so firm was her belief th
Ie only adventures, or worse, soug
:. the acquaintance of ladies, in su
ways, that she always-when s
B. was not reading his letter-thoug
' of him as belonging to this class.