The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-06-02

FcStuS and Paul let us go and feed
the chickens" And off >hc started
whisting; then she struck into 9
Scottish song
sOh whistle and rll come to you, my
d = ]ad.". -. s.-'.. 50
A smile crossed the lines about
Darwin Testers mouth as her voice
hoa,ed back to him. and he thought
beneath that reckless exterior was a
deep loving heart.
+. Life had not been all sweetness to
him; she who should now have been
his hGnorcd wife was anotber's bride,
and tho wound in his heart which her
dagger Of conquest had made was not
yet healed He was called to Stanton
to: preach, and he and his widowed
mother would make it their home; he
would stay at Elder Adair's until her
coming.
Hearing voices, he voluntarily arose
and went to the window, and there
stood Elcnc d Spcn<ins food to an
army OF poultry, and talking to them
all the while, when her aunts voice
put in: 800 .' - '-
"EIenc, child, did you know the
minister was htre?" 49,:
Eyes, nla'am; l saw him and talked
With him aud, aumtic, l can not help
thinking how much he resembles that
turkey there"
Aunt Mary disappeared instantcr,
and Ellen, laughing, looked up to the
window, and seeing Mr.. Lester, only
said - ,,- 9.s
.z5 "You. do not believe il, do yon ?"s "
On Sunday he asked her if she
would attend church.
"No, sir" WAS her candid reply.
How shall you spcud the day,
Miss Adair o. !
!, "You are very, inquisitive,, but. as
you are Il preacher, 1 viii overlook it
and tell you; in. reading, writing,
and having Il good time in general" y"
said she, bowing to him and leaving
him alone. .s.
AS time passed on Darwin Lester
could mot help admiriny the free
grace Of Elcnc her honest ftankncSs
and eccentric originality. IIc offered
to assist her in her studies. She at
first Gcclired. bat, when she consid-
cred it; accepted his offer. This
bro"ght them closer together; and
when Mrs. Lester came and they
took possession of their beautiful cot
tagc, which Darwin had converted
into miniature paradise by his many
improvements, he still instructed
Elene, and before two years passed
away he found he had been conjuga-
ting the verb ".lmo.'
In all this time there never was 4
moment when he felt he could tell
hcr his thoughts, for even did she
love him. he BnGw she would say
No." and laugh at his folly for ak
ing kcr love- He had sympathy for
Miles Standish when he said:
"a laundering No, point blank from
the mouth OF 4 woman,
That l confess I'm afraid of, nor am
% ashamed to confess it."
Up to this time Elcne's life had
been merry play, JOY, miscI:ief and.
the royuish wilcs OF the actors; but
now there came Il change. Her IA.
thcr fell q victim to disease, and in a.
few short days passed away from
earth. She wandered through her
old haunts in a dreamy way nothing
seemed to amuse her or arouse her
energies. Now Darwin Lester felt
courage totcll her, and put his fate
insher keeping. lie told her Of his
"youth's love dream" then ~ Of his
manhood's more perfect love. His
words stirred chords in her heart
which never before had vihratcd ;
thrill of JOY passed through her being;
but she looked calmly in to his face
and said: =
"You forget your position in life.
Marry minister! | thought You
knew my feelings in that direction.
The deep 7palor that. OF efsprca%l is
face made her regret her words, and
she added with smile:
:"CertaiUiy you do forgive me, for
speaking soafrankIy, for saying y = =
"Nhat I ought not to have said, yet
- now - ..
7 can never unsay it."
"1forgive you, Elene, for I know
your way. But consider it. well be-
fore YOU answer SO frankly my. qucs-
ton" - ~
No, Mr.. Lester, I am tired of my
self, OF everything; there is nothing
new, and the old haunls weary me. |
shall 80 to New York, to- my uncle;
in the buzz of that great city life
will seem to flow flster, and the goal
toward which all are coming will
soon appear. am wealthy, and
have wealthy friends, which are great
passports through life. | shall keep
my old home here to come back to-
when | have bathed in the Dead Sea
of my hopes-which may never be.
We are not suited tu each other.
Thint nf wedding the dashiug cata-
ract that flies from rock to rock to
the gentle, purlins strcam""' She
looked ny at him, with one of her
rosuish laughs, and said: Not a
bad sermonizer, am I ?"
Without answering her question he
took both her hands i'll hic saying
"Elene, you are young, and build
ing air-castlcs, and "asliing blindly Of
the future what il cannot give you,
but when you have read this inscrIp,-