Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-04-08

AAN"NfAHN|Nt -
turning 70 silver the tops 0f the tEee
and making the little lake beyond
look Ike q great white pearl. Gazing
earnestly downward hc saw 4 tall |
shadowy figure standing beneath the
shade OF the old elm. With B low cry /
she apFnng from the room, and q mo- /
mert after, stood besides her lover.
"COme at last, my tFe Hrs,p cried
Mark Wlneha ter, folding her Ia bis
arms. Hbe remained leAnIng passive
" against bis breast, while he pressed
passionate kisses upon her forehead,
cheeks and lips.
"KNhy have You made me wait 30
long, dafling..'s he said softly, and,
taking both her slender hands IN one Of
his, he pressed them to his lips.. Why,
how cold you are! How y0u fFenlble!i
he continued, as she clung 70 him.
''What Is the matter, Mayor
II waited because Threaded 70 meet
You, Mark.n
"Why? What do you nleaD9v
And, brokenly through her tears and
sobs, she told him all. He did not
speak or stir while shewau talking, and
when she had finished there was a long
silence She lacked courage to say
more, he would not ask. She repeat
ed the last words: "And tomorrow 1
must give him my answer.n Still he
did not speak.
She looked up at him. In the dim
light she could see his rigid, agonized
face, white lips, and cleaning eyes,
She stole her arms about his neck, and
drew his forehead down to her lips.
"Speak to me Mark; say that yOud0
not blame me.u
He knew then that she had decided
and what the decision was.
"And you will leave me, May, and
marry that old man?n
Heaven pity me, Mark, for j Imust.
/ viii become his wife, aud Will be
true and faithful to him, for be will be
kind to me. You will hear of me thu
and when you do, remember my words
Mark, that you have my hearth
II will remember May. God bless
us both, for / shall never forget you.
They shall bury me with this upon my
heart.n And he drew tress Of soft
brown hair from his bosom.
For q moment mOre--one little preci-
Gus moment-he held her against his
heart, and then kissed her put her gent.
ly from him, and was gone.
For a moment she stood under tht
trees, with cIasped hands and face up.
raised to the quiet sky, and then She
turned and walked silently toward the
house A light from the library win
dow streamed down ON her, as she
looked up, she saw the shadow of 8
bowed figure fall across the curtain.
"Father, you are saved" she mur
INJURED.
A hand was laid suddenly on he
arm, and she started with a low cry.
"Good evening, Miss May, isaid Col
Leighton. II have been seeking you.'
She bowed, and stood silently befor'
him, with calm downcast face.
II have been talking with your faith
err" he continued, carelessly pulling
? rose from bush near them. HE tell
me that you have to think Of my pro
posal, and let US know what your de
: cision is tomorrow, Is there anything
/ can say which will influence you t1
, form that conclusion In my favora'
: "You cannot say anything whicl
! will influence me in the least, Col
.. Leighton. AS my father has said, yol
shall have my answer Tomorrow
He glanced at the young face, so sat
in its calm dignity, and looked dowr
! at his fingers again, which were busieC
in tearing to pieces the blossom he held
and allowing the crimson petrals to fall
, at his feet, as if they were fragment o.
, the heart he was breaking. In the
long silence that followed she glanced
up at him once with the thought o
filng:ng herself Upon his mercy by Civ
ing her conf Ience; but the stern ex-
preston of he face repelled her.
"Miss May he said suddenly, ''you
are averse to this marriage.p
His tone aided in rendering his words
an assertion. She was startled, but re-
piled quiet Z, "Do You think SOP,
II must be blind If / could thin k
otherwise he continued with sudden
energy. MAY Warren, you know
that you hate me-that you would dratl-
er die than be my wife, were 1t not for
your fathers sake.n
Before she realized what she was do
ing, the monosyllable. "Yes,n slipped
from her lips.
"And in doing this do you realize how
you would wrong us both?'
She was silent.
\ '1t shall never be. / will never
make you my wife, knowing that you
do not love me-that your heart is not
in my keeping. / win not tell you of
my hopes, how / have dreamed that
my last days would be my happiest
Ones--it would not interest you. Now
have only to say that you are as free
! as II / had never seen you sweet faee.n
\ He paused for a reply, but she made
none. Bewildered BY her position, she
did not know what to say.
~ know that / have myself to re-
| pFOach,u Le went on. "My motive IN
offering your father my assistance was
purely q sci ish one. The conseG Guences
are only ,NLat / deserve. / had no
thought ~ the long years during which
he had bean my true and faithful friend,
but cruelty ook advantages Of his po-
sition to gain my own ends. Yes, ! am
properly punished.
There was q bitterness IN bis tone d
despOndenuy IN bis attitude, that greats
~ changed his accustomed, dIgniffed
c0mposIre Of the manner. Half un-
Conscious Of what Size did only sensi-
BE 0f the pity she felt for him, the
young eirl put her hand upon Ills arm
and said eoflly nForgiye mel
"Forgige me, Eather my child, he
said, gently. taking the little hand ii
one of hi, "f0r tho misery / havs
caused YOU. / should have known
thaf0ur paths 10 life could neverho one.
But goodnight, win not deialn you. 2
She did not shirk from h'nl as he
bent down to kiss her forehead. win
the last word. He stepped aside b 81. |
low the free passage to- the house. bat
she did not naoye.0
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