The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1871-05-04
trouble to come back after you. -

LeOline Forester for his bride, and
quite aware that, being ffty-six
years Of age, he had not a great deal
Of time to spare in matrimonial
search, asked her youngest sister,
little Charlotte, to marry him.
To be sure Charlotte was only
seventeen-ten full years younger
than her beautiful sister-but she
knew the advantages of a rich hus-
band, and she had no sort of faith
in the popular delusion of "loye in
a cottage" and so she said Eyes,"
and the old Squire was gratifed az
ter all.
Mr.. and Mrs. DR.. Haywood had
just driven up to the station in their
elegant wine-colored barouche with
the white horses, whose harness
was literally covered with gold
plate, and stepped into the train,
which was to take them on the first
stage of their wedding tour, when
a tall, bronzed stranger, with some
thing curiously foreign in his air
and manner, stepped from the front
car of the self-same train, which
was to proceed northward after five
minutes delay"
Scan I get a carriage to take me
to Forester Park?' he said to the
station-master, who was out on the
platform, staring with all his might
at the glittering equipage.
"Yes, sir, sartin,' answered the
man. 'Here's the Squire's own
earria ge just come down. I 'spose
you're friend of the family, sir
most pity you wasn't in time for
the weddin' this morning, sir"
'What weddingP" Melton Cleve
turned suddenly, with his eyes
flashing beneath their long Iashes,
and a single spot of color on his
cheeks.
"The Squire's daughter, sir, with
DIR. Haywood, Of Chicago. They
do say he is worth a million dollars,
though he is, maybe, a little mite
Oldest, considerin' her years, and"
"And they were married this
morning?'
eyes, sir, at quarter to twelve"
There was few minutes hustle
and interruption, attendant on the
of the train, and then the
station master came once more to
Mr.. Cleve.
''Wil 1 call you a hack, sir, or
viii you prefer to ride up in the
Forester Park carriage?'
Neither" was the answer, in a
voice so changed that even the OBJ
tuse official started. ''What time
does the next train pass through
here to New York?'
"At four-forty, sir"
"Iwill wait and take shat train
back"
And once more Melton Cleve
went forth into the world which
had used him so kindly-but this
time with soured, embittered
heart.
"And she told me she would
waitp, he muttered bitterly, be-
tween his clenched teeth. "False
-false-like all the rest of them
yet 1 was fool enough to fancy that
1 could believe in herr'
When he reached his room at the
hotel he unlocked his trunk, took
out a photograph of Leoline FOres-
ter and, tearing it in a dozen pieces,
scattered them on the air.
$50 ends my hfe's romance he
said, with a hoarse, unmirthful
laugh.
And the first eastward bound
steamer that left the port of New
York bore on its deck as a passen-
ger, Melton Cleve, a sadder and a
gIoomier man.
The years passed on-Melton
Cleve grew rich and saturine in the
burning climates close to the trop-
les, Squire Forester's hair whitened
and his temper waxed less irritable,
and Leoline, patiently waiting for
for the loving letters that had so
long since ceased to come, grew
more saint-like in her quiet beauty
than ever, and once more the cur
tain of our little drama rises on the
scene of a brilliant drawing-room in
Chicago, where 1Ir. CleYe, on his
second visit to the United States,
stood leaning against the doorway,
with folded arms and lips curved
just little in what was neither a
smile nor a sneer.
'Here comes my friends, DR.. and
Mrs. Haywood" said the hostess,
with an artificial simper. 1'You
must allow me to introduce you to
them; she is so very lovely"
Melton Cleve's heart thrObbed
strangely within him-but it was
too late now to retreat. He looked
up and beheld a white-haired old
man with a lovely young woman
leaning on his arm, all ablaze with
diamonds. January and July.
"WhyF he exclaimed, fairly los
ing for once his presence Of mind