Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-12-22
The Work of jealousy.
A TRUE STORY.
BY MANIFRED MURDOCH.

"And you'll hot forget me, little daring,
my beautiful-my OWn?'
Forget you, Arlie-hOw could [? When
God forgets His believing children, when
nature ceases her praises of Him, whenone
of His promises He fails to fulfill-tben viii
| forget to remember you. Dearer than a
thousand lives, were they mine, are YOU,
Arlie ZerrillOn."
He drew her near him until her beautiful
head rested upon his shoulder, and, twining
MS arms tenderly around the slight figure
murmured: .'More than all III eaTtA or
heaven, save Him, | love you Bercie, my
souls beacon! May He forSake me, if, in
tentiOnally, | cause you SORROW"
Very beautiful looked that young, gface-
ful girl in the soft glow Of an October sun
set; her exceedingly fair and smooth cheeks
flushed from the walk she had just ~ .en,
her weight of rich, glistening Gyret14.s ttol-
ored hair floating around her tall, slender,
faultlesSly prOpOrtiOned frame and tangled
with bewitching carelessnesS with moses,
ferns and crimson wildwood flowers
These she wore in the dainty ears, at the
white throat, and around the elegantly
moulded waist. Beneath the maryelOuSly
white, wide forehead, and eyebrows and
lashes to match the hair were large, soft,
dark gray orbs, wearing q world Of tender
ness and purity-frank, truthful eyes, be-
meath whose calm gaze vice and cOWirdice
would Shrnk-eycS that seemed ever ask
ing for love, and giving it in return, eyes
that could dance mercilCSSly at their own
cr's or another's joy. Parted just sutli-
ciently to half reveal small, regular, almost
dazzling teeth, we're lips as deeply colored
and far sWeeter than the red blooms. A
merino dress, the shade Ui the rare eyes,
relieved at the hands and neck by garnet
ribbons, fell about lrCr III artistic folds.
IaorIfifIl 1lS "a tali al
beside her. Boy, | say, for twenty years lie
had not seen.
Reader, have you gazcd upon the holy,
WOndrouS ultra-marinc sky at placid night;
when not even (, 1leGcy cloud Swallowed it.;
when mOOnbeams flooded ii with a sea OF
glory, and felt that sinless creatures bend
ing from the peally gates OF the City Of
Peace, were watching YOU: Like feelings
would have been yours, could YOU have
seen the glorious eyes Of Allie Ierrilon.-
Gazing into their shining azure depth. YOU
could almost have seen the soul, the stain
less poet soul whose every thought i would
not have shranl from la, Ing known.
CaresSin9ly resting upon Il massive. grand
brow, fair ao Il chilu5, were short, heavy.
dark brown culls, just the hue Of delicate
eye brows, ami long Sirl-I&shcs. Tie nose
straig and admirably propOuioned, and
the smile that Wreathed the sensitive,
uniquely carved lip7, lovely and 2uiiclcss a,
that of the little one to whom ANGELS are
breathing ''Whisperings If love"
.'The;c two had loved each either
Since first beneath the chestnut tryea
In infancy they played"
As they grew, SO did their affection. and
this evening tIloy had been betrotl3cd a
year
His college lif5. over, II" had decided TO
travel for several years d,.d he had come 10
say farewell to her Who Was dearest to
him.
On the grand old yeraldah, in the 2at!l-
ering twilight, they talked long and tc3.-
vently.
Bercie Zadrin was no weak. affected gill,
ready to sink beneath every light blow, but
brave and strong under allliction; yet strug-
gle as she would, for Arlie's sake, to repress
them, great tears rolled down the now pale
face.
''Though telling 50 eloIucntly your love
for me, dearest, l cannot say hoW it 2ricycs
me to see you weep thus. Tisn't 50 hard,
after all, sweetheart. for with Gods blcS-
sings III soon return and lay my laurcls at
your feet, queen of my heart"
Il felt ashamed of my fooiisllness, AIlie,
but oh. you do not know what a terrible
feeling hauntS me. 1t seems us if a voice
were whispering that harm will surely come
to us. l struggle to silence it, but it will
not cease
..Fie yet, It's only fancy. | viii write
very often, and tell you such amusing things,
the time will not pass slowly"
lie bowed his head till his bronze locks
mingled with her black trcsses, and revc-
rcntly kissed her brow and lips.
Have YOU strol1ed a beautiful, silver cat
as it seemingly innovently pulrcd at your
feet, appearing to thank you for your good
ness, and being suddenly startled by sharp
pain in the hand caused by claws concealed
by soft velvet ? Have you gazed spell
bound upon Il GRACEFUL jewel eyed serpent,
unable to unriYct your attention, and been
quickly aroused by the cold sickeuing thing
wrapped around your body, into which It
has inserted its vile langs Have You
Wanlcrcd far out upon the smooth, glitter
ING sand, and realized with sense of hOi-
Tor. its treachely? Did'st ever see til gOI-
9eOus, enhancing beauty Of those tropic
flowers whose near approach is ruin? Ii
so, you know better than | can tell YOU Of
Lorelie Wild.
Both parents having died when slle was
a child, leaving her 10 income, She had
been generously asked to share the luXuri-
Gus home of her uncle, Mr.. Zadrian. Here
every kindness that great, Wann hearts
could bestOW, was hers. Berria-the noble
angel-like Bercie-Was like q sister, often
sacrificing her own pleasure for tllut of ile'
cousin. Not a particle Of gratitude did
all this create i'll the heart Of that wicked
girl.
The only love tli;,t She was capable ot
entertaining for any one was given, unasked
to Allie ZerriliOn. Never by word Or look
did that upright boy show her more than
frienship, though i'll every way decency
would allow she told him her preference
for him to all her admirers. Finding all
attempts TO win him ilJitless, her dislike tC
Bercc was transformed into intense ha-
tired; yet over it was worn a mask Of love
and smiles. Gazing upon chem the last
night Of ArleS stay, she determined that
even though She lost her soul in the effort
to prevent it, they should never marry.
For year after Allie Zerrillon's depart
ure Bercie had long, hopeful, very affection
ate letters from him; bidding her not tC
grieve for him, for before q great While he
would be with her again.
AT last they suddenly ceased. Not once
doubling him, she thought sickness o.
death had prevented her hearing from him
and gain and again wrote him, receiving
no answer Then, such darkness settled
upon her, she wondered where all earth'>
brightness had departed. Very soon she
learned he yet lived. Glancing over a pa
per her eyes fell upon glowing account q
a new, startling, truly grand book by the
brilliant American poet, Arlie ZeTilon
then in Rome. All. then she sought lin
false, and felt that the heaviest OF life s bur
dens had fallen upon her. Though nt
murmur escaped her cOlOrlesS lips, and day
after day She was gentle and kind, the un
natural brightness of the eyes was start
ling, and the hectic flush told how deeply