The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-06-08

| fill our divorce courts with sorrowfui
tales, and make out the records Of bro
ken and blighted hearts.
But Barbara conHded her secret
sentiments to no one, and Mrs. Ether
ington wrote long account to Ernest
now lounging among the ruins Of
Pompeii and Herculaneum, Of what a
brilliant match Barbara was about to
make. Ernest wrote back a congrat
ualory letter, and sent lovely set Of
pink Neapolitan coral, which Barbara
never once put on. Colonel Allston
made an "old mans darling Of her
and she had no lack Of brilliant jewels
to wear.
AND We, Barbara W as miserable.
"Cbild," said Mrs. Etherington, one
evening, as she sal in the room which
Mrs Allston had jus. entered dressed
for party in cream colored silk and
diamonds, "lo you know how you
have changed during the past year !?
/ never in al my life saw such change
in any one"
"Havc l ?" said Barbara Indifferent
ly Yet as she looked in the glass she
,,,ll - h,k - hnranif
al wonder if Ernest would think
me ugly now?" she said striving to
speak lightly, but with concealed
tremor in her voice.
Ugly" echoed Mrs. Etherington.
"Why, Barbara you are beautiful"
She was. The large features were
in harmony now with the rest OF her
face the complexion had cleared to a
creamy softness, with roses blooming
on her cheeks and carnations on her
lips the nut brown hair dropped in
satin waves on either side Of her head,
and the large wine dark eyes were full
of shadowy, mysterious depths beneath
their tringed lids. Yes; Barbara saw
that she Was fair to look upon, and her
woman heart lejoiced within her.
AS she turned, stately and jewel.
dccked like al oriental Sultana, she
saw that stranger had entered the
room unannounced, and stood as if
rooted to the floor. close to The door.
way.
Ernest" cried both aunt and niece
in one breath.
Yes, am Ernest Etherington," he
answered, shading his eyes, as ifdgz
zled by some overnight vision. "But
pardon ne l was told my cousin Bar
bara lived here"
Mrs. Elherington started to her
feet
Ernest, is it possible that you don't
know your cousin Z"
The dimples came to Barbara's
check, the radiant sottness to her eyes
this was triumph worth having. She
advanced with gracious gracefulncss.
Il am Barbara
And she saw in his eyes the marvel
lous change wrought by the inscruta
bic old alchemist Time.
That night. when Barbara came
home and sat before her mirror, un-
clasping diamond fllet and bracelet
and loosening the dusky waves of her
superb hair, and saw the peaceful face
and white hairs of old Colonel Allston
on the pillow beyond, she put her
hand suddenly to her heart. Was it |
a sudden pang? WAS it rcmorse2 was
it consciousness, all too late, Of the
mistake she had made? Did she dis
cover then, for the first time, That she
had loved Ethcrington all these years
and that at last he was her captive3
Rising softly, she crept across the
velvet piled carpet and kneIt silently
beside the pillow, pressing her ripe red
lips against the scattered iron-gray
locks.
~ never thought of this" she pom
dered. "No; never dreamed what
might come to mc when I beheld him
once more. But OH! my husband,
manly and tender. from whose lips
never yet heard an unkind word; my
uoble, loving guardian and protector
l will he true to theer'
And Barbaras vow was registered
In the high heaven above.
When she walked the next morning,
The servants were tapping at her door
with confused utterance, and white
frightened faces.
"Master had fallen in fit or some. |
thing" He bad not b,gun to drink
bis coffee at the solitary breakfast
which WAS his usual habit, when bis