The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-03-31
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MISS WARsEN.

Ia lucs lt4tuCAs
May Warren made answer in q tone
of surprise raising her sad, anxious eye
to her fathers face.
AS if her gaze discomposed him, MIR
Warren turned his head, and his glance
wandered restlessly around the apart.
ment. He was an old man, with O tall
spare figure; thin, gray hair. and was
sitting in an armchair, by q table
covered with papers, while his pretty
daughter May sat beside him on an OF.
toman. She repeated ner words:
"In me, father?n
"Yes," he replied, starting from q
momert's abstraction. "Do you re.
member Col. Leighton, my dear?''
"Col. Leighton? An old man with
a heavy beard, partly gray, and pleas
ant blue eyes. He dined with us few
weeks ago. Yes, remember him faith
er.u
"Not SO very old, May,-not so old
as / am,-and one of the finest men
living. He is wealthy; very wealthy,
| tOO.n
He met his daughters questioning
gaze fully now, as if he had expected
her to read somethingin his face. She
kept, her dark eyes fixed searchingly
upon his countenance, the ebb and flow
of the soft color upon her checks be-
traying the quick pulsation of her
heart.
"What do you mean, father?r she
asked at length.
81 saw him last night. He offered
to help me-save me, if"
''If what, father"
"IfI would give you to him."
The words came hurriedly from Mr..
Warren's lips, as if he feared that if he
deliberated, he should not be able to
utter them at all. AS they fell on his
daughters ear she started to her feet,
pushing her hair back from her pale
face, in bewildered sort of way, as
if she were balf-stunned.
MARY me, father? Col. Leighton"
she cried in low voice.
Mr.. Warren took her hand, and drew
her down to her seat again.
"May, Col. Leighton will be good
husband to you. L have known him
from boyhood, and understand per-
fectly well his character and principles.
He loves you-will be kind to you, and
strive in every way to make you hap.
py. .And more-and more, May, he
will save me from beggary."
He paused, but his child, with her
face bowed upon her hands, made no
reply, nor stirred. Tie mute distress
that her attitude betokencd was not
unnOticed by him.
81 do not force you to this, May, re-
member, the matter is left to your own
choice. But you know what my wish
what the alternative will be if you
do not accept the Offer"
She knew only too well. Fully she
realized now how absolutely necessary
the luxuries to which her father had
become accustomed were to him. Alb
solute loss of possession did not seem
the most dreadful thing in the world to
her, but she knew what a wreck it
would make him. In her youth and
strength the future would still be bright
and full of hope to her; but how could
he, with his frame and burden of sixty
years commence life anew? The hope
full thought that she could work for him
and supply him with his accustomed
comforts afforded her but moments
comfort. To him with his stubborn,
aristocratic ideas, this would be the
most severe trial of all-his delicately
reared and petted child laboring fer his
support. He would never be reconciled
to 1t. That was no alternative she saw
at glance. Then with desperate
effort to think calmly, she recalled the
form of Col. Leighton. She remem-
bered his bowed head and silvered
beard, his dark deeply furrowed face,
and fifty years. She could get no
further. A younger face, with merry
azure eyes, and tossing, sunny hair,
srrang up in strong contrast. Stretch
ing out her hands to her father, as if
for pity, she cried out. 81 cannot! oh,
father, / cannotn
'Che old man sank back with a
groan."
"Lost-then l am lostw he cried
shuddering. There were no reproaches,
only those bitter words and that des-
pairing attitude. White and fearless
she sat at his feet, the agony of her
heart was written on her face. The
wild, desperate thought that her sacri-
flee was possible, occurred to her.
"Father, dear fatherW
He raised his head, whitened with
the frosts of sixty winters, and looked
at her with gleam of hope in his sun
htu eNCS. tDhC SlCpO lhtO l1lS ulo 90
she had done when child, and laid
her soft cheek against his wrinkled
brow.
"You know that love you, father"
she said. 81 can never remember you
but as a kind, tender and forbearing
with me. Your heart has been my
home all my life. L viii work, beg,
suffer for you'll will die for you-oh,
how willing, if need be. But that-oh,
father, you do not know what it is that
you askm
He did not speak, but moan broke
uncontrollably from his lips, as he
rested upon her shoulder. The strug-
gle in her heart sent dark shadowy
waves across her face. Could she
could she?
"Father," she whispered hurriedly,
"let me go, now. will see you again
answer you Tomorrow" And she
left him.
He could not see her face in the
gathering darkness, only glimpse of
something white, but he felt the quiv-
erIng of her lips as she bent to kiss him
and reached out his arms to embrace
her, but she was gone.
"Heayen pity me-" The words came
like wall from her lips. She was
alone in the chamber, flung PROSTATE
upon a low couch, with her face hid in
the cushions. The sound of the rust
ling foliage of the garden, and the
chirping of the birds, came in through
the open window with the damp even-
ing breeze, and the pale light of the
rising moon filled the room with its soft
radiance, but she was unconscious of
everything but misery. The house was
so quiet the sound Of a footstep cross
ing the han below fell upon her ear,
and aroused her to a momentary inter-
est. She heard door open,-the libra
ry door, and then voice uttered q
few words of commonplace greeting.
She remembered it well, and sprang to
her feet with desperate, insane
thought of flight. But the door closed,
the house was still again, and she was
calmer.
She crossed the room listlessly, and
drew back the curtain of the window.
The scene without was beautiful. The
moonlight lay broadly on the garden,
turning to silver the tops of the trees,
and making the little lake beyond
look like great white pearl. Gazing
earnestly downward she saw q tall
shadowy figure standing beneath the
shade of the old elm. With low cry
she sprang from the room, and a mo-
ment after, stood besides her lover.
"Come at last, my treasure" cried
Mark Winchester, folding her in his