Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-11-24


One little note Vesey wrote his mother to
say she could not make the promised visit.
Darrell had said nothing in his letter Of
coming for her. ''And tell DARRELL at
the end of her note-''tbat I am saving
any amount Of gossip against writing him
some day" But the "some day" never
came. Absence. like a strong light. brings
out hidden defects, and Vesey knew that
he was a man, selfish and vain. who had
played with her heart He had held it in
bis hand, weighed and measured it and
her, and had cast both aside as worthless.
She thought of it with burning cheeks.
With another winter came the Wins
lows. If she had dreaded it. if she had
feared for herself, would it have been
strange? But the spell was broken
Looking back, she wondered.
Outwardly the old intimacy was resum-
ed. Darrell came and went as he had
come and gone the year before. But to
Vesey it was only shell-a hollow, heart
less thing that never had been friendship
and could never now be love. Paul, plod-
ding along day after day in the daily round
of his duties. saw-as though great way
of-Vesey and Darrell flying up and down
the icy streets to the tinkle of silver bells
One night Vesey. glowing in crimson,
with white chrysanthemums in her hair,
passed the hall. The outer door was open
wide. Paul stood outside. The wind
raw and wet with the breath of the sea
caught at her hair-at the silken rufaes
of her dress.
"Oh, is it you7 But you are coming
in 2"
She little knew how her words tempted
him. how the vision tempted him, as she
paused with clasped hands under the gas.
light, and with the warm bright room be.
yond.
II cannot. I am waiting for your faith.
er. There is family at the lower end o.
= rss iss. words s;s. su5zsa lso1 you;
not tonight" be said. He had longed to
meet her again, like this-alone and face
to face. But her light manner, her dain-
ty dress angered him tonight. He had
cone from such different scene. Only
a woman of the world. after all, be thought
And yet so sweet, he owned, when he had
turned away and plunged into the cold and
darkness. Darrell was waiting for her in
the drawing room.
You're like poem tonight, in all that
ruby red-like an eastern SUM-"
Thank you." Vesey said. dreamingly.
Il couldn't imagine you in gray" be
went on. half to himself. ''or anything
sombre, or worn, or poor" He had be.
gun to study the girl in earnest DOW
"Yes. you are made for the rarest and
best. Vesey; to shine in satin and dia.
monds."
lis that all ?" she asked, wistfully.
'.All? Is not that enough7 1t would
satisfy most womcn?"
But tonight it did not satisfy her,
Down at the beginning of the long street
was black, low -browed house, like many
others here, with shop in the lower sto.
~, or more properly two, since one win
dow was occupied by Matchmaker. and
the other displayed pins. needles, spools
or cotton, and small wares. Above were
two or three rooms with slanting sides,
where deformed girl-a pitiful object to
look at--lived with her mother. earning
enough by sewing to put bread into their
mouths and scanty covering upon their
backs-no more. vcsey employed them,
from pity mostly, since her work could
have been better done elsewhere. She
stepped out of the sleigh here at dusk one
night. and ran up the stairs. a roll of work
in her hand. She had to wait moment,
so she sat and talked with the girl. who
was young like herself, and not like her.
self at all. 1t made her happier in the
happy lot that had sometimes wearied her
It made her thankful for her strong young
life which she had never named among
her blessings, and it shot CLEAN Of plea.
sure through the girls dark days.
1t was a room. with paper torn, soiled
and Of many patterns, upon the walls, with
the bare boards Of the floor yawniug, ris.
ing and falling uneasily; with the dim twi.
light struggling through uncurtained win.
dows that peered from under the cave.
like eyes from overhanging brows. A
low voice and continuous murmur fel
upon Vesey's ear. It seemed to come
from the next room.