The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1871-10-18
lOriginal.l
Maude'@ Victory.
by ZAIDEE.

Of sen shells. the worlds swe etest TINT as
though
She lived. one half might deem, on roses
In silver dcws."
On broad piazza in front of
stately mansion on - street in the
cityof M, stood man over whose
whito brow thirty years had cast
their lights and shadows and left no
trace behind. The high noble fore
head from which the raven looks were
carelessly thrown, was as smooth as
an infants and tho dark liquid eyes
revealed no sign Of sin Or shame in
their unfathomable depths. A slken
beard Of glossy bluckuess almost con
cealcd the aristocratic mouth and
chin, but now aul thsn as he spoke
earnestly, ole could see glc ans of
white teeth in all their array Of mag.
niticcncc. A Roman nose Of great
beauty a smile Of iucfabic sweetness,
voice peculiarly musical and Il figure
OF perfect symmetry consti; but
half of the at. actions Of Gerald Cliff.
ton. Those who knew his wel;cul,iva,c1
MUD, his grand Intellect, his enter
tanning conversational powers and
above all, his aniable disposiuou,
fo.soi his personal appearance in ad-
mira,i,n, of his mental qualities.
BY his side, seemingly in earnest
thought, stood radiantly beautiful
girl of eighteen summers, her grace
ful form resting against one Of the
marble columns OF the piazza and her
qucenly head dropping upon her
swah.like neck, "s her blue e,:c>
studied all urrowy moonbeam that fell
through the vino sreAthrd lattice
upon the vhi = floor. b .uiif.I
golden-haircd. NJ .ud+ B.v..i. WAS
pondcring question OF numr"'"ns
import noe" question, whose "''s~er
uhoull affect the wc'f,rr .. rmn ~.
dividuals, the man "t ..rr M who
had asked her to become l,~ viz, uu1
the mother of his two orphan ,hI,trH",
and her own sweet self. :Sh w,s .
beautiful picture to contemplat, aud
to him who looks upon her, through
the intense light OF II deep and alb
sorbing love she seemed, with her an.
gelic countenance, her SNOWY drapc-
ry floating around her and her sunny
curls gently floating in the soft and
pcrfumcd summer breeze, like an airy
visitant from holicr sphere, some
thing too pure and ethereal for man
to love, creature to be worshipped
from afar. And yct his hearts most
Il 90 l. L.
own fireside, to have her administer
to his wants, to those Of his mother
loss boy and girl, to have her smile
upon and cheer him through all the
vicissi,udes of life.
"Dear Gerald" said Maude, in
answer to the question previously ask
ed, 81 cannot consent to marry you
now and spond that year in Europe
You must 60 alone and leave me to
better qualify myself for the position
Of stopmothcr. In fact, Gerald, you
have no idea how shrink from sue h
responsibility-childrcn never like
stepmothers, stepmothers never like
their sterchildren, the Relationship
is too unnatural entirely. I do not
believe that heaven ever smiles upon
it. I fcar that instead of being the
gentle dove to bring the olive brancl,
of peace to your home, should create
discord there" ..'.. i..r.
"Maudc," said Clifton with o dis
appointed air, "you make grevious
mistake remember your own sweet
and amiablo disposition, SO we'll cal.
culatcd to iuspire with affection the
easily impressed hearts of innocent
little children. feel sure that MY
Arthur and Rose would love you al
your first interview and you could
lead them ever thereafter by a silker
cord. [ know If my gentle Lillian
could dcscond from her abode among
the just made perfect, and have q
voice in the selection Of q mother fol
her children, she would approve O.
my choice aud bless your efforts tt
brighten the lives of her darlings. I
loved my sweet wife and we livcc
happily together, but she did no
on her deuthbed doom me to q lionel
and cheerless existence"
The girl looked up with hor blue
eyes bliu'ful Of tears and said in gen
tie accents:
"Gcrald, I bless you for speaking 81
affectionatcly of your Lillian. l woulc
not marry man who would tell mt
that he did not love his first wife.
should feel confident that he woult
say the same thing to third abou
myselfifthe opportunity was afforded
But have another objection. You
mother who has the care of the chill
dren at present, is, lam told, violent
ly opposed, to your marrying again.
Gerald looked slightly annoyed.
n"My dear mother" he said, @has he
old fashionable prcjudices hut sin