Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-04-27
Nj S S W are II.

of surprise, raising her sad, anxious
eyes 10 her fathers face.
As if her gaze discomposed him,
Mr.. Warren turned his head, and his
glance wandered restlessly around
the apartment. He was an old man,
with tall, spare figure, thin, gray
hair, and was sitting in an armchair,
by a table covered with papers, while
his pretty daughter May sat beside
him on an ottoman. She repeated
her words:
"In me, father?"
"Yes," he replied, starting from
a moments abstraction. Z" Do you
remember Col. Leighton, my dear ?
"Col. Leighton {? An old man with
a heavy beard, partly gray, and
pleasant blue eyes. He dlned With
US a few weeks ago. Yes | remember
him father
Not so very old May,-not 50
Old, as l am,-and one Of the finest
@en living. He is wealthy,-very
wealthy too. y
He met his daughters questioning
gaze fully now, as if he had expected
her to read something in his face
She kept her dark eyes fixed search
ingly upon his countenance, the ebb
and flow OF the soft color upon her
cheeks betraying the quick pulsation
OF her heart.
What do you mean, father she
asked, at length.
Il saw him last night. He offered
to help me-save me, il
If what, father?"
IF I would give you tohin.
The words came hurriedly from Mr..
Warren's lips, as If he feared that if
he deiberated ne should noc be able
to utter them at ALL As they fell
on MS daughters ear she started to
her feet, pushing her hair back from
her pale face, in bewildered sort
OF way, as if she were halt-stannad.
Marry me, father? ? Gel. Leigh
ton? she cried in low voice.
Mr.. Warren to3k her hand, and
drew her down 70 her sea. again.
May, Col. Leighton will De q good
husband to you. have known Iim
from boyhood, and understand per-
factly well his character aud prlnci-
pies. He loves you--will be kind
to you, and strive in every way to
make YOU happy. And more-and
more, May, he will save Inc from
beggary."
lie paused, but his child, with her
face bowed upon her hands, made no
reply, nor stirred The mute distress
that her attitude betokened was not
unnoticcd by him.
81 do not force you to this, May,
remember; the matter is left to your
own choice. But you know what
my own wish is-what the alterna-
tive will be if you do not accept the
offer
She knew only too well. Fully she
realized now how absolutely necessa-
ry the luxuries 10 which her father
had become accustomed We're to him.
Absolute loss OF possession did not
seem the most dreadful thing in the
world 10 her, but she knew what .
wreck it wouldmake OF him. I'm hel
youth and strength the future would
still be bright and full Of hope to
her; but how could he, with his aged
frame and burden OF sixty Yeas
commence life anew? The hopeful
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 delicate
ly reared petted child laboring for
his support. He would never be re-
conciled to it. That was no alterna-
tive she saw at q glance. Then with
a desperate effort to think calmly,
she recalled the form OF Col. Leigh
ton. She remembered 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, sprang up in
strong contrast. stretching out her
hands to her father, asit for pity,
she cried out, cannot OH, father,
l cannotl'
The old man sank back with
groan.
Lost-then I am LOST he clied
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 he
heart was written on her face. The
Wild, desperate thought that her sac
rifce was possible, occurred to her.
Father, dear father :
He raised his head, whitened with
the frosts of sixty winters, and look
ed at her with gleam Of hope in his
sunken eyes. She crep5 into h!s
arms as she had done when child,
and laid her soft cheek against his
wrinkled brow.
You know that I love you, faith
er," she said. l can never remember
YOU but as kind, tender, and forbear-
Ing with me. Your heart has been
my home all my life | Will work,
beg, suffer for you-I Will die for You
oh, how willing, if need be. But
that-oh, father, you do not know
what 1t is that you ask "
He idnotspeak, but moan broke
uncontrollably from his lips, as he
rested upon her shoulder. The strus-
ole in her heart sent dark shadowy
waves across her face. Could she
could she 4?
"Father, she whispered hurriedly,
"let me go, now. I will see you
again-answer you tomorrow. And
he could not see her face in the
gathering darkness, only a glimpse OF
something white, but he felt the qq5lv-
ering of her lips as she bent to KISS
him. and reached out his arms TO en-