The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-04-18

visitors This, at least, spared Isabel
some pangs. To the last the old home
was to be the same. She could never
see any change in it--except such change
as Fate inexorable had already made.
Isabel was to go to Florida, accompan-
led only by her maid, a Swedish girl,
who had lived with her since they both
were children. These last days were
very sad. Isabel was leaving the home
of her birth, her childhood, her affec-
tions-the home which now seemed like
the sacred grave of her dead father and
mother. The doctors assured her that a
warm climate would restore her health
but she sometimes fancied she felt a pre-
sentiment that her own grave would be
made in the South, and she thought it
might perhaps as well be SO, although
she yearned to lie near her mother in
death. Yet she always showed an out
ward. cheerfulness and courage. Her
one great consolation was so purely SEN
timental that practical minds would
scorn her for 1.-THE thought that tender
and kindly hands would care for the
places that had been hers, that the sweet
voices of loving women and the pure
breath of an affectionate and happy
household would gladden. the old rooms
so dear to her.
Was there no thought of sadness, no
grief of parting, no CLEAN of hope in
her which had another source
The idea that had shot so quickly into
the minds of Mrs. Alsager and her
daughter when first they saw young
Rowan with Isabel had never occurred
to him. He saw Miss Germaine sweet
and friendly to him, as she was to his
father and to every one. He saw that
no idea of social separation ever seemed
to express itself i'll her manner. But
she came of great old family, and his
father was only better sort of work.
ing-man, and he himself aspired to no.
thing higher than the succession to his
fathers business. 1t never occurred to
him as possible that Isabel could care
for him. Now that his father had mon
ey and she had none, his spirit and man
hood would have repelled such thought
more utterly than ever. As Isabel Ger
maine could not love such fellow as
he, would he allow his soul to entertain,
even for an instant, the thought that
money could buy her : But he loved
her, made her his idol, consecrated his
thoughts to her, confessed his love to
himself, and was glad in the knowledge
of it.
He came to see her for the last time
before her journey South. They were
friendly, sad, and in certain sense con-
fdential. But each kept great thought
back from the other.
Would you mind doing me little
favor before leave you Z" he suddenly
asked.
Surely l will do anything you wish.
What is it :"
Only to sing me that song once
more"
She looked up at him with sad and
speaking eyes. But he was looking
down had almost turned away.
She sat to the piano and played and
sang in low, sweet tones the air we have
already heard her play. The evening
was setting i'll the room was growing
gray in the dusk. The voice of the sing
er became fainter and fainter, as deep
ening emotions and memories poured in
upon her, and once it seemed as if she
were about to break down. But she raj
lied bravely and went on to the end.
He spoke not word but "Thank you
and goodbye" In the gathering dark
she hardly knew that he was going I'M
til he had gone. She looked eagerly
round, found that she was alone, and
broke into tears.
The air of the South, and perhaps her
removal from scenes overshadowed by
Il Il, i T.
Miss Germaine. A few months made a
marked change. She grew stronger and
stronger every day. She had received
many letters from the place she still
called her home. Mr.. Rowan the elder
wrote to her from time to time, and told
her with some apparent pride of the
kindness Mr.. and Mrs. Alsager had
shown to his son, and how the latter was
a frequent visitor at their house. In enc
letter he mentioned the fact that he ex-
pected his other son, Eustace, home soon
from Europe, where he had sent him for
education in Germany. Isabel had but
little memory of Eustace Rowan, and
soon forgot this piece of news. Both
the Alsager ladies wrote to her several
times. At first they too mentioned
Frank Rowan often, and spoke warmly
of him ; but of late his name seldom
appeared in their letters.
In fact, after Isabel's departure, Mrs.
Alsager, seeing that Frank Rowan was
in education, manner, and nature true
gentleman, had, so far conquered her
English prejudices as to ask her husband
whether they might not invite him to
dinner. Mr.. Alsager, who had made all
his own way in life for himself, only re-
piled, "Good gracious, my dear, why
not, if you like it ?" So that Frank
Rowan dined there once, and then of
ten, and was much liked by all.
Isabel had made up her mind that she
would pay visit to New York, and was
actually writing to Mrs. Alsager on the
subject, when bundle of letters came
in. The first was from Mr.. Rowan. At
ter telling her many scraps of unimpor-
tant news, it wound up with these
words "You will have heard, no doubt,
of my sons approaching marriage to
Miss Alsager. It's great honor, and
one never looked for. But the boy is
good boy, well brought up, and like a
gentleman and am well pleased with
the prospect, as am sure you will be- y
With trembling hands, and doing her
best to keep her lips steady, Isabel open
ed Miss Alsager's letter. 1t was very
kind and affectionate. Toward the close
it assumed that she had heard from Mr.
Rowan all about the approaching mar
riage. "My dear, in your country we
English unlearn our nonsense, and find
that a man is man. Twelve months
ago should have thought any one mad