The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-08-15
nc air he had already heard her

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dusk. The voice OF the singer be-
came fainter and fainter, as deepen
ing emotions and memories poured
in upon her, and once it seemed as
if she were about to break down,
But she rallied bravely and went on
to the end.
He spoke not a word hut " thank
you and goodbye" In the gather
ing dark she hardly knew that he
was going until he had gone. She
looked eagerly around, found that
she was alone, and broke into tears.
The air of the South, and per-
haps her removal from scenes over
shadowcd by melancholy association
did wonders for Miss Gcrmainc. A
few months made a marked change.
She grew stronger and stronger ev-
cry 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 goodness Mr.. and Mrs. Al
sagcr had shown his son, and how
the latter was a frequent visitor to
their house. In one letter he men
toned the fact that he expected his
other son, Eustacc, home soon from
Europe, where he had sent him for
education in Germany. Isabel had
but little memory Ct lGustace Row
an, and soon forgot this piece OF
news. Both the Alsagcr ladies
wrote to her several times. At the
first they too mentioned Frank
Rowan often.
In fact, after Isabcl's departure,
Mrs. AIsagcr seeing that the young
cr Rowan wes in education, manner
and nature, Il true gentleman, had
so far conquered her English prciu-
dices as to ask her husband whether
they might not invite him to din
ner. Mr.. Alsagcr who had made
all his own way in life for himself,
only replied, "Good gracious, my
dear, why not, if you like it," So
that Frank Rowan dincd there once,
and then often, and was much liked
by all.
Isabel had made up her mind that
she would pay a visit to New York,
and was actually writing to Mrs
AIsagcr on the subject, when bum
die of letters came in. The first
was from Mrs. Rowan. After tell
ing her many scraps of mlmpor-
tant news, It would up with these
words: " You have heard, nC
doubt, Of my sons approaching
marriage with Miss Alsagcr. IT.
a great honor, and one | never look
ed for. But the boy is good boy
well brought up, and like a gentle
man; and | am we'll pleased witt
the prospect, as | am sure You vii.
be-. "
With trembling hands, and doing
her best to keep her lips steady, lsa-
bel opened Mrs. Alsagcr's letter
1t was very kind and ailectionate
Toward the close it assumed that
she had heard from Mrs Rowan al
about the approaching marriage
"My dear in your country we Eng
lish unlGarn our nonsense, and hnt
that a man is man. Twelve
months ago ! should have though
any one mad who talked of such
thing. Now | am rcconcilcd to it
tomorrow perhaps, | shall even re
joicc. The lad is a perfect gentle
man, and he and she are immcnScl,
fond of each other. You ought t.
take deep interest in it, for it i
indirectly all your doing. Had W
not seen you and your house !
would never come about. Nov
can't you follow the example?
shau't say what | once thong h
about you, but | do know somebody
and | wish you would come up AM
let me give you away"
Isabel let the letters fall. SO this
then, was the end; and he ha'
never loved har-nevcr; and tina
last night she had nearly betrayc'
herself, Oh, low she loved hin
that night, and Ionged that he woul
but speak! That night and alway
for years and years at least! Il
the fall, deep misery Of the know
ledge there was to her but the on
consolation that she had not betray
ed herself-that the secret was an,
ever should be her own. She dis
ciplined her heart foe that night
wrote two letters of reply and con
graduation lin which, however, sh
could not force herself TO mentio
Frank Rowan's name3 aud an
nounced that she was about to leav
Florida for some other climate; on
was not yet certain where. Whe
she had sealed these letters she teI
as if she had signed farewell to lii
and hope and all that would hay
made life worth the having. Sh