The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-12-10
WHAT JACK MOST
LOST AND WON AT A FAIR
CHAPTER II
WHAT HE WON.
ICONCLUDED

/ adored and trusted her, and had worked
miracle on her hardened nature by
force of love; Jack Mostyn a major
with honorable scars. and what is rarer
substantial rewards for them. His pro.
fession had become almost his life, for
no .otherilove, no pleasure or dissipa-
ton, had consoled him for his first dis
appointment But the tree grew as the
sapling had been bent; though thus
sternly faithful, he was old and hard
before his time, doubtful of the truth
of his fellow-creatures, and perfectly
| invulerable to the Establishments Of the
marriageable detachments that kept
coming out to the 'delectable land'' of
forlorn damse!s.
! He had been in India eight years
had meant to be there all his life, for
his nearest relations were dead, and the
rest scattered or married; but an acci-
dental meeting with Lady Ross, nee
Nora Laurence, a private interview, a
fearful confession, the result of her
own happiness. had altered his inten-
ton.
He knew all now-the cruel deception
that had ruined Cissy's life, and his
knew it too late; and lie could only say,
hardly, he would try to forgive the wo-
man who had planned it. He thought
he would 60 home to LOOK once more,
himself unseen, on the face dearest in
the world to him. dearest even when he
believed it beautiful lie; see it happy
most likely, with a happiness in which
he had no share, and then return, and
die in exile
| AT first dire temptation beset him 10
let Cissy know what he knew, to take
away at least the stain that must rest on
him in. her eyes; but a tenderer and kin
der thought conquered
"It would only give her useless pain,''
he said TO himself, mo. let her he hap
py, aud love her husband more, and
think him truer, because l was so false.
And as to that woman, may God for
give her better than can!'
He came home; So many Of his
friends were married or dead it seemed
as if fifty years had passed instead Of
eight; but the green meadows, and
woods, and streams were the same, and
touched his heart With unspoken vel
come. 1t was only the third day after
his arrival that friend persuaded him
10 60 down to fair at Twickenham.-
He consented, for anything that dis
tracted his heavy thoughts was relief.
Cissy and England were SO connected
in his heart, he kept falling into old
ways, and woke to tear asunder those
two tender names with a start and an
effort.
He strolled through the fair, bought a
few things out of idleness, stopped
sometimes, in sad dream of the past
of his young belief, and resolve, and
passion, his desire for fame, which he
had in measure won now, and which
was not what it had seemed then; and
all recollections and longings gathered
themselves into one complaint-the Ian
guage OF many a successful-"Oh for
youth, love, poverty back againr' .'5'
Suddenly, as he strolled on, his eye
caught the words "Post- Office" on a
stall draped so lavishly with white and
pink, that nothing could be seen of the
presumably fair official within save a
white hand that stole forth tantalizingly
from an aperture left for that purpose.
The sight sent'a thrill of pleasure ana
pain through Major Mostyn, the pain
he understood well enough, ), but not the
pleasure, so he turned and asked a man
he knew slightly, who chanced to be
standing near, who kept the. post office.
The answer sent the blood over his
face, and thrilled through all his being
like new elixir of life. -Hssa-
"The Countess of Lington. She's a
widow now" ee r..
He forgot his wise, middle-aged
doubts and resolves; he forgot that she,
Cissy, most likely did not know the ex-
plauation of the old fatal mystery, and
would Justly indignant at his present
ing himself before her; he forgot ev-
erything; the cords between his heart
and hers, unbroken by sorrow and sep
aradop, drew him where she stood, do
ing her duties languidly, glad to be un-
seeS.
Scarcely week after her marriage
she had learned that the story of Jacks
engagement was falsehood; shortly
before her husbands S death she had re-
ceived a letter from Lady Ross confess
ing fully her past treachery. But it had
all come too late, she said to herself in
frozen despair; Jack must be married,
OF. at all events, have forgotten to love
her.
She had not been the less good wife
to Lington wlileshe lived, nor true,
though not passionate mourner when
he died. Only, she was listless, and
cared little about anything, had grown
weary of her life, which had begun so
brightly, and turned out such failure.
Some friends having teased her to as
sist in the fair, she had preferred to take
the post office, and had begged to be
out of sight, so as to avoid a good deal
of the usual badinage. She was sitting
down to rest for moment, when a
voice outside-a voice harsh with deep
emotion, but sweeter, more wonderful
than the sweetest music to her rs,said
slowly.
lis there letter for meS'
She had recognized his first breath,
as it were; she did not know he had
omitted to mention his name, and he
was unconscious of it: both were sud-
denly rapt with the wonder and bliss OF
each others presence and nearness, were
silent for moment, to feel the blessing
of it. 1t was like rain on thirsty land,
like sweetest food to starving lips, like
its mothers voice to lost child.
She spoke at last, family:
"There will be one-in moment -
said she LIZA G,
And Major Mostyn drew back, and
leaned against the wall patiently, smil
ing to himself, and with his eyes full of
light, looking somewhere far away over
/ tho hooHo IF tho ornmI Doa,1o