Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-04-26

without them-wlth your uncle'S con-
sent you cannot be mine. But we are
both young, and the future is before
us-and in that future l have a hope,
and something, even in the darkness
Of this hour, whispers to me of, not
only success, but honors. I know
that shall yet win my way"
Tenderly and reverently he gazed
upon her faultless features, then Ear
nest Earle raised his proud head.
There was a stamp of resolution on
his face that plainly said, " Whatsoev-
er there is in the power of man, that
will 1 do. Through dangers and diff
ficulties, through toll and pain, shall
win my way"
A few moments more, and in the
CLEAN ofpurple and gold they had par
ted, and again, as at first, the maiden
stood alone, but with bowed head
and dropping form. for
" Gone is the sunlight from the quivering poplars
The glory from the land
Gone the brown eyes that made the sunlight brigh-
ter,
Gone the clasping hand
Though rejected as a sutton for the
hand of his neice by VIM. MOrdaunt,
Earnest Earle did not despond or des-
pair. Proud, brave and ambitious, he
determined first to make for himself
name. About this time the army was
opened to him, and with all the enthu-
siasm of youth he rushed forward and
enrolled himself soldier.
Our story leads us as far back in the
past as the year 1912, when the Ameri-
can people, suffering under British OPP
preston, had determined, if justice
could not be had otherwise, it should
be enforced by the power of arms.
In the struggle for the achievement
of American independence, Earnest
EarIe's career was one of remarkable
success. From private in the ranks,
he rapidly arose to the position of
colonel commanding the respect of
his superior officers for his unfiinching
bravery and strict adherence to duty.
While Colonel Earle was reaping
honors on the field of battle, Annie
Lee still from the old country man.
sion was locking forward hopefully to
the dawn of peace and the return of
the one who had borne away with
him the brightest part of her life
Battle after battle was fought and won,
and through them all Colonel Earle
passed unscathed, until the memOra-
ble battle of Charleston, when il was
rumored that he had found grave
with the fallen braves who met death
so calamity on that memorable day.
In those days of many privatiOns
and few inventions. we had no rail-
roads or telegraphs. Slowly the sad
news came TO the faithful maiden,
with its bitterest and fullest meaning,
telling her that Col. Earle was dead.
We pass rapidly over the desolation
of Aunie's stricken heart, which would
ever bear the impression of unchange-
able sorrow upon its warmest affec-
tions. A few months glided by and
her uncle died, and with the icy touch
of death upon his brow, he besought
his niece to accept the hand of Gilmer
Elliott. who had long hOpelessly loved
her. and whose wealth had ever been
strong inducement in his favor with
her uncle. Until the death of Col.
Earle, she had rejected every overture
on the part of Gilmer, but now, beng
wholly Indifferent to the future, she
at last in sorrow and desoIation yiel-
ded. and her uncle's last words were a
blessing on their union. Ere the grass
was green above her uncle's grave,
with her husband she had sought a
home i'm distant State.
Annie's marriage was not one of
love. and did not prove happy one /;
but miserable indeed would she have
been could she have known the truth.
She had believed her lover dead, but
was this so? He had indeed been
left with the dead on the battlefield,
but had been conscious, and afterward
had been removed to place of safety,
where every attention was rendered
him. He had lost leg, while Sc
we're wound through the chest had
kept him for more than a year barely
alive; but youth and good constitu-
ton had trfumphed, though he was a
cripple for life, and indeed changed in
all things, save his deep love for An
ME Lee, but he determined to seek her
and look upon her face once more, if
but to tell her he lived and still loved
her. Alas for the frailty of human
hope! The truth to him was sadder
than to have died. He learned the
truth, and his old home lost its attrac-
tions he looked for the last time upon
the scenes of his boyhood, and to Q
distant State he went.
He would not permit himself to sit
| idly down and waste away what was
left of his shattered life. He went to
work. He believed Annie false-that
the gold of Gilmer Elliott had been
more than her love for him, and be
determined that he would yet be more
exalted in life, in wealth and honor
and renown than he whose gold had
won the maiden he had once so fondly
| loved. He did not think that she had
heard of bis death, nor did he dream
of her utter desolatiOn.
Many years passed away. Annie
| ElIiott,s life had been far from a hap,
py one, The wealth that had been
hers had taken wings and flown; Of
the children who had blessed with
their presence her fireside, only two
remained, a noble boy and fair maid
en-, that her father had called Annie
Lee. Gilmer Elliott, who had grown