Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-09-05

speak so. lneyer would consent to
leaving him, never-never!'
"But," he cried, pressing her gold
en- head to his breast, cit is so long
and very tedious, this waiting for
death.
Alice Keller started at her lovers
words, and put her little white hands
over his mouth.
Hush, hush :, Lonis, it is too
dreadful
Evie did not stop longer.
She turned slowly round, and wend-
ed her way back to the house, the
smile gone, the flush faded, all 'e
happia 7ss- Of her yonng life utterly
quenched and put ont for ever.3
Proud, pale, and purposefnl. barely
The suspicion of her sweetness and
gentlene<s left.
Louis de Brusle never knew how
she found, him out, but that she had
was very evident to him.
The woman was just as courteous,
jus. as gentle. but the light of love
was swept clean away, or else covered
by a curtain 40 dark and heavy that
none had power to raise it up.
Thus weary, weary year dragged
Itself gut and summrr found Joyce
Kelleron his daaA bed.
That year had wrought changesfor
him.
Towards the end he began to see
how things stood, that MS wife had
neither given her love to him, nor
locked it up in the storehouse of her
heart.
1t was. given, received, returned,
and by whom? By his daughters
whilom suitor; by the man whose
sweetwhispered words had won his
daughters love. :
The facts dawning upon him sud-
denly, as they did, were too much for
the old man to bear; they completely
unnerved him; so, willing his all to
broken-hearted Elvie, Joyce Keller
lay him down to die.
Without one word of reproach or
complaint of any sort, he passed
away that still, hot, midsummer
midday.
Only lis daughter stayed at Oak
lands. Alice, very. lovely in her
widow mourning, went to her moth
er's.
Tie old house. she said. had too
many painful memories; she must
go; her health needed it-so she
went.
But all the persuasion and entreaty
in the world could not induce Elvie
to accompany her.
"No, mamma she said, in answers
to Mrs. Kellers prayer that she
would come away fyom that dreadful
dismal place; "no, mamma, | atm
better here. like Oaklands, and |
never desire to leave it again so long
as live"
So all endeavonrs unavailing, Alice
went, and her daughter stayed.
After Joyce Keller's death, it was
discovered. that most Of his property
was SO heavily mortgaged as to be
irrecoverable.
Only Oaklands remained intact; ;
but her mother provided for, Elvie
was as well content with the farm as
she would have been as heiress to an
immense fortune.
Her tasts were luxurious, but quiet
ly SO, therefore she had quite suffl-
cient to gratify them.
Her mode Of life for two years to
come, at least, could be bat one Of the
strictest retirement: hence she made
up her mind to stay on at the old
place that had known her from her
childhood. had witnessed her hap
piness and its going, her love aud its
loss.
A triAe paler, a great deal qnietcr,
with 4 look oi 'lci.rmination III ler
violet eyes they had never known be-
fore. El7ic lived on, her quiet, mono
tonons life unbroken save by her
mothers letters and an occasional
visitor.
Thus the first twelve months Of her
mourning passed, when one day she
recei:ed thensual weekly epistle from
her mother, bnt not with its usual
contents of current news. advice,
wishes that she would leave that dull
stupid place. On, no; this was only
note, and ran as follows:
"MY DARLING ELv1E,-No doubt
what l am about to write wilfsurpriee
YOU greatly in one respect-its sud-
dennees; but / Judge, long ere this,
you must have described how much
Louis de Brusle anl.I are to each
other. We arc to be married on the
eleventh of next month, very prl-
vately, Of course, and | want you to
be at my wedding. Judge Inc gent
ly, my daughter, and come to me In
nv 10y. as you have ever shared my
unhappiness. Do not refuse the one
request of your loving mother,
"ALIcE KELLER"
The TRY, perfumed sheet fell from
.Elvie's hand, and long she sat think