The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-20
A woman opened it to my knock


is he living? ''
eyes; but going fast, poor thing"
"Conscious ?'
eyes, ma'am." Then l went quietly
in.
A figure on sofa, very still and quiet,
with white face and closed eyes. band
of linen over his forehead and masses of
wet, stained hair. l knelt known and bur-
led my face in my hands, for l did not
mean to cry till he had gone, but had a
struggle.
"Ruby, my darling!' and a hand was
put on my head, and laid it down on his
breast. Yes, Ruby, your unworthy head
on Owen Vivian's breast.
"Then you do love me, my dearest, and
death has lost it's only sting"
"Better than all tho world, Owen, better
than ten thousand worlds"
elbow did you come, dear, all this way?'
| d" 1 rode
"At this time Of night, and for me ?
Ruby, perhaps l should have told yeu be-
fore it was too late, but it was not pride
that kept me back. did not believe you
had any love for me, and l tried to put
mine aside, and SO it was left the Hall. l
had loved you so long, my little girl-all
the time l ever knew you; and 1 could still
have hidden my love. But when Lord
Montford came, 1 saw that it could not 60
on so always; l saw that l must CO."
go, what must you have thought of me
i who was so unworthy to be your pupil,
much less your wife! ~
"My wife, Ruby! How sweet it sounds!
You would have been my wife, dearest ?"
Yes, you know l would; but was not
worthy of such an honor"
"Ruby, it will never be now. 1 wish
could have lived, if only for a few MONTHS
to realize my joy; but Gods will is best
and you will come, won't you darling ?
You will come to me in heaven, as you
have come to me tonight? There will be
no death there, or parting for either of us. !"
o, Ruby, Ruby what was it that you had
thrown away all these past years?-what
devotion, and love, and tenderness! Yes
l know it now-I know it now.
l put my head down on the dear white
hand, and promised him that if God would
take me after my useless selfish life, l
would go to him again.
The clock struck the hour of midnight,
and still lay on in my despair. l knew
that Lord Montford had come to the room
and seen me on that dying breast, but l
felt nothing but my less so near to me.
Then Owen opened his eyes and looked on
me again, and took my worthless curl from
his breast.
"Ruby, my love, this lies in the grave
with me-"
Then my arms folded round him, and
when his unclasped, knew that Owen
Vivian was dead.
passed out of the room, never looking
back; but with lock of dark hair clasped
in my hand. Lord Montford joined me,
and drew him into room before l went
out.
81 do not apologize, my Lord; for no
apology can be of any use-I have treated
you too badly for excuse. only wanted
to say before we part, that did not know
until he was dying, what my love for Owen
| Vivian was"
He was greatly troubled, this man had
laughed at, but he said no word. He put
me into his carriage and drove me home;
then he took my hand and said:
"Don't distress yourself, and remember
l have quite forgiven you, Ruby"
There is nothing more to write. When
1 returned they knew, and grief at our
tutors death was mixed up with annoy
ance at the step had taken. l was sorry
l had distressed them; but as l told Char
ley, Owen was more to me than the opin-
ion of a thousand worlds as big as this.
10Th October.-I write on, not because
there is anything IN the days to write
about, but it's something to do, and l can
do little now but think. In the Daven-
port ground they have laid our tutor.
There is no stone yet, but there will be
one. Charley, who is my chief companion,
has promised to let me put it up; and
mamma, after a struggle, has allowed me
to wear mourning. l cannot bear the col
ors, only the flowers. l am getting thin.
When l hold my hand up it is quite tiny
now, and my color does not trouble me any
more-it was settled into what dear old
Brown calls ga delicate peach bloom"
am not going to fret, though he is gone.
1 know quite well it is all true, and that
some other evening in the moonlight /
shall go to him again. They would laugh
and call mo superstitious if they read this,
but knOu.
11M Octobsr.-Poor Katie, it was sad
blow to her-our tutors death. She told
me one day in the green honse that she,
too, had loved him, and since then we have
been moro to each other
18Th October.-I had a visit day from
Lord Montford. He looked shy when he
came into the room; then started, and
asked if were ill. Then he said, ''Ruby,
l have come again to ask you to be my
wife"
After all he saw aud all he knew, could
not help feeling how generous he was.
l even cried, for am not now SO we'll able
to hide my feelings. told him it could
not be. He asked me why; and then !
said, 81 love Owen VIVIAN for it seemed
strange to me that any one should think
that death made any difference.
He understood me and he went away.
He is very generous and strange, though it
seems to us all he really has loved me, this
man.
18th Octo6er.-Tm not really ill; but they
all think l am, and Charley is dreadfully
anxious about his worthless Ruby. We
sit in church, we three, but we are all diff
ferent from what we were in the old times.
We are attentive now, and l belive we
pray; for somehow, death coming near our
hearts has touched us. l still read from
our tutors book, and the words there
tell me of Christ and his home, and l am
happy.
Christmas Ddu,-Nearly year since