The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-07-31

cent delight, while her lover smiled
fondly upon the lovely upturned face,
and stopped to press a fond kiss on
the rosy lips.
"Miss NeiIie-Sambo. is she at
homer" smillingly queried Edgar
Holeombe Of the sable servitor, as. at
the end Of his two weeks probation.
he stood with a hopeful heart at the
door of the hall.
"Miss Nellie, sab, did you say ?n-
and the speakers eyes rolled mirtb-
fully as he chuckled: "He, hei Guess
Massa Holeombe doesn't know what
COINS on dere war here las'night den.
Well, sah,-and the negro ATTEMPTED
q solemn gravity of expression
tMiss Nellie am not at home. Fact
il sab, sIte 1rere married las e6enin. y
"Married ! My God I''-aad Edgar
staggered back like one struck q NOR
tai blow, 'fnGTried!rI
'Yes, sab, said married." smiled
Sambo, complacently.
"And the famiIy?i gasped Edgar.
s1IeP dis mornin', sab, for the West.
Gone trabellin,' sah, wild de bride am
groom"
The stricken man uttered not q
word, but turned and strobe uneasily
away, nauttering only. -
lS3 -
"Haye you seen the belle of the
Springs, Ed?" queried a gentleman
of Edgar Holcombe, as they stood in
thehotel door. ---i -.
s-No. Who is she?, he replied, care
lessly. - III .slGEl q. - .z-+ --.I i-..LF
"a Mrs. Clifton. young widow;
cannot be over twenty-three, and
pretty as pictnre-blue eyes, blonde
hair, &C. You know the rest. All
the gentlemen are crazy over her,
But come, let me introduce you;' and
led him into the parlor, and to a sofa,
where sat lady, surrounded by q
miniature court of her own.
mis-. Clifton, permit me to intro
duce to you my friend, Mr.. HOlcOmbe,
who has Just returned from abroad"
He paused, aghast. The lady had
raised her eyes as he pronounced the
name Of his friend, beheld him who
stood before her, and springing to her
feet with wild cry, fell back upon
her sofa in death-like sWoon; and as
she was borne to her room many were
the wondering surmises in regard to
the pretty Widows sldden faintness.
81 g. i--z 4- 49, - = -ttf
'Nellie"--and once more Edgar
Holeombe pressed the hand of his be-
loyed-'tNellie, your agitation Of last
night led me to think that perhaps,
after all, there may be a shadow Of
love In your heart for me, notwstand-
ing your Cruelty to mel q
sob, Edgar, YOU wrong mel" sobbed
Nellie; 'indeed you do. My father
forced me into marriage with man /
hated, to save himself from ruin. He
had sternly forbidden me to encourage
the attention of any gentleman, and
at the same time bound me TO secrecy
in regard to his intentions, fearing, /
suppose, that / might be induced to
consent TO q runaway marrisge, to
save myself from the fate so dreaded.
his delay in giving you an answer
was but q ruse, and during the time
he had set; was forced to marry Mr..
Clifton, who held father in his power,
and who consented to be mereifnl only
at the price of my hand. / saved my
father at the cost of my happiness,
and, with an almost breaking heart,
was borne away from love and you.
But my husband is dead nOY-he died
in less than a year after our marriage;
father, too, is dead, and 1 am now my
own mistress-and, Edgar, II love
you still.n - ~. l-i .4 ...s.
And she extended her hands with
the shy, winning smile that Edgar
loved SO well; and as he'clasped her to
his breast and kissed her fondly, he
whispered: 80: .4-..t
81 said you should be my only love,
Nellie, darling, and so you have been.
In all the five weary years during
which thought yeu false, and lost to
me forever, no other love has entered
my heart, no woman's head pillowed
on my breast. Ihave kept my word,
Nellie-I have loved you alone, truly
and unchangably, and now have nay
reward; for, after long years of dark
ness, 1 clasp my own again-mine
forever, now!'