The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-03-05
THREE PICTURES.

| 1A1IG13 4S4 S4tIS
A beautiful September sunlig t
with the purple shadows. was JUS
closing over the last faint flush of th'
departing day, and one or two timie
stars hanging trcmulously against tht
perfect sky. The eastern hills rist
dimIy where the great golden-faccc
moon will soon appear, aud the gay
road wanders away beneath its arch
ing trees, whose leaves are just tingec
with yellow.
A long, low house sets back from
the road, and the smooth. shaver
lawn in front sweeps down to it's Dor
dering fence of brown.
Between the great, clumsy looking
gatc-posts there is slight, graceful
girl, with soft, dusky hair and shad
owry, dreamy eyes. A face that
once seen, would haunt one forever
A brave true lace, with it's clear, pure
outlines and crimson, curving mouth
4 shawl of vivid cleaning rcd trails
from one arneover the dead black o.
her dress.
Above her there is q fair, stately
man, with chestnut curls and sweep
ing, golden beard. A pair Of know
ing hazel eyes watch his companion
as be leans indolently on the gatc-post
and twirls his bat in one hand.
A sad little air with quaint, old
fashioned words come floating dow'
through the scented air, in boys
clear tenor:
Summer is breathing soft DER the hill
Roses are blooming sweet in the vale;
Yet must L leave thee weeping alone?
All, who'll protect thee when lam gone
ats brother Clare" she says te
him. smilingly.
barbara" bending suddenly dowr
to her-"I'm going away tomorrow
to California. ! came tonight to say
goodbye"
"Going away?" she returns, will,
all the eloquent light fading from hel
face, and her surprise and pain quiv
cring in her voice; "for how longs"
"Probablv for years-possibly for
ever" And the beautiful. cruel eyes
smile heartlcssly down on her white
stricken face.
The truth comes to her slowly. L
is 80 hard, go very hard to believe
him false. And all the bright, glae
summer the twilight walks ant
rides made blissful by his presence
0, must be forgotten
And still through the soft, cool ali
trills the boyish tenor.
"Sunbeams were glancing o'er the blu
Bright were the glances thine eyes CAV
to me-"
Something in the yellow glarinl
moonlight seems hateful to her now
and her brothers voice arouses ney
scene of pain. But pride comes t.
her, and with mighty effort sh
crushes back the tears, and, forcin
a smile on the pallid lips, says, as sh
gives him her hand:
II am sorry to have you 60, but
goodbye"
"Good-bye, little Barbe," and
pair Of bearded lips are pressed
her own before she can resist hin
and his slight laugh floats back to he
almost mockingly as he walks swift
up tue road.
The last notes of her brother
song come to her while she stanc
there in the moonlight!
"Long ere the morrow far shall be,
Friendless, forsaken, afar from thee"
There is one low dry sob, and tt
dainty head Is bowed on the roug
brown wood, while over her the moo
throws its pale : shadowy light
Three years have elapsed since tt
preceding, and l would now take m
readers to o chamber on the thil
floor of the E. hotel The time
midnight. There is a figure of
man at the window man who
evidently in q deep slumber, for b
head is pillowed upon both arm
His breath comes heavily, his face
flushed, his hair disheveled, and h
whole appearance speaks plain
enough-intoxication.
In the street below there is o co
> fusion of shouts and hoarse cries
there is a clangor Of bells on tt
night Dir, and a suffocating smell
smoke in the room.
Suddenly the door is opened,
: slender figure in dark wrapper ha
tens to the man at the window, and