The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1873-08-13

rency which had been touched by
her fingers, and proved the bencv-
olence of her heart. The mistake
must be rectified. This might lead
to an interview.
After deliberation, he concluded
that rs the affair in some points
wore Il comical aspect, it would be
best to present the explanation in
thatlight. lie hammered out some
poetry to bc sent with the half
dollar and returned to the donor.
Under the veil Of q tacetious et1u-
sion, he thought, more could be
said than in a grave note, and no
olfcnse could be taken at jtU
GeSprit. Part Of it ran thus:
"That touch Of money to my palm was
shocking,
Oh, had the gif. been but glove or stock
ing?
Such token from thy hand JOY had given,
| would 10, barter for the JOY Of heaven" ."
Guy was not used to writing
poetry; but on reading it, it
struck him rs combining humor
and sentiment in a manner pc
cuIiarly felicitous. With crow
quill, ,>he copied the verses on rose
colored paper.
In the morning, folding it with
the money, lie dispatched it to the
young lady by the maid. Toward
evening he took courage to ask
how it had been received.
"Why, sir" she answered, "thc
young lady only laughed, and
showed the paper to her mother,
and Mrs. DePcystcr threw it into
the fire, and said as how she Won
dered how you conld have the i'm
pudcncc: she expected you did not
know any better"
A blight fell upon the lovers
hopes. 1t vas the unlucky "stock-
ing" he was convinced that played
him false. A thousand wild pro-
jccts flooded through his brain to
achieve the accomplishment Of
his hopes. He would hire ruflians
to attack the dear girl; would rush
in time to the rescue, and be
wounded in her defense! He
would play the incendiary, and
bear her bravely through the
flames! He would get up a quar-
rel, and fight a duel for her sake !
The more impossible the barrier
the lovclicr did she appear. And
be could perceive, when he stole
a glance when seated at the table,
that the elder lady had grown
colder and statclier than ever.
Laura was ill two days from
cold taken that night; but ere long
she reappeared at the window,
playing her guitar, and as Guy
leaned out Of the
window to drink in the melody, he
saw an unmistakable smile on her
lips. Yes, she smiled; although
she drew back, and the guitar slid
from her lap, his heart thrilled by
the knowledge that she was at
last aware of his secret.
The next morning he bribed
the maid to leave a magazine on
her table, in which was a love
poem, around which he had per-
cilcd a line. It was brought back
as if left by mistake, but ho saw
that it had been read.
On St. Valentines Day he sent
laura a delicately embossed and
printed missive, glowing with SEN
timcnt. Flowers would have fol.
lowed as offerings but for the awk-
ward interruption which brings
on She conclusion Of this story.
Ono evening Guy Mason re-
turned late from supper, and, walk
ing home rapidly, the street COW
cred with snow be saw two ladies
alight from a carriage in front Of
the house where he lived. A
thrill of joy penetrated his breast.
1t was she: his beloved, with her
and both were destined,
by a happy chance, to be Obliged
to him.
lie sprang up the steps, mur-
INJURED q "good evening"" and
drew a night-key from his pock-
ct. With a brief apology to the
ladies for thus venturing to save
them the trouble of ringing, he
thrust the key into the lock and
turned it with all his force; it
violently; he drew tho
and, to his horror, dis
that in his haste he had
used, not the night-key, but the
key Of his chamber!
"Really-bcg ten thousand par
dons," he faltered, "it was the
wrong key"
"The key is broken in the lock-"
cried the shrill voice Of Mrs. De.
Peyster; "it is dreadful to be kept |
standing here! She pulled the
bell furiously.
In alright Guy pulled also. The
portcr's hurried steps were pres
entity heard in the hall, and he was
rafting at the lock.
"Opcn tho door," cried the lady,
II cannot unlock it," said the
man within; "there must be some
thing in the keyhole."