The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1873-04-18


one exception. DIR. Clifford no longer treated
me with the shy Difference that had SO long
marked his conduct. Love showed itself |
in every slight caress, and fingered in every
look and word, and though be never smoke
of it, or asked me to be his wife, l read
"the song without Words and its glad |
music filed my heart with joy and happi-
ness, making my life, which had been SO
long dull and cheerless, blossom with
strange beauty and fragrance.
"Nlabe, want to tell you something
may ?"
| think Harvey Clifford regretted the
question, or, at least, the manner in which
it wis worded, the next minute, when he
saw the flush of pleasure, and the bright,
expectant look upon the fair face of Mabel
Gray.
"Certainly, Harvey: am always glad
to listen to YOU and the soft, musical
voice was trenllous with emotion, and the
white lids yeiled the dropping eyes as she
answered him.
Dwell, Mabel have learned to love this
little cousin Of yours, or rather | have
loved her since the first time saw her, and
want you to tell me il the field is clear or
if some happy man has already won the
prize | covet."
This was said with an assumed playful
ness, but there was lurking earnestness in
the voice, and Harvey Clifford waited anx-
iously for the answer.
Il cannot tell you, Harvey we are not
intimate enough for me to know, but even
If there were no such impediment to your
wooing, | should be sorry to see you be-
trothed TO such woman"
"What do you mean, Mabel z" and
in his eagerness he took her hand and
almost crushed the whole jeweled fingers.
For moment Mabel hesitated for, attlul as
She was, she was not wholly lost to honesty,
and there was something in bold, deliber
ate falsehood she shrank from. But against
her scheming policy and crafty reason, she
had given her heart, unsought, into this
mans keeping, and, night and day, plotted
how to win aud was this to be the end of
her labor? She knew his great regard for
integrity and truth, and the temptation was
too great.
a would not tell you, Harvey, did not
think it my duty. Alice.means 30 do right,
dare say, but she is not truthful, and tho
we have expostulated with her, time and
again, it seems to 10 no good and mamma
: has actually forbidden me to have any in
tercourse with her" and her eyes met his
without waverng.
/ Havey Clifford, was very pale when she
had finished speaking, aud for a moment
! Mabel regretted what she had done.
!, "God only knows the disappointment and
! anguish your words have caused me, Mabel
: for if there is one thing revere more than
another, it is a truth-telng woman All
+ Alice Gray, how could you SO deceive me =
and the strong man wept like child"
e "Is there no woman you can trust, Har
), vey?"
/ And the voice at that moment had {
IF powerful fascination init. Harvey Clifford
a felt its power, and looking at the fair cir
q. beside him, he thought how proud any maj
,r might be Of her as his wife.
If Il would have trusted Alice Gray befor
a any other woman. What proof have
| that my Judgment, might not err again.
d, "And yet, Harvey, because of her false
II ness YOU would not condemn all ?" An
Is the tears gathered in heryiolet eyes, addin
new beatty and tenderness to the face Of th
I'd speaker.
no 1t was dangerous moment for Harve
a. Clifford he could not resist, and whe
at he left the house, an hour later, he was til
ne Observation-Disclosures Of this woman, who, f
er his sake, had pejured her soul.
n. June was already upon US before the fan
o. lily had made any definite arrangement f
w their summer trip. I had regained II
,le usual health, and had resumed my wor
i'd MY uncle aud aunt had invited me to a
company them on their round, which he
Iif. been decided to be Saratoga, Newport, al
en- the White Mountains My heart quicken'
mt at the very possibility Of such pleasur
to but putting the temptation far from me,
IN. attended more closely than ever to n
ad duties.
ad | had not met Dr. Clifford but once sin
Ich my recovery, and the cold indifference vi
wn which he greeted me, seemed to crush =
nv very soul. noticed his attention to Nab
or. but was not aware Of their engageme
,ek till the evening before their departure
i'll Saratoga. l was sitting 10 my room, We
,di. dering what had wrought the change in
vas Clifford, when Mabel entered softly, a
-. ok.s. - oIa.o f, ,,;na cd