Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-05-08

CQaG i u1rUeQ dDOUlHuDly WIFI lleI.
Grace, meanwhile, sat apart from me.
She talked to others in her low sweet
tones. Once she sang pretty love
song. Quite calm and self-possessed,
with no appearance of noticing my con-
duct, the thought that it troubled her
never occurred to me. So that when
the evening was over, and we had LETT
the house together, I was astonished
beyond measure to see an offending look
upon her face, and to hear an offended
tone in her voice. Ioffered her my arm.
She rejected it, replying that the ground
was damp, and that her hands were oc-
cupied with her dress, but, knew this
was merely an excuse ; and feeling my
self in the wrong, and having swallowed
more wine than I should at the supper
table, grew very angry.
"May ask what have done" said.
"You know" said Grace.
'H know" repeated. "Nay. know
nothing of woman's fancies. You must
explain"
"I scarcely think it worth WHILE"
said she. eff you do not know that
you have done wrong tonight, I really
should not care. You have neglected
me, and devoted yourself to that vulgar
woman. I heard lady near me say
that you seemed to be tired Of your
bargain. She thought that you were In
love with that creature. So did other
people. Under the circumstances, 1
have right to feel offended, insulted." ;"
Perhaps she thought I would deny
her charge. Perhaps she expected me
to plead for pardon. God knows what
possessed me. I answered only:
"May I not talk to pretty woman
because I hope to marry you some
day" s..: .,o,. ,,,o,;n,
love to her." she replied.
"She is the sort of woman with
whom men fall in love-" I said; 'irre-
sistible in her manner, I've heard she
makes conquests everywhere; l don't
doubt it."
Grace looked at me with stern face
white in the starlight as marble
statue.
"Other women are always jealous of
such women" I added.
"I am not jealous of her." she said.
"I would not be like her for a king
dom. She is terrible woman. But
since you admire her so you are free to
tell her so after you have seen me to my
door"
"Grace p I said.
Miss Hunter, if you please, Mr..
Rutherford" said she. "We have both
made little mistake easily rectifed
that is ALL"
felt, as I stood looking at her, that
the effect of the wine I had drank upon
me was stronger than / had thought,
but I gave no heed to the warning of
my giddy head and rapid pulse.
"Just as you please" said. /" L
should think that jealous woman
would curse any mans life. "Ill go
now. won't trouble you longer. Good
bye"
we were not at the door of her home
we were about half block from it;
but turned on my heel then and there,
and left her. staggered a little as |
walked, and I was hot and angry. l
made my way home, and without un-
dressing fell upon my bed and dropped
asleep.
In two hours I awakened sober.
sat up and looked about me. The scenes
of the evening required to me vividly.
saw how blameworthy I had been, and
terrible grief oppressed me. L put
my head down upon my hands and
burst into bitter tears. had lost her,
and with her all that made life precious.
Then hope dawned upon my soul.
would write to her; tell her how, un-
used to liquor as was, the wine had
affected me. Iwould tell her that to
my sober self there was no charm in the
woman who had seemed to enchant me
the evening before. would draw the
comparison I felt sokeenly between her
pure self and that of the bold-eyed tllrt.
I would pray for forgiveness and she
would forgive me.
Springing to my feet I rushed to my
desk. 1 drew from it pen and paper.
wrote letter overhowing with remorse
and tenderness. 1 read it and re-read
it. Then, leaving it upon the spot
where it was written, l stood at the
window waiting for the tardy dawn,
very Jealous of the slow hours that kept
my missive from my darling.
1 had put out my candle when I left
my desk, and the room should have
been dark; but as I turned my head,
after a long and anxious reverie, 1 saw
it was full of pale radiance like that
of moonlight. 1t startled me. Whence
did the light come? Had miracle oc-
curred-had the moon risen again !?
Suddenly, amid the silvery light APP
peared still winter radiance. 1t slowly
took form. A female figure, in white
garments so bright that they dazzled
the eyes, stood bending over my letter.
I remained motionless-to speak or
stir was not in my power-and gazed
on the strange object with terrified in
tensity. The figure seemed to turn the
pages of my letter with its transparent
hand. l heard a gentle sigh then the
head turned toward me, and l saw
face I knew-the face that seemed the
loveGest of all on earth to me, endowed
with mysterious divine beauty for
which no man could find words-the
gloriied face of sweet Grace Hunter.
At the sight burst the bonds which
held me-bonds as tangible asthough l
could have seen them-and rushed for
ward. I strove to clasp my love, or her
shadow, in my arms. A shock such as
one might experience from an electrical
machine flashed through me, and I fell