Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-02-19
Au Original storp.
Written for the Yorkville Enquirer.
DESTINY;
OR,
DOW -.
RY NELLY MARSHALL McAFEE.
CHAPTER XVI.

Irving Mcdonald, with all his villalny and
crime, had great delicacy and refined sensi-
tiyeness, in striking contrast to his coarse and
vulgar moods.
After the news of Cecelia's death, he kept
his room for several days. The shock of her
death had been terrible on his nerves, and
consequently his health suffered great detri'
ment He could not 60 away from Ne"
York, even if he had wanted to do so. His
mind was too depressed-his body too feeble
to undertake journey of any length. Al
though in blaming himself, he could not help
heaping curses on the head of Mrs. Brentz for
suggesting the measure he had carried out so
fatally. He would sit still for hours, brood
ing over his memories of Cecelia-her beauty,
her talents, her voice. He remembered these
things with unutterable anguish of soul. Yet
when the first pangs of his grief passed away,
he moralized on the folly of dependency,
and bethought himself of Lide Halstead, who
was vet left to him. One bright autumn
morning he drove to the villa with score OF
agitating thoughts within his brain. He saw
everything in proper light, he thought, and
resolved to test the nature Of Lide's feelings
toward him that very day. And as tor Mrs
Brentz, she must know he was mad when he
struck her, and he could buy over her good
will with money. 1t was her God, which she
bowed down and worshipped only. Confident
that his suit would be crowned with success,
and conjuring in his brain fancies of glances
and gestures upon Lide's part, evincing her
warm interest in him, he compassed the dis
tance to the villa. At length he reached the
point of destination.
The servant met him with tears in her eyes.
"What is the matter with you" asked Nc
Donald, succinctly.
The womans voice was too choked with
grief to find utterance. She silently led the
way up stairs to Lide's chamber.
Opening the door, Mcdonald stepped across
the threshold and beheld lowered curtains,
lighted candles about bier, and on the bier
the cold, still form of Lide Halstead, while
all about in the air was the sickening smell of
carbonate of lme
dead ?" he said, gasping for breath
"These two days." answered the servant !;
Service takes place IN an hour:
"What was the matter? ?"
"The old stroke, sir she never got we'll.
We have fed her for weeks with liquids, by
means of instruments is, silver pipe
inserted below her palate into the wind-pipe.
I don't know exactly how, sir; but she lin
gered, and fingered, and at last went out, still
and quick, like light. And that was all.
1t is so sad, too"
Mcdonald did not respond. He only drop
ped on his knees beside the bier, and hid his
face in his hands. He was affected deeply
how much, none would ever know. Kneeling
there beside the dead, he reviewed his past
career with bitter remorse gnawing at his
heart, and half an hour afterward left the
house as silently as he had entered it.
A few days after, Mrs. Park Brentz receiv-
the following note from him, dated at the
St. Nicholas Hotel, New York
"MY DEAR MADAM :-Enclosed find check
for three thousand dollars on Park Bank. 1t will
he your annuity as longas we both live. l advise
YOU to live at the villa. tits retired and conltor-
table. Get yourself a suitable companion. For
YOUR forbearance with my cowardice can never
thank you enough. Forget what was evil in me,
and remember me as one who will ever serve you.
In memory of the dead, IRVING MoDoNALD.'
All this was evidence of repentance and
remorse. At least, he had been generous to
Mrs Brentz; and living on her comfortable
annuity, it is to be hoped, that she learned to
take less jaundiced views of life and in re-
ceiving charity, to extend it to the suffering
and the poor unstintingly.