Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1874-10-10

i've melOulOuS climeS as COra smith
softly closed the kitchen door, and ran
into the little bedroom for her blue
scarf
Five o'clock, ;" she said, as the last
stroke died away. He is wondering
why | don't come, and | must make
haste. Madge, little Madge, are you
going with me tonight? l am all
ready"
Little Madge, thetwelve year old sis
ter, came flying through the hall.
Auntie says you have forgotten
to get the potatoes for breakfast, and
we must prepare them before we go.
Never mind if he does have to wait
little for you; you've waited for him
many a time. Come quickly and | will
help you"
$50, sweet-tempered Cora Smith un-
tied the blue scarf, and tripped away
to the forgotten task as merrily as her
little sister, albeit her heart beat like
an imprisoned bird at the delay.
The west was all ahame with the au-
tumn sunset ere the sisters closed the
cottage door behind them, and ran
down the garden path toward the stile
where he was waiting--in other words,
where hazel-eyed, sweet-faced Cora
Smiths city lover was waiting for his
lady love, as she had many night
waited for him.
Almost every evening they met at
the stile-their ''trysting place" he
said-just half way between her home
and his boarding house He had pro-
posed it, and she was nothing 10th to
accede-it was so pretty and romantic.
Then, Auntie Smith was not at all
pleased with this dark-eyed young
stranger. aud though she had not for
hidden him the house, both lovers
knew she preferred his room to his
company. And so, always with dear
little Madge at her side, she daily trip
ped down the path through the leafy
woods to the half way "trysting place"
where she met her handsome dark
eyed lover, Neil Rowan. Her heart
ffuttered to-nig ght as she thought of
him and the warm lovelight deepened
and darkened the soft brown eyes
Neil, Neil," she said almost un-
consciously, aloud and little Madge
clasped her sisters hand closer, and
looked up in her face.
"Do you love him sovery much, sis
ter Cora ?"
A swift hot color came into the girls
cheeks, and then she paused, suddenly
holding the hands of little Madge in
fervent grasp.
Love him I love him, Madge bet
ter than all the world-better than my
youth, my life-ay, sometimes | fear
better than my hopes of Heaven !
And / am to be his wife, little Madge,
this good mans wife, when the beauti-
full spring comes | shall leave you,
and auntie, and uncle to be all his
But this is our secret, little sister, and
only you can share it"
And then her hands relaxed their
hold, and drawing the light scarf over
her shoulders, she tripped silently on.
edge of the wood, and the stile was
but step away Another step for
ward, and then Madge held her sister
back.
"Waiti" she whispered; II can see
two men on the seat, Cora. We do
not want to meet strangers there.
NO." she said, drawing back in the
shadow; 'it is Neil's friend, Willis
Dean. We will wait until he goes, for
I do not like to meet him"
Even as she spoke the figure arose,
and the sound of his voice came On
the twilight air distinct and clear.
And what of this love affair, friend
Neil? When is it to end, and how ?
Are you really in earnest, aud do you
mean to marry the girl p
Cora Smiths hand closed upon the
arm of Madge till she shrank in pain
while they waited for the answer.
Neil Rowan laughed softly.
Marry her 2" he repeated. "She
is just the subject for a grand flirta-
ton, and assure you l have done the
thing well. But for anything further
bah l am going back to town to
morrow. and this is our last meeting ;
so be off, fellow, for l expect her every
moment.
just for one moment Madge Smith S
heart stood still in awful fear, for she
thought Cora was dying. That white
ghastly face there in the twilight, that
motionless figure, those tightly locked
hands, it surely was not the fair sweet
maiden of a moment before. But the
spasm passed, and without a word,
she turned away and Madge followed
her in silence.
| Neil Rowan waited until the light
had all died out of the west and the
dew lay like summer rain on the grass
at his feet. His cigar was smoked
down to ashes, and his lazy reverie
Wis broken by the cry of the whip
poorwill.
"She isin't coming tonight, he said
mentally, "that is certain. The schem-
ing auntie up yonder managed to pre-.
vent it this time Oh, well, it saved q
scene. l will drop loving, farewell
note and so it ends-a summer:
amusement. Ha, huml" and Nei
Rowan strolled homeward, singing
half unconsciously, Il won't have her
| know-I won't have her, | know
don't care straw who has her,
know"
This farewell note come to Cor;
Smith the following night, butthe fevel
bright eyes never rested on the creamy
page, for ere the insane light gave place
to reason again. death sealed the white
eye-lids. To such natures as this grill
love is life +; and the rude blow thai
awoke her from the one bright dream
, of her youth snapped the bright, slen
der cord that bound her frail spirit tC
earth. and out of the depths of hel
awful grief the kindly hand of death lee
her to the mountaintop, where is bull
the city of the new Jerusalem.
Day by day, week by week, month
by month, so sped the time until eigh
years we're counted. Eight times the
grass had grown over the grave in the
lonely country graveyard, aud agair
the October winds rustled the scarle
leaves over the narrow mound.
Wonderful changes had the eigh
years brought Side by side with thil
grave we're Two others, and the head
stones bore the name of good aun
and uncle Smith. They had rested
!, there six years; and every summer
beautiful Madge Smith came down from