The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1874-04-25

followed her in silence.
Neil Rowan waited until the light
had all died out of tho 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 was
broken by the cry Of the whip-poor-
will.
'She isn't coming to night he said,
mentally that IS certain. The schem
ing auntie up yonder managed to
prevent it this time. Oh, we'll it
saved scene. / will drop loving
farewell note and 30 it ends-a summ,r's 5
amusement. Ha, hum!' and Neil Ro
wan strolled homeward, singing, half
unconscsously, Il won't have nor, know
Il won't have her, 1 KNOW don t
care straw who has her, know
The farewell note came to Cora Smith
the following night, but the fever bright
eyes never rested on the creamy page,
for ere the insane light gave place to
reason again, death sealed the white
eyclids. To such natures as this girls,
love is life, and the rude blow that woke
her from the one bright dream of her
youth, snapped the slender cord that
bound her frail spirit to earth, and out
of the depths of her awful grief, the
kindly hand of death led her to the
mountain top, where is built by the
city of the Now Jerusalem.
Day by day, week by week, month
by month, so sped the time until eight
yours were counted. Eight times the
grass had grown over the little grave in
the lonely country graveyard, and again
the October winds rustled the scarlet
leaves ever the narrow mound.
Wonderful changes had the eight
years brought. Side by side with this
grave were two brothers, and the head
stones bore tho names Of good aunt aud
uncle Smith. They had ret,ed there
six years; aud every summer beautiful
Madg ge Smith came down from her city
mansion and fingered in the old home
u week, trimming the grasses aul plant
ing bright flowers on the mounds
Bright, beautiful Madgc Smith, the
heiress Of all uncle Smiths hidden
wealth, tho wealth he guarded so we'll
during that toll worn, weary life.
Three years before, Nal lSc Smith
left school, TO reign queen of society.
Beautiful, strangely beautiful, with that
cold, white, high bred face, those wide,
fathomloss, glittering amber eyes,
figure matchles, in symmetry aud grace,
accomplished, polished and tho hciress
Of great wealth, no wouder that lovers,
old and young, knclt at Madgc Smiths
shrine. Strange wonder, the world
said that all we're scorn ID not gently
aud with words of pity and apology, but
spurned from her very feet with scoru-
ful lips aud blazing eyes.
'Ah, Madye Smith was an eni, ma
and mystery to all who knew her. No
warmer friend, no brish ter companion
did those Of her own sex seek for. But
never were those lips seem to smile, or
those wonderful eyes to soften, in re
sponse to any lovers; no glacier was
more frigid than ehc to all men. All,
did l say7 Nay, Dame Rumor had
plenty of gossip just now. Only few
weeks since now rival appeared on
the scene of action. Neil Rowan
merchant and millionaire, entered the
list of Madge Smiths adorers-not for
her wealth, surely Madame Grundy
acknowledge, graciously. He had
enough cf his own. 1t was genuine
love that this blazc man Of society felt
for beautiful Madso. And Il wonderful
change had come over the fair lad,
since his appearance. Bright before,
she was brilliant now-sparkling, witty
bcwildering; and the world locke ed o.,
in amaze to see the flush stain her white
cheek, and the bright smile that ligh'
cd her eyes at his approach
And did he not. recognize her, you
arc wondering? Nay, how should he +?
Sweet Cora Smith, and tho summer in
the country, were forgotten things with
this man. He had broken half dozen
silly hearts since thcn, and left them all
with Time, the great healer. He had