Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-04-17
NO. l6.
AVE-: n c. . !

: to the little bedroom forher blue scarf
, Give O'clock" she said, rs the last
stroke died away; she is wondering
why [ don't come, and must make
haste. ETadge, little Idadge, are you
going with mo tonight? I am all
ready"
Little Madge, the twelve-year-old
sister, came flying through the hall.
,'Auntie says you have forgotten to
get the potatoes for breakfast. and we
must prepare them before you CO.
Never mind if he does have to wait a
little for you; you We waited for him
many tine. Come quickly and [ viii
help you"
So sweet-tempered Core 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 bir,I's 1T the DELAY.
The west was al afiame with the au-
tuynn sunset ore the sisters closed fka
cottage door behind them, and ran
down the Gacdea-Path toward the stiIo
where he was waiting other words.
whero hazel-eved, sweet-faced Cora
Smiths city lover was waiting for his
lady love, IS she had many night
waited for him.
| Almost every evening they met there
at the stile-their ''trvsting place" he
said, just halfway between her home
and his boardlng-lOuse. He had pro-
posed ii. and she was nothing 10th to
accede-it was so pretty and romantic.
Then, Auntie Smith was not at all
pleased with this dark-eved young
stranger, and, though she had not for-
bldden him the house, both lovers
knew she preferred "his room to his
company" And so, always with dear
little Madge at ker side, she daily
tripped down the path through the
leafy woods to the halfway "trysting
| place" where sho met her handsome,
Gark-eyed lover, Neil Rowan. How
her heart huttered tonight as she
thought Of him! and the warm love
light deepened and darkened the soft
brown eyes,
"Neil, Neil" she said, almost IN
! consciously, aloud and little Madge
clasped her sisters hand closer, and
looked up in her face.
DO you love him SO very much,
sister Cora :"
! a swift, hot color came into the
! girls cheeks, and then she paused,
suddenly, holding the hands Of little
Madge III & feryent grasp.
Love him love him AEadqe , bet
ter than all the world-better than nv
youth, my Iife-ay, sometimes [ fear
better than my hope Of heaven, And
/ nm to be his wife, little TIadge, this |
good mans wife, when the beautiful |
spring comes. [ shall leave you. and |
auntio, and uncle to be all his. But |
this IS our secret, I5tlc sister, and only |
you can share il.
And then her hands relaxed their
hold and, drawing the light scarf over
her shoulders, she tripped silently on. |
They were almost tLere-nearing the |
edge OF the wood, and tho stile was |
but step away. Another step for
ward, and then MadGe held her sister /
back.
'Wait !" sl-a whispered: IL can see
Two 1nen on tl1o seat, Cora. We do |
not want to meet strangers there"
NO, she said, drawing back in The I
shadow of the wood 1T is Neil's /
friend, Willis Dean. We VII wait un- /
III lie goes, Tor DO net Ike to meet .
him. "
Even as she spoke The figure arose,
and the sound of lis voice came On
the twilight air distinct and clear.
And what Of this love affair, friend
Neil? When IS 1t to end, and how
Are you really y earnest, and 10 you
mean to marry the girl ?"
Cora Smiths hand closed upon the
arm OF AIedSe I'LL she shranIl IN pain
while they waited fer the answer. Neil
Rowan laughed softly.
Marry her - he repeated. "She IS
just the subject for a grand filtration
and l assure you l have done the thing
wei. But for anything further-bahl I
an going back to town tomorrow, and
this IS our last meeting: so be off, old
fellow, ior e4pecbh her every moment" "
Dust tor one moment 1Iadge Smiths
heart stood still IN awful fear, for she
thought Cora was dying, That white,
ghaatly face thsre il thu twilight. that
motioniess figure, those tightIy-loczed
hands, q surely was no5 the fair, sweet
maiden Of moment before. But the
spaam passed, and without word, she
arose ard glide1 noiselessly away and
Madce followed her III silence.
Nell Rowan waited until the light
had all died out Of the West, and the
dew lay like summer rain oa the grass
st his feet. His cigar was smoked
was broken by the cry G. the whip
ro0r-wiu.
SHE isn't coming Tonight" ," he said,
mentally, ''that is certain. The schem-
ing auntie up yCnder managed to pre-
vent Ii tlis time. On, Wei. it saved a
scene. [ vii drop loving farweu
n05a and so It ends summers
amusement. Fa. hum and Neil !
Rowan stro,lei bomeward, singing, I
half unc0nsclously, 4 won't havo her, /
| know won't have her, ! linow-I .
don'5 care . straw Who has her, 1 .
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 eYe-Iids. 70 such
natures as this girls, love is life; and |
the rude blow that woke her froin the |
one bright dream OF her youth, snapped I
the slender cord that bound her frail |
spirit TO earth. and cut Of the depths !
OF her AWFUL grief, the kindly hand of
death led her to the mountain-top, /
where is built tho city Of the New Je- /
rusa!en,
LAY by day, week by weeI7, month
by month, so sped tho time until
eight years 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 over the narrow
mound,
Nond.ful changes had the eight
years brought. Site by side with this /
grave We're two brothers. and The |
leadstones bore the names Of good !
aEnt and uncle Smith. They had |
rested there SIX years and every sum-
mer beautiful Biadge Smith came down |
from heG city mansion and fingered in |
the Old home a week, trimming the |!
grasses and planting bright flowers on |
the mounds. Bright, beautiful Madge |
Smith, the heirCss of all uncle Smiths |
hidden wealth. the wealth he guarded |
SO well during that toll worn, weary
lie.
Three years before, Madge Smith
left school, to reign queen Of society. F,
Beautiful, strangely beautiful, with !
that cold, white, high-bred face, those
wide, fatilomless, glittecing amber