The enquirer southerner., 1874-12-25
RIGHTED AT LAST.
OR - -- 90.
The Destroyed Letter
BY E. B.

$3.50 s.rs- ~ = 49, I@
'How beautiful Belle, Loclain
looks tonight. 9
They were sitting together at
chess, Daisy Marsh and her hand
som cousin, Romnes, .Elting, while
beyond the cur,ained box window,
which sheltered this retreat, the
parlors ef the noble mansion we're
all in glow Of light and jewels
Daisy was a pretty creature, with
fair hair and p.nk and white com>
piexion, as perfect and expression
less as wax doll, while Romney
was dark and striLingly handsome.
Even as he spoke Daisy's hand
quivered little and her sleeve up>
SET half dozen chess: men.
There they 60 laughed Rom>
ney. Never mind, Daisy; you had
very nearly conquered me, and we n
| consider it victory on your part.
don't like chess just now. See,
Miss Loclain is passing again
~ Yes, said Daisy who resented
the least admiration of any other
lady on her cousin $ part, she is a
very stylish looki' g girl, only
don't fancy her gypsy sort of beau
ty, ard-
She stopped short, for Romney' =
| eyes were fixed on her with an ex-
preston very unusual.
Daisy, said he, graveIy, 4 wish
to speak to you on a subject of grea,
Importance to me, subject .ha,
lies very near my heart.
Daisy's cheek greew red and
white alternately, white her pulses
psu,ed within. Could it be posi-
Bile that the lover she had so long
secretly entertained towards her
cousin was at last to be rewarded
Did he really love her p? ..-
! / nay trust you, my little cous>
/ in?' II ..kz
9lF course. Ronney,t she answer
ed, 'timiuly lifting her eyes to his
earnest glance. Fl Wy @'-..
Well, then, m in love.
The scarlet tide suddenly sufused
her neck, cheeks and brow, while
her eye'lashes dropped with delici.
Gus sbyness. .-- r.r. n. ua IN
Now don t blush no, Daisy; / an
not the first man that ever fell il
love, nor am | likely to be the last
Ihave not courage to await my
doom from Bellies own lips, yet
must know, before | sail tor Europe
whether it is to be . rose garden o.
dreary desert. Will sou b,
my messenger, Daisy? Will yo'
take this note to Belle Loclain, ant
bring me her reply?'
! A statue could not have beel
whittier and colder than Daisy Marsh
as she listened to the Ct including sen
tence, that felt like ice upon he
heart. She could have plunged ,
dagger cheerfully into the hear
of The woman who had won Rom
ney's love. Anger, modification
and keen anguish strove togerhe
for mastery in her heart, yet ther
was no outward symptom, save tn
death>like pallor Of her cheek, an
culver of her lip.
sWill you, Daisy? psrsisse
Romney.
She nodded silently.
That's my darling, little cousin
Give her the note to>night-yo
women know how to manage sue
things-ani if she will be mine, as
her TO send me line-one line wi
be all sufficient. But ifnot-
He stopped and bit his lips, as if tn
bare contemplation Of such posi-
bility were agony. If not, l shaI
understand her silence to mean ne
Here is the note, ma chere. T
think that mans whole destln
should hang on bit Of paper lik
that.
AS he placed the folded note
her hand, it felt like ice.
Daisy. you are not WE'LL
Perfectly she answered, in
constrained voice; but ain q it'll
tired. | will 60 up to my roou
and see Miss Loclain when sh
leaves the parlor.
When she was alone in her ow
apartment, she tore the paper int
tiny bits, With slow dellberatior
and burned them, one by one,
the flick ering gaslight. .a.~ .-- .
There, she said, biting her liE
until the blood started, she sha
never know he was fool enough t
prefer her dark eyes and jet-blac
hair to my blond beauty
The same evening Belle Loclai
unbraiding the masses of dark hal
that had cleaned with pearl an
opals, raised her dreamy SPANS
eyes to the glass before her-eyt
that were dim with unshed tears.
He does not care for me-. sh
murmured, yet the world calls N
beautiful. Ah !! what care | for th
worlds admiration, as long as tn
only one for whose praise l sigI
turns coldly from me? l suppo'
he will marry that bright>haire
little cousin Of his, and they will
happy while l.
'Well, Daisy?' eagerly aske
. Romney Eiting, as he met bis col
sin on the stairs next morning.
. well J!
GWao thora M Soauarp