Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-09-22
AVENGEDI

Five oclock, she said, as the last
stroke died away He is wondering
why don't come, and / must make
haste. Madge, little Madge, are you go.
ing with me tonight? am all ready. "
Little Madge, the twelve-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 time.
Come quickly and will help you
SO, sweet.tempered Cora Smith united
the blue scarf, and tripped away to the
forgotten task as merrily as her little
sister, albeit her heart beat like an i'm
prisoned 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 Smith s
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 proposed It,
and she wassnothing 10th to aecede-it
was so pretty and romantic.
Then, Auntie Smith was not at all
pleased with this darkeyed young
stranger, and though she had not forbid
den 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 tripped down the path
through the leafy woods to the halfway
"trysting place " where she met her
handsome dark-eyed lover, Neil Rowan.
Her heart huttered tonight as she thought
of him and the warm lovelight deepened
and darkened the soft brown eyes
Neil, Neil, she said almost uncon-
scously, aloud; and little Madge clasped
her sisters hand closer, and looked up
in her face.
"Do you love him so very much, sis
ter Cora2'
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 love him, Madge better
than all the world-better than my youth,
NV life-ay, sometimes | fear better
than my hopes of Heaveul And | am
to be his wife, little Madge, this good
mans wife, when the beautiful spring
comes. | shall leave you, and aunte,
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. They
we're almost there-nearing the edge OF
the wood, and the stile was but step
away. Another step forward, and then
Madge held her sister back.
"WaitW she whispered; Il can see
two men on the seat, Cora. We do not
want to meet strangers there.
mo" she said. drawing back in the
shadow; ut is Neil friend, Willis Dean
We will wait until he goes, for 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 how2 Are
you really in earnest, and do you mean
to marry the girl"
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 her2" be repeated. "She is
just the subject tor grand Irritation,
and l assure you have done the thing
we'll. But for anything further-bahl !
am going back to town to morrow, and
this is our last meeting; so he Oft, fellow,
tor | expect her every moment.
Just for one moment Madge Smiths
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 moment before. But the
spasm passed, and without a word, she
arose and gided noiselessly 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 was broken
by the cry of the whippoorwill.
She isn't coming tonight, he said,
mentally, that is certain. The schem
ing auntie up yonder managed to pre-.
vent it this time. Oh, we'll, it saved a
scene. ! will drop loving, farewell
note and GO it ends--a summers amuse
ment. Ha, hum and Neil Rowan
stroled homeward, singing, half uncon-
sciously, Il won't have her, | know
[ won have her, l know-I don't care a
straw who has her, know"
This farewell note came to Cora Smith
the following night but the fever-bright
eves meyer rested on the creamy page, for
ere the insane light gaye place to reason
again, death sealed the white ege-lids.
To such natures as this girls love is life;
and the rude blow that awoke her from
the one bright dream OF her youth snap
ned the bright, 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 the city OF the new
Jerusalem.
Day by day, week by week, month by
month. so sped the time until eight
wears we're counted. Eight times the
grsss bad grown over the little grave IN
the lonely country graveyard, and again
the October winds rastle9 the SCARLET
leaves over the marrow mound.
Wonderful changes had the eight years
brought Side by side with this grave
we're two brothers, and the headstones
bore the name of good aunt and uncle
Smith. They had rested there xyears;
and every sumner beautiful Madge Smith
came down from her city mansion and
/ fingered in her old home a week, trim
ming the grasses ard plonting bright
flowers on the mounds. Bright, beauti-