The Van Buren press., 1875-04-06


about six months after her receipt Of his
letter Then she was told he was com
ing home to marry Miss Erving.
! But to continue. We now find her in
Paris. crowned with triumph After n
night Of even more than usual eclat, she
sat the next day, surrounded with the to-
kens of her listeners appreciation
Flowers, rare and beautiful, jewels costly
and antique, all around her She pushed
them impatently aside, and her head
sank into her hands Her thoughts flew
back to the time when she sang simple
! ballads, and watched for the words and
! looks of admiration from one with more
eagcrness, and hailed its coming with
more real qualification, than ever since
she had from the crowned heads and no.
| bles of the land.
"How kept thinking last night of the
Welcome Grectingr Ny heart seemed
nIlcd with that have not thought Of it
since that night think if bad sung it
there might have been found the wanting
tone They say | am cold--there is no
| love in my voice. Cold Oh! can they
not think there is a coldness more icy
than that of unknown love? 'Tis when
love has been given birth. known life, aud
then been killed, that 1t becomes so icy
cold"
Thus Caroline Ainsworth communed
with herself in the splendid boudoir of
her suite of apartments
Going to jewclcasket, she unlocked
| it, and drew forth the little golden heart
and anchor,
"Strange, strange that should have
felt the coming Of his pcrtidy. | hne~
that night it would be so. | wonder
whore the little companion of these is 2
she murmurcd. "What do | care for
this life of continual eXcitement-t this
admiration of the milIious2 Nothing
nothing All. all are gone now for whom
| cared t. be great. Edgar worse than
dead Would that F! could think Of him,
watching and waiting for my coming in
the land where angels sing Father gone,
mother gone! care for the praise Of
no one now | sing to no one now o,
weary, weary life have only one JOY
the reinenbrance of the comfort gave
them.
A knock at the door announced the
coming OF some one, and a footmon pre-
scntc himself, and said. handing an en-
velopc, Mademoiscllc, the bearer is
waiting
80. | am tired Of these baublts,' she
said, as She pressed in her fingers the en-
vclopc which contained an offering Of
some kind, she knew
The pressure made the impression, not
ring, on the paper in which 1t was en-
closed, hnt cross AS Caroline's eye
detected that, she opened, with an appear
anee of more interest. the sealed paper
and the lltrle golden cross, wrapped vita
her own hair was in her band
Your promise! DO you remember?
The messenger will direct YOU" was
written TREMENDOUSLY and irregularly; but
she knew his hand had penned the lines,
Bring the bearer to me, Immediately,
Jean, and order my carriage. ] shall be
ready in fifteen minutes. Tell me, my
good woman--thc gentleman--is he i'll -
The woman could understand but little
English; and Caroline, repeating her in.
curry in French, learned that the woman
had been sent by gentleman who was i'll,
perhaps dying Bidding the woman come
with her, aud direct the driver, Caroline
entered the carriage. After half hour
drive, the carriage stopped before lodg-
ing house in the Rue de Rivoli. The
woman preceded Caroline in, and up
long flight of stairs, until they reached a
door, opening which cautiously, she
stepped in an instant, Returning, she
whispered: "Come in -
He was seeping-thc miserable wreck
Of the once handsome Edgar Mansfield
AS Caroline bent over the wasted form a
great terror filed her heart--she had come
too late
Dead p she groaned forth, looking
from the pale features to the attendant,
who answered "No, no sleeping!
Bending over and gazing on the form
Of him once so proud aud noble looking.
then so worn, so wrctched, Caroline's
heart filed with pity All the cruel past
was forgiven. How could she feel re.
sentiment toward him, lying so stricken
before her
The cagerness Of her watching, and
the intense gaze, must nave aroused the
sleeper. He slowly opened his eyes, and
met hers
Ever true he murmLred, to yeur
PROMISE he added, in a voice so low
that Caroline had 10 stoop very near to
catch the words.
The effect of speaking seemed to ex-
haust him Looking into his eyes, still
so beautifully bright, raised TO hers with
look so eager, so appealing Caroline
own grew dim, and tears fell unrcs,rained
on the wasted hand she claspcl in hers
The woman drew near. aud holding to
ward him q glass Of wine, said that it
would make him stronger
Caroline gcatly raised his head as the
woman held it to his lips. Such CRATE.
ful look met her eye She thought, o,
why is he here alone? Where is she
whose gentle hand should minister here =
He had gained some little strength; and
when she drew near and seated herself be
said al would not have sent for you ifI
1 had been equal with y~i in any way.
But now, when you are SO far above me,
YOU can stoop ut least, to pity. am
dying, you see. could not resist the
constant longing to see you once more
once more to hear your voice, Can you
forget the past long enough to sing me
one song ~
-. &. 1 g