The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-02-26


est charms, of her own modest estimate
of the merits that had won him. He
| forgot the times without number wher
he had compared her in hi heart with
all the maidens he knew, finding her
even prettier, sweeter, more winsome
than any. He forgot how he loved her
| in his anger at her resolution.
Aud Hetty, walking slowly home
ward, realized that with her own hand
she had thrust all the brightness out OF
hard life. She loved Robert. Not be-
cause he was rich, could give her a
handsome home, all the luxuries OF
wealth, had she loved him, but for his
tender chivalry for her, his noble intel
lect, his loving eyes that had sought
her own with such constant devotion.
She had believed him all noble, true
and manly when she had put her little
hand in his strong one and promised to
be his wife.
Six long months of betrothal had
passed before the summer evening
when she turned from him, as she
thought, forever. And only in the last
few weeks had she known of that fear
full, deadly foe to her hope of happi-
ness who was fastening his fatal hold
upon her lover. The first tine she
heard of Robert Grey intoxicated. a
deadly despair grasped her heart. She
thought of lifelong martyrdom from
which she had escaped SO Titled time
before, and she wrote to her lover
sterply forbiddiDg him to see her again,
and then spent night after night weep
ing for her lost love.
But Robert Grey would not accept
his dismissal, and pleaded so penitently
thst love conquered fear, and Hett;e
believed that never again would he
yield to the temptation. Again the
story came to her, and half maddened,
unwilling to believe the solemn pie dge
broken, she had begged him to come to
her and explain away the lie. But the
third time she had en- him Too well
she knew what the red, wild eyes, the
thick utterance, the reeling step betok-
ened. Only in answer to the most earn
est petition had she nerved hers elf TO
grant one more interview, and it had
ended in Roberts anger and the failure
of her own last hope.
She knew Robert Grey had a sense of
honor as keen as her own. That he
hdu III JlOlhAoO w nv "oo
because he looked upon it as a pledge
merely given to answer a girls foolish
whim. Once bound before men by a
written pledge she felt sure he would
keep it at whatever cost to himself. So
she hoped to win him to sign such a
pledge. There was strong temper
ance revival in Nat that very time,
and on this she built a hope not know
ing it was her weakest hold.
For Robert Grey, young, wealthy
and popular, looked upon all this tenn
perance preaching as directed against
the lower class, the sots who rolled in
cutters, the frequenters of village tav-
erns. That he, a gentleman, should
place his name to such pledge as these
wretches were persuaded to sign,
seemed to him in a measure TO place
himself upon their level. There, as he
told Hettle, it was confession of weak
ness against which all of his manhood
revolted.
The summer days wore away, and
these two, loving each other fondly,
met but seldom, only to exchonge con-
strained greetings. Hettie suffered
most in her quiet, uneventful life; but
she had been educated in a hard school,
and bore her pain patiently. She grew
paler, and more quiet, but there was
none to notice any change. While she
was faithful to her duties TO Mrs.
Reeds nursery, she was sure of home;
and if there was no love there but that
of the children she taught, 50, too,
there was no one to comment upon her
languid step or pale checks. If she
spent many nights in weep ng, no one
sought an explanation so long as
Mary's grammar was recited, and Alice
said her A B C's.
But when the winter set in, Hettie
had another wrench at her heart strings.
Without a word of farewell, Robert
Grey left M to travel. No one knew
exactly upon what errand the young man
had gone. He had been in business, and
had left that with an agent, giving no
hint of when he would return, or whittier
he was bound. Orphaned, wealthy, and
free, he had no permission TO seek, his
aunt caring for his house as she had
done since his mother died in infancy.
Hettie had not realized how hope had !
till been strong in her heart until |
Robert was gone. While she could see |
him, though they met almost as strang- |
ers, she prayed and hoped still that he |
would return to her, and give her the |
PLEDGE he would value most as his safe !
guard. But he had gone in anger, and |
the little goveTness looked n very hope |
less future in the face. She was a
whose love, not easily won,
would be given for life time, and no |
thought of another, to replace Robert, |
ever came to her faithful heart. She |
lad given him up because she thought |
luty demanded the sacrifice, but she |
could never cease to love him. Winter |
left her often alone. Mrs. |
Reed took the children to their grand |
for Thanksgiving, end again |
or Christmas week. In all this time |
Hettie was left in charge of the house. |
some Christmas gifts were put upon |
ler dressing table, testifyiDg the chill.
lren's love ard Mrs. Reeds aDprecla. |
ion of her care; but though Hettie val
led these highly, they could not fill the |
lreary void in her heart.
Sometimes in her lonely weeping she |
Questioned the resolution she had |
hought only duty, wondering if her |
,ternnets had driven Robert more into |
he path she wished him to avoid, |
saved him. Then she remembered her |
prayers, her patience, her
pleading, end felt how powerless a wo-
nan is when drink is her rival.
January wore away, and February |
vas half gone, when one morning Alice |
Reed, in the midst of her babes, ex-
claimed:
ait is st. Valentines day, wonder |
shall have a valentine -
"Papa will bring the mail at dinner"
aid ten-year old Many, gravely. "I |
NOW cousia Ben Will send us a valen- |
inc he always does"
Will you have one, Miss Hettie ?"
Questioned Alice.
"No, darling, 1 think not" Hettie
aid, smiling.
But when papa" came home TO din.
Ter, and the children rushed out to
neet him, Hettie heard him say:
"Take this letter to Miss Hettie,
fanny"
A letter for her ! There was no one
n the wide world to write letter to
Iettie, except. A wild hope sprang
4 her heart. Could Robert have writ
en-?
It vas a bulky letter, and Many,