The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-06-30

She was seated at the piano. Low
tremulous tbrobs of music filed the
apartment. Sad, and sweet, and
tender were the sounds, while the
woman, though pale and pensive, was
very fair to look upon. Her brow
was white; her eyes brown and liquid;
her mouth curved with red lips hiding
teeth like pearls; her cheeks were
pale and smooth as alabaster, yet
once they had glowed continually
with crimson that only changed by
becoming deeper at times Her form
was evidently slender and graceful.
No one could look at her and call her
anything but fair and pure.
She had come a few days previous
to the country mansion of Judge
Duncan and asked to be taken in as
boarder for short time. She gave
her name as Eloise Herbert. She
was not alone but little girl probably
four years of age accompanied her.
The child called her mama"
Judge Dunean's family had never
taken boarders before, but the fair
sweet face of Eloise Herbert won
their hearts so thatthey could not re-
fuse what she asked. Now she had
been with them a week
Presently she ceased playing, and
walked to an open window. She
lifted the lace curtains and stepped
outside upon the piazza.
Mamma" said child's voice-i
voice as sweet as the music Elois'
had been playing.
"What is Nina's wish" Eloise ask
ed.
The child stepped from the piazZi
and pausing for a moment, reached
back her hand toward her girl-moth
er. Then she started down the ave
nue., saying:
"Come, mamma"
Eloise followed. At the entranc'
to the avenue they stopped. Elois'
leaned over low side gate while he
child played at her feet. Nina wa
the image of her mother, in minia
tIre, little fairy, beautiful Great
ure.
! The branches of huge tree shad
ed them. The grass made a greer
carpet for their feet. They were OF
a gently slOping hillside, and th'
Landscape spread out before them
A mile away the suns rays sparklet
on the waters of a bay. No clout
dimmed the deep blue of the sky
The air was laden with the fragrance
of summer blossoms.
A buggy road, level, and smooth
and straight, stretched out to the
right and left. Presently Eloist
heard in the distance the faint clattel
of horses hoofs. Then the sound
was borne to her ears more distinctly
1t beat, beat, upen the hard road
She glanced down to her left, and be
hind, vet in the distance, a swiftly
approaching object. Nearer and
nearer. Eloise saw presently that il
was frightened horse running away
with a buggy. Eloise could do moth
ing but stand there and watch, with
her hands clasped over her bosom in
terror, for she perceived that there
was clinging human figure in the
vehicle.
On, on, came the maddened animal
A huge dog, doubtless startled by
the noise, came leaping down the
avenue. He sprang into the road
The catastrophe that seemed inevita,
BILE, at any rate, was FASTENED. The
horse sprang to one side with q great
bound. The buggy struee troe
standing by the roadside, and there
was q terrific crash. The horse
reared, and plunged, and fell.
With a wildly beating heart Eloise
opened the gate and passed out quick
". There was no danger for her
for the struggles of the animal had
ceased almost instantly-death had
ended them.
The man was lying some distance
from the shattered vehicle Elsise
gave a glance at his face, and then il
seemed to her that her heart must
cease its beating
The still figure before her was that
of her husband
Her husband! Yet she had hoped
never to look upon his face again.
He had been her tyrant as well as
the curse of her womsnhood
The fairest dreams Of her life had
found al end in him. Once, she had
exalted him 70 a god; he bad proved
himself to be deamon. Once, she
had loved him with all the strength
of her passionate heart; lator, she had
hated him with an intensity so great
that she had to pray daily to her
God for forgiveness Once, she haC
waited for his coming with eager
anxiety; afterwards, the very echo o
his step bad been perfect torture.
No wonder that Tournier Herbert'i
face burst upon her sight like a vision
of terrorl
For @ full minute she stood par
alyzed. For the time she had for
gotten, as it were, that be might b
dead But now pity took the place
of fear. She felt that she must bring
help for him. Turning, she seized
the child in her arms andrushed up t.
her house.
Luckily she found Judge Duncan
himself on the piazza.
"Tbere Is a man in the road whS