The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-07-30

upon herself. Breeze came to Merldeth /
House, and found me absent, gathering |
MOSES. He sat down in the cool porch, |
and fell to chatting, in his light, care |
less, easy way, with my mother. How |
it happened I do not know, but mother
managed to speak of my approaching
marriage.
1t was almost dark when I reached
the avenue that lad up to the Merideth
House. 1.-the figure stood leaning
against the stone gateway, as I saunted
by, my hands full of MOSES. GOOD
I said, gayly. "Wiu you
walk up with me ?"
He did not answer, save to step for
ward, draw my arm within his, and turn
me away from the house, down toward
the lake.
eve will go this way" he said and
felt the fire of his eyes burning my
cheek tc a flame. We walked so, in
dreadful silence for a moment, then he
spoke.
" Is this thing true that your mother
tells me ?" he asked.
s'What thing ?" I almost whispered.
"You know - he answered, fierceIy.
" Is it true that you are to be the wife
of a white-faced aristocrat next Octo-
Der? That you are here to make your
preparations o.
Yes" The word came reluctantly,
and almost with a gasp. He took my
hands in his and looked down upon me.
6 You shall not-you shall not p he
Missed. Z" L love you, you are mine, now
and forever"
Before could speak or cry oHt, he
had taken me in his arms, and was rain
ing kisses upon my lips. I was young,
L, 4
aroused a strange feeling in my breast
that now, as lay in his arms, believed
must be love. I could see the reckless
beauty of his face as it bent above me,
and almost uncOnsciOusly clasped my
arms about his neck, sobbing wildly,
and whispering, ooh, If I had only
known you sOoner-if it were not too
late /"
cit is not too Late he cried, pas
sionately, straining me to- his heart.
"You are mine, now and for all time.
You must be my wife p
But I cannot, I sobbed, 81 am
bound to another - the wedding day
dlaws near"
90 care nothing for that. You must
wed me, and no other. I cannot give
you up"
His imperious manner, his impas-
stoned earnestness, aroused my girlish
admiration. He seemed like some
knight of Olden romance to me, beside
whom ROllin Weatherbee, with his pa
| trician beauty, was completely over
Swallowed. We walked long in the
cleaning, he pleading, I hesitating,
almost yielding, but leaving him at
/ length with no definite decision. For
| three weeks met Rogers clandestinely
| each day, aud listened to his words of
passionate devotion, and let him i'm
| print warm kisses upon my lips. Day
after day he urged me to fly with him
/ but, though [ believed I loved him,
| better than I had ever loved Rollin
| Weatherbee, I hesitated to make him
| any promise, and strange fear of him
| held me back from fight. Yet each
| day my resolution grew weaker, each
| day the mans hold upon me, and power
over me, became stronger. At last
| came an afternoon late in September.
I was to meet Breeze that evening, and
stood looking out at the gorgeous sun.
set, with a heart full of offending
emotions, when mamma came into the
room. "Rose," she said, you remem.
Der Breeze Rogers, who came here SO
often some time ago ?"
Remember him but I only said
eyes, mother" in a very low voice.
Well, HARDWOOD tells me a painful
thing in connection with him. Sh:
says her husband tells her it is the
neighbOrhOOd talk now. It seems there
is very lovely young girl, a gardeners
daughter, Cora Smith by name, whom
Breeze has been very attentive to fOl
some months. The girls father says
she is betrothed to him. At all events
he has been a most ardent lover, for 6
year or more, and now, without a word
or any apparent cause, he has deserted
her. Has not been near her for two
months, and the girl is very ilI-calline
for him constantly, but he does not &c
near her. It is thought she will die
She is poor, fraiI, childish thing, anC
never knew what it was to suffer before
1t is very sad. What heartless villain
he must be"
My heart seemed to die within me
A rush OF emotions, shame, anger, grief
misplaced love, and wounded prid,
fought together in my breast. Oh how
mean the man was whom l had PLACED
above ROllin Weatherbee in nay heart
affection. How I despised him from
that moment. Then I began to think /
might not be sO-there might be SOM
mistake. &C will go to him to night,
I thought, " and l shall know"
did go, when the shadows of tn
cleaning settled down over the earth
l found him waiting for me. He heI,
out his arms, but I stood aloof.
$50 to Cora Smith,, 1 said. "Sh
is entitled to your caresses-she want
them-I do not"
, 1 Leeded no further proof of his guilt
His face turned crimson from brow +
chin-and then pale as death. VIVA
, do you know of her ?" he cried, hOarse
ly. WHO has been telling you les?"
6 No one" I answered. Your fac
! is a proof of the truth of all I hav
{ heard. l will make this our last meet
ing. My eyes are opened in time, than
1 God. do not want to set them upo
yOu again. Do not try to see me, for
will be useless. 1 utterly despise you
Go back to the only person who believe
/ you worthy of love-who is dying 70
you"
2 I turned and sped back to the hou-
and for two weeks scarcely steppe
? outside its walls. was i'll in mind an
2 body. My romantic folly, that I ha
? called love, died Suddenly, at one blow
| and I knew that there was only on
3 man that loved, or ever had loved, az
) that one man was Rollin Weatherbee
, But my heart was filed with regrets 70
my past folly, and fears for what Nigh
, follow. But two weeks passed by, an
I heard no word and saw nothing n