The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-07-01

her, for truly she suffered as only woman
with her passionate yearning for love car
suffer. With groans of anguish she called
upon him to come back to her-tO come
back and take her in his arms once more
as he had held her that fatal afternoon
But alas he was beyond the reach of hei
voice, he could not hear her, and she
must suffer in silence the fruits of heI
folly. Oh, she could not, she shuddered
to think of it, spend her life in such ter.
rible anguish; no, rather would she choose
the meanest lot, could Louis but share
it with her! All if she had only listened
to him then. But it was not even now
too late to recall him; he would come,
she knew. And she sprang from heI
couch and commenced writing, when O
rap at her door startled her, and hastily
concealing the halffnished note, she
opened it and admitted her mother.
Annabel," said Mrs. Lee, "was Mr.
Huntley here this afternoon?"
"Yes," was the reply, given with q
vague dread at her heart; for the naughty
belle stood somewhat in awe of her still
laughter mother.
"I hope" said Mrs. Lee, "he did moi
presume to introduce the subject of mar.
riagew
Annabel replied that he did.
And pray, miss, what was your an.
swerW asked her mother, a scornful smile
wreathing her lips.
For moment Annabel hesitated
Should she tell hermother the truth, and
thus destroy all hopes of regaining Louis,
or evade the question, as she could easily
do? But it was for only a moment
Glancing at her mother, whose lips still
wore the mocking smile, her new resolve
died in her bosom, and drawing up her
proud form with her haughtiest air, she
replied
rejected him, madam"
A CLEAN of exultation flashed from
Mrs. Lees cold orbs, and embracing hel
daughter, she said,-
81 congratulate you, Annabel, on hav,
ing subdued the passion which / know
you cherished for him. He could never
have maintained you in the style to which
you have been accustomed, and you
know your fathers affairs are ut present
too much embarrassed to permit of his
giving you handsome dowry. But this
will not be required by Mr.. Creverton, as
he states in his letter, which your father
has just received from him, and in which
he asks for your hand"
Annabel took the letter her mother Of
fered her, and with bitter pang that
Louis could not have been the million.
aire, perused it, thinking with curl
ing lip how different it was from another
she had received that day; then returning
it to her mother, in response to her eager
glance, in clear, firm voice, she replied,
'i%aR9ly,Iv aR9ys,s.v
The delighted Mrs. Lee again m5raced
her daughter, and descanted ith en-
thusiasm upon the position she would
take as Mrs. Creverton. She would be
the leader of the ton. What magnifi-
cent diamonds she would have The
rest of her set would be dying with envy.
How absurd in that low creature to sup
pose But here a look from Annabel
stopped her; there was something in it
Mrs. Lee could not fathom, and think
ing that now her point was gained it
might be best to leave her to herself for
awhile, she retired from the room.
A second time was Annabel Lee left
alone with her own heart. But now the
deed was irrevocably done; she had
pledged her word to marry Mr.. Crcver-
ton, and now she would not retract. With
an iron will she buried her love deep in
her heart, never to see the sunlight
again and collecting the various trifles
and few short billets Louis had sent her,
calmly destroyed them all then, dis
missing all thong hts of him from her
mind, she sought to nerve herself to meet
her future husband.
When Annabel Lee entered the draw
ing-rOom that evening not trace of the
trial which she had undergone remained
upon her countenance. Calm, self-pos-
sessed, and radiantly beautiful, she treated
Mr.. Creverton with graceful cordiality
which enchanted him, and entirely salts
fed her mother, who, well knowing her
real feelings, narrowly watched her be-
havior to him.
But most deceived was Mr.. Creverton
himself. Though deeply in love
with his beautiful fancee, he would
never have desired nor even permitted
the sacrifice she was making; but never
dreaming but that as her mother had as
sured him she returned his affection, he
worshiped her with all the ardor of a
heart still untouched by age.
And Annabel, always brilliant and
calm and cold, graciously endured the
lover-like attentions which were disgust
ing to her, relentlessly steeling her heart
against all thoughts of him whose lightest
word would make her heart bound for
Joy and her blood leap in her veins.
And thus the months passed. Mr..
Creverton sought an early marriage, and
Annabel could urge no reasonable Objec.
tion, as indeed she had none, for her life
could not be more irksome TO her than at
present, and she must be married some
time. So an early day was named, and
in the hustle incident to the preparations
for the wedding, she drowned the remorse
which would prey upon her mind, and al
last, when the fatal day arrived, Annabel
Lee stood by her husbands side, the fash.
ing of the diamonds i'm her dark locks
rivaled by the brilliant CLEANS of hel
glorious eyes, and with queenly grace
received the congratulations of heI
friends.
III.
There was mourning and sorrow al
Glendale. The young and beautiful mis-
9ress of the mansion lay stiff and cold in
her shroud, and the sweet countenance
lately beaming with love and gentleness
wore the ashen hue of death. For one
short year bride, she had won the love
of all around her, and all sincerely
mourned her loss. But, more than all
mourned the bereaved husband, Loui,
Huntley. 1t was terrible blow TO him
for he loved her tenderly, not as he had
loved the proud Annabel, with alteration
and mad idolatry his little Lily could
never be to him as she had been, but hel
swee6winning ways had been very deaI
to him, and he had loved her as rare
fragile blossom which was given him to
guard and cherish.
Never was there sincerer mourneI
than Louis Huntley as he stood ty the
grave of his Lily and heard the sounds o.
~ II. a.. xIo., c,II ,,.o.. L.. III, ..