The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-09-09
SNATCHED!. FROM, THE BRINK
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SNATCHED FROM, THE BRINK: ):
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A cold, cloudy evening, with a sharp
wind snatching the breath away at every
corner. Even the fine ladies shivered
under their cloaks of velvet and capes OF
.ftu.I2Apoor old woman was making, her
way slowly through the crowded thor
eughfare. Her scant, worn garments
afforded but little protection from the
bitter wind that shook her wlthered
frame.4
She passed groups of happy children,
IN warm and gay attire, interchangllng
merry tests and laughs; the richly clad
ladies greeted each other with courteous
words and smiles.
But none gave word or smile to the
door old woman no friendly hand press
ed her cold, thin fingers. The shops dis
vlayed their tempting contents to her
eve only to remind her that she needed
all things, and veould buy nothing:
Night came. on and snow began to- -tau.
She moaned, and tried to cover her ach-
ing arms under her scant old shawl.
And now she was passing homes, where
the warm freight shone redly on the
windows; she,caught giimpses Of smiling
groups and gay social gatherings: Her
way led her past all these, far on through
the gloomy, shabby streets of the poor.
Stopping at one of the gloomiest and
shabbiestof the houses, she entered and
nassesi upSto the miserable room. This
Tou her home On straw pallet in one
corner soualid man was sleeping
drunken sleep-he was her husband.
Shesssated.herself on a low -upturned
box, and looked at him with stony,
dreamy eyes, thinking of all the misery
this man wrought her. Step by step, his
vices had dragged her down to the lowest
depths. Her mind travelled back oyer the
wretched past to her marriage day-the
day that had made her an unloying bride.
She had married to pique another; to re-
yenge herself she. e.thought, on her once
devoted lover. How she shuddered at
the thought of it. Thronging- memories
crowd upon her of the days when she
was a radiant beauty, and many lovers
sought her hand. What a vain coquette
she was how she prided herself on her
conouests, rejoicing in the suffering of
Others; ;;never caring that she was tramp
ing on the feelings of her fellow mortals.
She used every art to charm her victims,
to lure them on with false hopes, to
tighten her chain around them. F..
They had suffered for while, for not
wirhstanding the opinion of scofcrs to
the contrary. the pangs of disappointed
love are keen. But time, which; heals
all wounds, had healed thcirs. They
had loved other women; had found hap
DIV homes. Not one of them all, whose
love she had tossed aside as broken toy,
would have treated her as this man had
treated her, not one but was immeasura-
bly, his superior.
And one there was whom she had
really loved, but her selfish fondness for
admiration ruled ever better feeling.
How handsome and devoted he was
Her careless heart was touched, and 'ne
promised to be his, and intended tc heeP
that promise. Tears dropped t,on f,on, '!e ;e
wfthered eyes of the old woman, LII in
thinking of her youthful lc'eI. saslul! @
before her rose up their parting soeno
she saw his flushing ch1ek ana eye ana
heard his earnest wc:3s:,
aIf YOU 90 to tals ball; Bertha, with
George S6eparl, shall be convinced
yhot Ton sre efleartless coquette, and not
the Sirl 7 lnough you were"
sYo,I Ire absurdly jealous, Willis"
aT l,low that George would not seek
,onso constantly, unless he hoped to
yiy In you. If he has such hopes, you are
crihing with him or me. If you allow
him to accompany you to Mrs: Whites
ball, will take it for granted that you
prefer him, and will not intrudc myself
on you again"
And vet she had gone to the ball with
George Shepard, deluding herself with
the thought that her influence. over
Willis Barton was too strong for him to
cast off; she did not know the strength
of his resolution when he believed him
self to be right, and she only found it
out after her folly had lost HIM to her
forever. AS the remembrance OF this
pressed upon her, she sobbed aloud.
The sound disturbed the squalid sleeper,
and he Opened his eyes and gazed
stupidity. around him:
aWhat are you shifting about?" asked
he. A broken handled pitcher was near
Him; he reached out his hand and grasp
Ing it hurled it at her head it shivered
INTO pieces against the. WALL
With d great start, Bertha Gray awoke
and found herself lying in her warm bed
in her fathers house while bright sun,
shining in, displayed the many comforts
surrounding her. 1t was all Eideous
dream about her being a withered old
woman-she was still the fair young beau
ty.. ,,
But the quarrel with Willis-that re-
pity they had parted in anger the eve
ming before. The ball was to come off to-
highland she had fallen asleep il the
firm determination of keeping her en-
gagement to go there with George Shep
ard. But the fatal step had not been ta-
len, and, warned by her dream, she re-
solved not to risk her happiness.
As soon as her toilet was made she wrote
note to George, telling him that she
eould not attend the ball. She hoped
that when Willis found she had not gone,
he would be convinced that she lad too
much affection for him to disregard his
wishes. She passed a day OF anxious
surprise, and when night came on, she
could not endure the checrfIiness of the
family sitting-room. She sat alone in the
large drawing room, thinking deeply, for
the first time in her life. She began to
realize that it was cruel thing to play
with hearts, to encourage hopes, only to
crush them.