The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-05-10

Where we were two how learn to tread
alone3 80 -.
How see the light and see thy face no more?
Not with thee, bnt long after may comel q
lam 80 lonely that Ifain would die!
Turn, little sweet with thy tones can me
home;
Fair, guiding spirit, lead me safe on high.
JAMES LONG DAY.
Above sbe plain fronting the glen
hung the tranquil autumn moon The
air was filed with q silver haze that
floated Ike q curtain at the remoter linn
its of the plain. The pines and beeches
Of the glen stood mute, their voices
hushed in heavy moisture. Far down
theplainfa jagged blur of light showed
where the city slept, and from either
edge of this gagged blur of light the
river stretched like a silver belt with the
city for golden clasp.
Inthe glen no sound stirred the 81
lence, save when dewdrop fell from
spray or bough and shuddered through
the sleeping leaves to the ground. The
shadows of the trees filed the place with
unexplorable' darkness. Half way down
the glen q black parapet, reaching from
side to side, cut the feecy air.
a. fprlong further up than the, bridge,
and high above the shadow it cast, stood
a large white cottage fronting the moon.
From the lower levels of the glen it
looked like q cloud which had wandered
from the sky and foated down the glen
until it rested on the ledge. ..
The silence of the place at length was
broken, and footsteps approached by the
path along the dry bed of the torrent.
From the shadow ofthe parapet two fg-
ures emerged slowly. As they drew
near the cottage they looked black
against the light; but where the arm OF
the woman bent level with the moon
through the arm of the man, the sleeve
showed sparkle of white fringe to the
moon. The head of the man inclined 80
as almoststo meet hers. Now and then
hesraised her hand and touched it with
his lips. .i.-,.-
They advanced until they were close
to the garden wall of the cottage In
The .pulseless stiffness of the hour their
voices hoated wide and seemed to
clothe the glen with mystic life. The
listening spirits of the verdurous arcades
echoed their words in fine, faint tones.
a "The time won't be long coming
round, darling" He put his arm about
her and brushed the hair back from her
face. -. ....s. .... . ... ....s.,.. 49,.
"No, Luke" --.. -
"And, Jane, when the day does, come
you won't be solry will you 7"
He pressed her closer and drew her
head down upon his shoulder.
You won't be sorry, Jane" he re-
peated, "when the day comes and /
raiseethe veil and kiss my wife !" 6 E
She ddnot speak, but q long trennu-
1ous Sigh foated into the night. He
continued to speak:
-" And when you are my wife l will
not.only do all I can to make you. happy
while am with you, but work hard to
assure your future when I am gone for,
Jane, l. am ten years, older than you,
and men are shorter lived than women,
and I shall die long before my dar-
ling
"Hush r Stop, Luke 2 What do you
meanY Why do you talk Of dyings"
"There! I will not again. ..
"But, Luke-myi Luke, you are
strong. Why do you put such thoughts
into my heada It has always seemed
to me as If you could never die" She
clung to him and held him wildly, look
ing with distracted eyes into his face, as
if she feared evil approaching from be-
hind those mute, watchful trees. ,
"Don't be uneasy, jane Never fear.
shall live as long as ever can for you:
Why, it seems to me as sthough I shall
live forever if am to have YOU I was
fool to talk as T did. The moonlight
made me melancholy; it always does.
Sweetheart, do you not feel my arms
round youq /, What harm could come
while We are thusi and as for the
future -yiIG z9:z2, n
:" But you will 60 away now"
"And in one short month you will
como away with me-"
"Oh, Luke ~
r'Whati"Y j!g EF2'Y CfnfTG
"Tdare not say it, and yet I cannot
keep it to myself" ..-. ...,
"Tell me. Trust me-"
GA month seems so long. l know it
can't be Isooner--but amonth. You
win come tomorrow evening, won't
you 2 ~
eyes; and every evening""
s"I must go now. You will be here
tomorrow evening, surely :" ,: -.
"Srrely."
Goodnight. yy~, - ~ -
Goodnight" W = {LE n
"To-morrow evening"
Tomorrow evening" ... g,
With cry that was half moan, she
ran swiftly to the cottage, and he strobe
fercely down, breasting the moonlight
and tearing his shadow into Thousand
fantastic shapes among the tangled
weeds and shrubs. ,.,.l..,. .
When she reached her room she knew
she could not sleep. She drew back the
curtain of her window and let in the
moonlight. The moon was setting. y
wantsl about an hourof midnight: Tht Thst
glen was silent, and, save when the
clocks of the city struck, no souno
reached her. She could not dismiss hit
words. They made tumult in hel
brain. Do what she might, they came
t,ooping in upon her ears, like unbiddeI
guests Over and over again she trie6
% bsnish them She sought to stimulate
her Imagination pleasantly about the
future. She st1ove to think Of her new
home and Of the love between her and
Luke daily deepening into a calm, un
broken, fuh-toned peace. All il vain,
Turn where she would, the vista ended
alta tomb. At length, in despair, she
closed the curtains on the setting moon
and, with a plea forsdelivery from he,
fears, went to bed.Ht Lla3& .rjs;IG'
.1Attwojo'c clock the moon set. A ligh
wind rose and blew the vapors from ths