Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1876-02-10
A PASSING SHADOW.

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Maude Thornton, with ten Thousand
year and splendid estate in War
! wickshire, was far more miserable. thai
dull October day, because it was rain.
ing, than Carroll, the meek companion
who was trying to please her petulan'
mistress by an account of the vivid in
terest of some new book.
otis of no use,i Car. To rain like
this-to day, too, when Lawrence
promised to come over from kingston
"You will forget the rain, if you will
only let me read you the first chapter
it's splendid, Miss Maude," persisted
Carroll, opening the brown volume.
Miss Thornton stopped her. with a
gesture. a-.i s.4 5ln -t .
"Ring for my cloak and shoes, Car;
I am going down to the lodge to see
nursie." '''"
'Miss MaudeI"
Miss Maude had turned to the win
dow, and was impetuously tapping the
pane. She was still young, with a
proud fire in her face and shining
through her dark eyes which was more
bewitching than her beauty Tall aad
slight, Maude had inherited rare grace
of movement from her mother. That
mother twentyrfour years ago had
married the old Squire for his money
They were both dead now, lying tos
gether under The gray stones of the
chancel pavement, and Maude was their
heiress. She livedsin the 'big house
with an old halt-witted aunt and her
companion -r .-.
II was only temporary arrange
ment, Maude was engaged to be married
to her cousin, dashlng young officer,
whose regiment was then stationed at
Kingston. She was very proud of him
and loved hun all the better for his
poverty; for hers was nature that felt
amost too keenly the joy of giving. :.
Lawrence was well pleased Of course
to have the love Of the heiress and to
excite the envy of all the other fellows
who didn't see 'swhat Maude Thornto u
liked in her yellow haired cousin. "u7;
Maude had rebelled fercely at his
manner lately. 1t was too courteous
too reserved for a devoted lover, she
inwardly decided; and it was this per-
haps that upon that wet day made her
so discontinued amid all the splendoI
of the Thornton drawing room.
After few sharp words Maude OBJ
tanned cloak and shoes, and went out
into the rain. 1t was coming down
more fercely than ever on the dark
leaves and the soft gravel; but she
fastened onward bravely enough, down
.
the path and across the bridge, striking
away from tie main avenue to save
time. ai az Pig
Pafting Thornton grounds from the
Rectory garden was a high thick fence
of laurel, which ran fora few hundred
yards in almost straight line, A new
thought struck Maude's maynard mind
as she reached the fence; she would go
and see Polly, the Rector's little
daughter, whom Maude patronised very
gracefully.
AS she stood for moment by the
fence, undecided, low voice, tremulous
with pain, reached her from the other
side.
"Poor little Polly 1t is cruel that
fate should part two such loving hearts.
It was Lawrence Gray who spoke
Then came Polly's soft response
eNever mind. Heven will help us,
Captain Gary
r. "May it help you to be pat1ent. dear!
Maude heard no more; she FASTENED
away, like q guilty thing, back across
the bridge, her breath coming in short
gasps, the fever flush of pain on her
cheeks. iAf W
4 Il Il ffs1|-i : 70 y. y
Carroll met her in the ball, mildly re-
proachful.
"You'll fall into a consumption and
die, Miss Maude, and then what will
Captain Gary dot I'd sooner have a
tame elephant to keep in health
Miss Thornton threw of her cloak
! with little bitter laugh.
sDon't be cross, Car. ] was great
fool to go out, I know: I'll go and
dress tor dinner, and you can read that
hook, if you ike, DEAR"