The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-04-19

she looked away from him, and took a
seat near him.
"Ah Jeanette, am at best but
fellow, but you must help me,
for there was never but one in my
wretched life who really made me feel
what might and ought to be-"
The soulless look in his eye belied the
words he spoke; he continued:
"After we parted in Paris, and you
returned to your mother, what was there
for me to do2 1 believed that I had
tried your patience too far. I believed
myself forsaken by you"
"Poor Edward p exclaimed Miss
Jane, looking up at him tenderly.
He continued: "Before met you,
my life had been thoughtless, careless
one. Obtaining position in the army
through the influence of my mothers
relatives-who, as you remember, were
French-I led careless life, till I met
you, just after you had left school, at
your uncle's house. You were lovely,
Jeanette -
Miss Jane sighed, and smiled sadly.
Edward added, rapidly: "With that
beauty which nothing can diminish, and
which is the reflex of noble, generous
heart. 1 met you at your uncle's house.
need not recall, think, those happy,
happy days we passed together, swear
ing to love each other and be true. I
was wrong, admit it, Jeanette, but
you have forgiven me. 1t was only,
however, in appearance. 1 sacrificed
myself for q friend" Miss Jane looked
at him eagerly-every word of excuse he
uttered, whether true or false, was only
too welcome to her.
"I frequented the house of Marie
with my friend, for he had resolved to
marry her in defiance of the anger of his
father. You supposed it was I who
really loved her. All, Jeanette, if you
had only been less precipitate, how many
years of suffering it might have spared
us both -
He sighed deeply as he looked into the
fire, perhaps for inspiration.
"You would hear nothing, and you
refused to see me. In vain 1 called,
wrote and sent messages. You were
decided. You left Europe. You left
me that cruel note. 1 tried in vain to
follow you, to write you, or to explain.
All was useless. In desperation / mar
ried Marie; my friend had died and left
the poor girl half heartbroken. For tel
stationed in one place, now in another,
your uncle by accident in New York,
whittier I had come, resolved to make
still another effort to find you. He gave
me your address, and so soon as 1 was
able, after an attack of illness, I wrote
you, and here, at last, am with you,
my Jeanette"
How much of it all she really believ-
ed, it is impossible to say. One thing,
however, was certain: she had tenderly
loved him in her younger days, and long
separation, with nothing in the mean
time to occupy or distract her mind, had
hallowed and strengthened this love till
it had become part of herself. She
knew his narrow, small character; she
knew how plausible and truthless he
was; but there was a certain romance
and sentiment about her old affection
for him which was powerful still.
There was as much of sadness as of
sweetness in her smile as she turned to
him and said: edward I do lot
know if you still love me; am much
older and changed since we parted; but
this know, that my old love is still
strong, and that nothing has ever alter.
ed it."
This she said musingly, more as if
speaking to herself than to any one else.
"Ah Jeanette" he rejoined, "you
may think i'll of me; you cannot think
worse of me than I think myself. But
with your love to guide me for the flu
ture, 1 have no fears. Tell me, dearest,
shall it be. then, at lasta Can you so
far forgive me as to marry me2"
Ha
nette, with a melancholy in her tone.
"My life, for years past, has not been
a happy one; its one happiness has been
dreaming OF my younger days; God
forgive me if do wrong! You will
love me at least, Edward, and in So
berer friendship, more suited to our
years, we shall be happy"
Her eyes glistened in the red fire.
light, and were moist.
He seemed to misunderstood her.
81 spoke of marriage, Jeanette, and
you speak of friendship"
"I mean the same," she replic d.
"The word seemed too full of happiness
for me to utter"
That was their bethrothal.
A few days later the neighbors were
somewhat surprised to hear that Miss
Jane had been married quietly in the
to Lieutenant Edward
Arton.
For a while Miss James life seemed
to glide on as smoothly as before, and
one heard or saw but little of her.
Sometimes. early in the morning or later
in the evening, she was seen walking
with a tall and handsome gentleman,
whom all knew to be the lieutenant,
and looking happy and pretty. Soon,
they were seen rarely together,