Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-08

one, and will ever be a ne'er-do-ven,
fear.''
sAnd now. Rose" mamma said, af-
! ter reporting this conversation to me
"you must discourage any further atten-
| ton from this Breeze Rogers. lie Is nc
| companion for you, the betrOthed OF Ro-
| lin Weatherbee. ] think we have been
! sufficiently kind to him, for the service
| he did YOU, and do hope the acquaint-
! ance, or at least the familiar footing on
which he has placed himself, will be dis
| continued in future. II is not proper for
| bride elect, to be associatinS 50 familiar
/ ly with strange young mans OF whom
/ she Know s no good. i on shotlid tell him
| of your approaching marriage, and then
| his attentions would undoubtedly cease,
i if he has any sense of honor whatever"
The necessity was saved me. That
1 very afternoon my mother took the task
| upon herself. Breeze came TO Meredith
| House, and found me absent, gathering
4 MOSES. He sat down in the cool porch,
/ and fell to chatting in his light, careless,
/ easy way, with my mother How it hap
| pencd do not know, but mother man
| aged to speak of my approaching marri-
age.
| Ii was almost dark when reached the
| avenue, that led up TO Merideth House.
] A 1.-the figure stood leaning against the
stone gateway, as L sauntered by, my
]
l said, gaily. "Will you walk up with
me?''
He did not answer, save to step for
ward, draw my arm within his, and turn
me away from the house down toward
the lake.
eve will go this way" he said; and
felt the fire Of his eyes burning my cheeks
to flame. We walked so in dreadful 81
lence, for a moment, then he spoke:
ETc - fra
tells me ?'' he asked.
''What thing | almost whispered.
'EYOu know :" he answered, tiercely.-
''Is il true that you are TO be the wife of
white-faced aristOcrat, next October p
That you are here to make your prepara-
tions?"
yes" The word came reluctantly,
and almost with gasp. lie took my
hands in his and looked down upon me.
''YOu shall nOt-yOu shall not" he
hissed. 81 love you, you are mine, now
and forever"
Before 1 could speak or cry out, he had
taken me in his arms, and was raining
kisses upon my lips. l was young, rO-
mantle, and impulsiVe. This man had IL
reused strange feeling in my breast,
that now, as lay in his arms, believed
must be love. l could see the reckless
beauty of his face as il bent above me,
and almost unconsciously 1 clasped my
arms about his neck, sobbing wildly, and
whispering, "Oh, if l had known you
soOner-ifit were not too late"
cit is not too late, " he cried passionate
ly, straining me to his heart. ''You are
mine, now and for all time. on must
be my wife.''
"But l cannot, - l sobbcd, 81 am bound
to auother-the wedding-day draws
near"
Il care nothing for that. You must
wed me, and no other. | cannot give
you up"
His imperious manner, his impassiOued
earneStness, aroused my girlish admira-
ton. He seemed like some knight of
OldeH romance 70 me, beside whom ltOllin
Weatherbee. Sith his patrieian bcalty
was completely oYershadowe1. We walk
ed long in the gioaming, he pleading, |
hesitating, almost yielding, but leaving
him at length with no definite decision.
For three weeks | met Rogers clandes-
timely, each day, and listened TO his
words of passionate devotion, and let him
imprint warm kisses upon my lips. Day
after day he urged me to fly with him,
but though / believed l loved him, bet
ter than l had ever loved ROlin Weather
bee, hesitated to make him any prom
Use, and strange fear of him held me
back from flight. Yet each day my res
OlutiOn grew weaker, each day the mans /
hold upon me, and power over me, be- I
came stronger. At last he came an after I
noon in late September. | was to meet /
Breeze that evening, and stood looking I
OutsRt the gorgeous sunset, with a heart .
full of contending emotions, when mann I
ma camG into the room. ''ROse,' she /
said, "you remember Breeze Rogers, who 4
came here so often some time agO|'
Remember him but | only said, eyes, Z
mother" " in a very low voice.
oil nNf frr1 4
thing in connection with him. She says I
her Husband tells her it is the neighbOr- /
hood talk now. 1t seems there Is 4 very I
lovely young girl, gardner's daughter, /
Cora Smith by name, whom Breeze has 4
been very attentive to for some months. !
The girls father says she is betrothed to I
him. At ali events. he has been a most 1
ardent lover, for year or more, and 4
now, without word, or any apparent |
cause, he has deserted her. Has not been /
near her, for two months, and the girl is /
very ill-calling for him constantly, but /
he does not go near her. Ii is thought /
she will die. She is poor, frail, childish !
thing, and never knew what it was to
suffer before. 1t is very sad. What a
heartless villain he must be-"
My heart seemed to die within me. a
rush of emotions, shame, anger, grief,
love, and wounded pride,
fought together in my breast. Oh, how
mean the man was, whom L had placed
above ROllin Weatherbcc in my hearts
affection. How l despised him, for that
Then L began to think it might
not be so-there might be some mistake.
Il will go to him tonight, l thought,
t,and l shall know
did go, when the shadows of the
gioaming settled down over the earth.
l found him waiting for me. He held out
his arms, but | stood alOOi.
Go TO Cora Smith, > 1 said. ''She is en-
titled 10 your caresses-she wants them
| do not
l needed no-furthcr proof of his guilt.
His face turned crimson from brow 10
chin. and then pale rs death. ''What do
you know of herr he cried hoarsely.
''WhO has been telling you lies -
No one l answered. Your face Is
4 proof OF the truth Of all l have heard.
l will make this our last meeting. Ny
eyes are opened in time, thank God. l
Ito not want to set them upon you again.
Do not try to see me, for it Will be use
less | utterly despise you. Go back u
the only person who believes YOU worthy
of lOve-whO is dying for YOU
| turned and sped back to the house,
aud for two weeks scarcely stepped out
side its walls. I was in in mind and body.
My unreasOning, romantic folly, that l
had called love, died suddenly at ono
blow, and knew there was only one
man in the world l loved, or ever had
loved, and that one man was Rollin
Weatherbee. But my heart WAS filled
with regrets for my past folly, and fears
for what might follow. But two weeks
passed by, and heard no word, and saw
nothing of Breeze Rogers, until that chill
October night, when my stOIy opens.
bturned my face away, lest the light
{ nose dark eyes should bring back the
id dslirium. For at that one glance,
felt the blood leap through my veins, and
a strange glow shoot through nay heart.
l thoroughly despised this man, yet he
had power over ME still. y woman
who has ever been held in 4 mans arms,
and felt his kisses upon her lips, can new
er so learn to despise or forget him that
the sight of his face will not sometimes
move her. At length l arose, and NOV
ed away from the window. \ second Ia
ter, something struck the glass with a
sharp click.
.'What was that" asked mamma.
The wind hurled something against .
the window-pane," answered. 4 mo- ,
ment later and it was repeated. Why it 1
sounds like something thrown against .
the glass" mama said. .'Teu Harwood /
to see what il is, Rose
l got up and went out of the room. /
knew II was useless to resist Breeze RO- I
gers summons longer. l must 90 and I
see what he wanted. / threw dark cloak /
over my shoulders, and went out. He |
heard the door open, and glided into the /
shadows again.
''What do you want:'' l asked, iciIy.-
why are you here? l told yOu never 10 /
approach me again."
Yes, but you were angry then. You
have had time to think more kindly of me
since, and I came TO tell you that Cora is