Saturday visitor. (Newark, Del.) 1876-1876, 1876-02-12

No, l had not known it,; had moi
dreamed that Stacy Percival was rich
man. | had thought him poor, penni.
less like myself, and dropped the letter
with sigh, IT 2
Fain would / have convinced myseli
that this was the reason he had gone
away and made no sign; he was rich,
was poor, and, therefore, no fit wife fol
him who might we'd whom he pleased
but could not believe it.; / well knew
that no such sordid motive could inflri.
ence him whom loved; it was l who
was In fault, not my poverty.
;, 4. walked out In the grove behind the
old mansion called my home, ana there
sat down, resolved to think over 1t al
calmly, and thenro dismiss Stacy Per.
| cival from my thoughts forever; only
thus, knew, could l hope to recover
my best peace,
He had taught me to love him, and
then he had gone silently away; had
been but a summers pastime to him
yet, mol he was too noble and good td
have acted thus; 1t was my own vanity
alone that had led me to believe that
was more to him than simply the init.
mate friends of his cousin.
He had shown me every attention
/ yet, how could he avoid so doing. when,
because of our mutual affection fol
Laura, we had been thrown so con-
stantly together? .i....
A quick step close by startled me from
the painful reverie, and raised my eyes
); TO meet the earnest, searching gaze OF
Stacy Percival.
'Mabel!'' he exclaimed, passionately.
81 have something that | had meant
TO have told you week ago, but my
aunt hurried me away to the city so sud-
denly that L had no chance to speak to
| you alone, and then business compelled
me to hasten to the West. Mabel, / have
Travelled night and day that | might re-
turn to you, and tell you that Ilove,you,
and want you for my Own-all my own.
Mabel, dear. dear Mabel, why do you
turn from me! Speak to me, Mabel.
speak to me! Not a wordp Then have
offended you. Forgive me. / was d
fool to think you could love one like me! !,
He turned and walked away, and 4
| gazed after him with a longing, fast
throbbing heart, that would not let me
call him back. i strove to speak, but
my tongue seemed paralyzed. 1901
Suddenly he retraced his steps, his
| face white and stern. -Hla I
sMabel, oh'l Mabel, do you know
what you are doing-driving me to des-
peration and despairp Mabel, Mabel,
why did you let me have hope? You
must have seen that each passing day
was making me love you more and more,
and yet did not check me. You per-
mitted me to think -ohl Mabel !'' e.
His voice died away in deep drawn
moan, and sinking down beside me, his
head dropped on my knee. tin'
found my voice then. The sight of
his suffering broke the spell which held
Stacy, DEAF Stacy" whispered, ado
not grieve so. You are wrong. IL"
He lifted his head, and never was
human cOuntenance more radiant with
joy, for the truth which my lips had re.
fused to utter was Enthusiastically written
on my tell-tale face. a..if ~,
H. With a glad, triumphant cry, he caught
inc in his arms. III - -
My own, my own, all mine, Mabel,
is iG not so? My wife, my treasure /
Oh! my darling, l don't deserve such
! happiness as this.'' .l,,5-.,-. sr,l,s.is, 4
How long we sat there beneath, the
trees know not, nor when, the inter-
view would have terminated, had not
the voice of my aunt, summoning me to
the house, broke in upon our sweet con-
verse. .f,it,.- -..o. bo a.,ftt, !
STACY" said l, as he babe me good
bye, 'are you sure Mrs. Wilton and
Laura will approve?" r.r. abi 90
He looked down at me with startled
expression, and his cheeks flushed. sH ;
"Why,l yes; why should they not
My aunt has always liked you, ,isand
Laura is your dear friend. OF course
they will approve. But what If they
should not? and he pressed me to his
side with wild energy. sWhat care
we, my darling? They eannet separate
us, who love so dearly 1--we are free
agents. And now, goodbye, my pet.
L must hasten to the city and report my
return"
He walked hastily away, and looked
after him until his tall figure became
lost in the distance. Then l went back
into the house, my heart filled with
mingled emotions of joy, and bewilder-
ment, and fear, for l could not dismiss
the feeling that such happiness could
not endure, but must be the precursor
of coming misfortune. r.r 49, (
Strange how the shadows of the future
will sometimes cross our hearts and
darkeni them, even in the midst of the
MONDAY of joyi hi8ss ailr,t g.bHas
The next day 1 received a letter from
Stacy. Business would detain him from
me several days. L wrote in reply, as,
he desired, and with his second letter
(yet distant from it) came note from
Mrs. Wilton, requesting me to meet her
at her country house, half a mile dis
tant, on the following day. " 'sT'
Wondering what the strange sum-
mons could import, proceeded with
not little trepidation, to Ravenswood,
and found Mrs. Wilton awaiting me.
She seemed greatly agitated, and
alluded at once to the object of her visit.
"Miss Mabel, have left the city, se-
cretly and hurriedly, to ask you whether
you think it is the part of one friend to
steal from another that which she most
values? Tell me, truly, is such an act
honorable, or like a friend?" '''h =
"No-no certainly noti'' / stam-
mered, while my heart grew cold, for 1
dreaded what was to come. II ,,fs.i.y i.
"Yet you, have done this,', she went
on, in hard, ringing voice; ''you have
professed to be Laura's friend! You
have tried to take from her the heart of
one who has taught her to love him,
who has told her that she, and none
other should be his wife. In short,
Miss Markoe, You have beguiled ap en-
gagged man into whispering love ditties
in your ears, and forsaking one tolwhomt
he is bound by every tie of honorand
humanity. Do you hear, girl Pole is
faithless, dishonorable man, and but
that Laura would die of a broken heart,
you might have him in welcome. Oh
Mabel Mabell" she added, her voice
changing to one of pleading, with start
ling rapidity, Shave pity on your friend
nave mercy on me lido not kill my child