The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-05-22

A cloud came over tue lace OF Dou-f
glas Willard, who, although thirty years
Of age, had never loved until he had met,
Flora Beaufort, whose charms of mind.
and person had filled his heart with an.
attachment which he felt would be LAST
ing. He had met her at the house OF a.
mutual friend, and from the first hour OF
acquaintance had wished to make her his
wife. Young and inexperienced, Flora,
soon learned to love Douglas as
well as he loved her, and although she
felt that their attachment would probably
result in unhappiness for both. she made
no effort to eXtricste herself from the
meshes which were forming around her
Willard had desired to acquaint the ia
ther of his hetrothed with his desire to
marry his daughter, but Flora, knowing
her fathers stern, interchangeable disposi
ton had begged him to wait until she
saw her way more clearly, and Willard
had yielded,
A ride of four miles,on lonely road,
gives time for reflection, and Willard had
fully decided what was best for him to
do by the time he reached the Beaufort
plantation, and made his way TO the sum-
mer-house, where he was to meet his be-
loved. ed 4
The moonlight nestled among the jes-
samine vines which completely hid the
lattice covered retreat, and stealing
through vine covered archway lighted
up the fair, pale face of Flora Beaufort,
who, on hearing her lovers step, ,advanc-
ed to meet him and with a passionate
sob threw herself on his breast.
For nearly an hour did Douglas Will,
lard argue with Flora on the necessity Of
E" Immediate marriage, but in vain, for
Flora, while her tears flowed fast while
refusing his ,entreaties, would not consent
to leaving her fathers home in such a
manner. 1t grew so late that Flora be-
came alarmed lest her absence from the
house should he discovered, and with
many whispered word and embrace tee
lovers parted -
A few days passed by, and Douglas
was becoming alarmed and worried by
Flora's long silence, when note came.to
him in her familiar handwriting; it con-
tanned only these words: "God bless
you-farewel.' Stunned by this brief
farewell Douglas was at first unable to
collect his senses, but at last be mounted
his horse and rode directly to the Colo
ners plantation, determined to know
what Flora had meant At the gate he
met the little boy who had been the
bearer of many a letter which he had re-
ceived from Flora, and to his eager
questioning the child replied that his
young mistress had gone to Georgia to
see her aunt That was all he could
learn, and at last rode away in despair.
He was at first very angry that Flora
had given him up SO easily, bet when
calmer he reflected that perhaps her tim
id disposition had been overruled by the
stern parent who had evar made his
word law to his children. Softer feel
ings took the place of anger in Douglas
Wizards. heart, and he determined to
wait few months in patience and see il
he did not hear from her again, or hear
of her return to her home.
4 Flora's absence from her room had
been discovered by the mischievous
Fred, who had run to tell his parents ol
his sisters mysterious disappearance
and with many an angry word and NUT.
tered oath had Col. Beaufort searched
for his missing daughter. When at last
she returned she was met at the entrance
to the house by her father, who Selling
her by the arm led her to her room, and
pushing her inside the apartment closed
and locked the door. eit1 z 'i'{7
The next morning Col. Beaufort SEN
for Flora to appear before him in the Ii
brary, and the trembling girl obeyed
there her father caused her to tell hin
the entire story of her engagement will
/ Willard, and after she falteringly ant
tearfully told all her little story, com
manded her to pack her trunk ant
, leave for the home Of her aunt in Geor
, gia, declaring that if she wrote to Viii
, lard of where she was going, he woult
lay at her feet the body of her lover.
Months passed by, and one morning
Flora, still in the bouse of her aunt, re
!, ceived from her father a newspaper
i which 'on opening she saw had beer
marked at the marriage notices, Eve
} since she had left her home Flora ha,
Epined and dropped for the lover who hat
| been so dear to her, What was he
amazement and anguish now atqseeing
e notice of his marriage in the paper he
> father had sentr Over and over agai
). did Flora read the words which brough
i much pain to her heart, then burying be
/ face in her trembling hands she gave wa
r to algrief terrible to witness, In val
{ ibid the kind aunt whose home had she
\ tered her for many months, endeavo
to soothe the grief which threatened t
! ikill the frail girl, who would have vel
4 coined death gladly. ndGrief such as her
/ must take its course, and for days Flor
] refused all comfort, and in the seclusiol
e of her own room wept until the fountai
e of tears ran dry.
e 1t was true that Douglas Willard ha
o married. For several months he ha
!; waited, with what patience he could ca
o to his aid, for news from Flora. Agai
is and again had he endeavored to lear
1t her address, but had failed. He at la
n came to)ithe conclusion that her Ion
n silence plainly showed that she had ne'
1t er really returned the affection he ha
s. lsvished upon her. In this frame
at mind he fell an unresisting victim to tt
, arts and wiles of Caroline Travers, WI
N. had long angled for his affections
p When in tallering and hesitating tons
a she confessed to him her love and Il
10 fear that he would despise her for tt
4 confession, he replied that he wou
a marry her gladly. 1t mattered little,
ut thought, what became of him now; Fl
lg ra was false, and Caroline loved him; b
a it was an unloving bridegroom who Il
is Caroline Travers to the altar. Althou,
to he strove to forget his first love, /
If idolized Flora, his heart beat nearly
en- spffocation as he remembered with
anguish of mind he was unable to CO
in troll, how he had often pictured his m,