The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-22

dBuE upr-ye9 Sly uuSt wv iain1. INo,
would not, and I hastily retreated. /
reached home, but I could not coax the
color into my face, so I threw myself on
the sofa in the parlor, and buried my face
ip a. pillow, Soon I'heard their voices id
tie garden, and May asked him TO come
ID, but he. refused; she persiEed9 in 9
pretty, petulant manner then she came,
in, calling me. /
aAIce, Cousin Alicel John wants you
in, the garden" -,
She found me, at last, and came ten
derly to my side, asked if was sick, lay;
ing that same fair hand on my brow.
aHere is letter for May" said Aunt
Sarah, and May retired to her ROOM
John came in and spoke to me. {
care you sick, Alice ?"
mo, no 1 am only tired-don't
frighten Aunt Sarah. shall be better
soon." -. -.
I tried to turn away from him, but he
silently and firmly siiftedymy head from
the pillow, and laid It against his shoul-
der. I was too weak and too weary to
resist.
'tNow tell me what troubles you, Alice.
Haven't q right to know?" ~
'sDo youreally think you have arfght
to know all my thoughts, john" '',f''
"I thought you had given me the priv
ilege of always sharing your joys and
,sorrows, Alice; but if you regret it, darl-
ing, tell me so frankly, now, before it is
too late"
."Did you ever regret, John, the hour
in which you asked me to be your
wife?"
"Haye I ever given you reason to think
that / repented It, Alice?" !!
It was vain to parley longer, so l. re-
solved to tell him all, and then free Rim
from the light bonds that bound us; but
Just then, Mays step on the stair startled
me, and I tried to free myself from his
encircling arm. What would she think
to bee us thus7 But he refused'to release
me, and 80 was forced to wonder at the
strange farce he was playing, and; l could
only cover my face with my hands. May
came and knelt by my side.
care you really sick. Cousin Aliee !?
What can / do for you ?"
She laid one hand on Johns arm, but
he answered her coldly, drawing me closer
to his side.
"'DonT disturb her, May; she has. a
severe headache, and is not able,to talk. !
Let her:be quiet, please"
May took the hint, and said she wouldI
help Aunt Sarah get supper. sAs she
turned to leave the room, John asked :
-.How would you like little greenl
snake for necklace, Mayw X
She screamed little cityfed scream of
horror, -and ran to the Kitchen. John
laughed and I naturally inquired what;itl
meant. :.
"Well, if you will be dear girl, and
keep stilp-lsying my head on his shoul-|
der, and. smoothing back my hair-"I
will tell you all about it. This afternoon
I was lonesome like, and SO came up
here to- see you, and not hearing your
voices, I thought I knew where to find
you..t So I went up to your ivy-bower,
andthere, to be sure, was your namby-
pamby city cousin all alone, reading the
"Wandering Jew"
"Wen; go On, John. You found May
at the grotto, instead of Alice, and were
very vel. pleased with the exehapgs-did
Il s"Hew could I mise you, ! Hass 4 4 asasMl, 81,
ing Ecsmpany-sos sievely aha beautiful
and accomplished? o, no, never missed
You, Alice. But / have seen city bellies
rusticating before. I think I can with
stand even the witchery of such witch
as your cousin. But let me tell you all
about it. do think, Alice, that she
would not scruple to steal somebody's
lover"
$50 We laughed, and talked nonsense,
when suddenly the little fiirt screamed
out. And what do you suppose it was9
Nothing in the world. but a little, green
snake, coiled around her arm! I took it
off and threw it into the stream, but she
was so white and helpless that I had to
hold her up-she rather seemed to enjoy
it, though, and leaned her head against
my shoulder quite as if she had right.
to-"
"Of course that was exceedingly un-
pleasant to yon-how disagreeable it
must have BEEN" ie - 80
John laughed.
'I really believe my Alice is getting
jealous. Couldn't she give us something
tragic, now? There, there, child; Of
course I didn't refuse to let her lean on
me, when she was fainting away with
terror; and ! suppose it wasn't so very
disagreeable-does that prove I am not
loyal to my darling? Not bit. 1t was
only perverse, masculine human nature.
Perhaps I chided her little for being so.
childish; afraid of little snake. She
wanted to know what you would have
done. I told her that my Alice was a
woman of nerve, and not one of the faint,
ing sort; but what is this-tears, dearest? d
Now, Alice, de tell me what troubles you.
I can't bear to see you crying. and l not
comfort you. You must tell me-"
And, sitting there in the little country
parlor, with his clear, truthful eyes look!
ing into my face, i told.him all. The
Jealous fears, the invidious comparisons.
between Mays beauty and my own plain;
ness-all the~.pain and wretchedness.i
The fearful tempest that had gathered;
black as an Egyptian night over my life
had all passed by, and now the sun was
shining, and it has never ceased shining.
since our wedding.