Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-09-05

1 VIII not ask her 10 cave YOU,
Herbert said, deeply moved by the
pathos of these last words, but let me
speak to her, win her consent to be my
wife if | can, and have the right to re-
turn here at the time YOU fear you must
leave her III sorrow and loneliness"
Yes, yes but must you go?"
Il must. | am here only on bust
ness, and | must return to my home ut
once. But if You wish it, will return
in March,
"a do wish it,
Little doubling his success-for while
Leda was never unmaidenlv, she never
quite concealed her shy, pure love
Herbert wooed and won the maiden he
sought for his wife.
They were to correspond regularly,
and in March Herbert wa to return and
remain with the Morrisons.
lie was filled with new, deep happi-
ness as he i~ourneyed homeward, and
every tender, loving letter from Leda
added to his content.
January was ove when the letters
ceased.
He waited u reasonable time, then
wrote. No answer.
fastening at once to the house Her
bert found it closed and deserted.
The agent whose address was on the
placard announcing the place '>To Let"
could give no information excepting
that he had received his orders to let
the house from Mr.. Morrison, the broth
er of the former owner. He was not at
the funeral himself, did not know any
thing about Miss Leda, could give the
address of the late Mr.. Morrison's
lawyer, and knew that the surviving
brother and his son were travelling.
At the lawyers the news was crush
ing. Mr.. Morrison had died without q
will, and the entire property had passed
into the hands of the heir-at-law.
"He wa superstitious," the old law
yer said, "fancying it would hasten his
death to make II will. Foolish? Well,
yes, but not uncommon. Miss Leda re-
manned Il week, but | do not know what
became Of her then. The brother was
very unkind-one might say brutal, for
he had been jealous Of her for years,
and understood perfectly well that it
was only because of his brothers neg
lect that she was left penniless instead
of inheriting the most of the estate. If
| hear of her | will let you know GER
%tainly."
But thirteen long, weary years passed
by, and no word of Leda reached the
faithful heart waiting and hoping to
| have the long-looked-tor tidings.
No other fair face ever took the place
in iIerbcrt's heart that Lcda's filed.
No other love ever drove out this one
+ strong love of his life, and when he
4 looked upon the parting Gift Of his dar
ling every throb of his heart was as truly
hers as it had been when he babe hei
l farewell and tendcrly kissed away heI
! iaiiii'%Ra sehY8ny minutes before he could
1 control his agitation sufficiently to open
the letter.
t The date was that of the day pre-.
yiOus to that of Mr.. Morrison's funeral
When at last he opened and read it
tears that were no shame to Herbert
Payne's manhood, coursed down hi,
f cheeks.
+ In humble words Lcda told him frank.
= ly the story already familiar t ohim and
her own penniless condition.
5 you may not care to claim a wife
who knows nothing of her birth" she
wrote, who stands now utterly alone, q
: beggar, But if-as my heart will wills.
per hopefllly-you still love me, yor
will find me here for a week longer. Il
you 30 not come, | shall know you des
plse me for my Involuntary deceit, and
; | shall accept Il position offered me by
an old friend as Il ]goyerness to her chill
dren."
"Oh, my darling, my forsaken darl.
J ing!' Herbert whispered, where are
! you? SorroWing for your wasted love.
Despising your lover who deserted YOU
in sorrow and lOnlinessl 1t is too bit
: terri
But calmer thoughts came ut last,
and after Il long deliberation Herbert
decided upon one more effort to gain
tidings of his lost love.
In every city for a week one leading
newspaper contained this advertise
ment-
"LEDA-The letter written thirteen
years ago has just reached me. Write
again. IL
Waiting, endured for 50 many years,
became torture after this notice APP
peared, and once again Herbert Payne
resigned himself to a future unchecrcd
by loving companionship.
Had he possessed Asmodeus' power
he might have been waited to Il home
in Paris, where IL sweet-faced woman,
~lovclier in her gentle maturity than
even in her girlish bloom, was teaching
a class of girls the hard words Of the
English language.
Accepting the position offered her by
her Old friend. and refnsing the assist