The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-04-27
BY RAY.

"leS, Rene. Will tr0>t 20 NNGr SteS,sscs.
and tell you the history of nav life, from
the time left Yale with you up ~ the
present time.
"When l came home, | found nv
sister Alice very i'll. With her wsS =
lady friend whom she had known at
school. Cora Thornly was a sweet. pref
ty girl of about seventeen years OF age,
at least five years the junior of Alice.
Although she was so much younger,
Alice had loved her as she had never
loved any one else but myself, and l
think you we'll know what devotion ex-
listed between'my twin sister and myself;
one thing, suppose, that made the love
greater,swa the fact that We were Or
phans.
"The day preceding her death, she
sent for me to come to her room. BY
the bed, kneeling, was Cora Thornly.
"'Harry,' said my sister, it has been
my wish for the last five years that when
you knew C,ra you would love her, and
wish to make her your wife. 1t is true
yon have known her only five weeks, yet
in that time you have seen how good
and lovable she is. l have cherished the
thought of seeing yon married until it
has become p,rt of my being. Cora
is, like yourself, an orphan, and she loves
you. Will you not be married to-day!
fear have only f:w hours to remain
with YOU
"Rene, what could l say? There was
my sister, dying. On the other side of
the couch was Cora. l had never felt
anything like love for her; liked her as
my sisters friend, and that was all. l
had seen the blood rush to her face when
my sister was speaking; it had not left
it yet pitied the poor girl, yet her
face told me nothing.
"'Harry, what will be your answerp
came family from my sister.
Il bent over and whispered
LAS you wish, my darling; yes, if it
will make you happy
"A bright, holy look sprang into her
eyes, and putting Cora's hand in mine,
she said.-
"'God bless you both! You have made
me very happy. | can now die content
"That afternoon l, Harry Clifton,
stood by my sisters bedside a married
man, bound to a woman for whom had
not spark of love, and for whom l
could only feel pity.
1.-THE next day my sister died. I will
not dwell on the sad, sad days that fol-
lowed. Cora soon saw that l did not
love her. / was truly sorry, for the poor
child loved me, and for that reason l in
tended to make her happy, if possible.
lone day she came to me.
"'Harry,' she said. Il know that you
do not love me, and it was only that your
sister might die happy that you married
me. | know you would love me if you
could. l have seen the struggle, and
you long,
II could not understand her. l did
not know that, child as she was, her
heart was breaking with her love for me.
/ did not know until the next mo- n ng
what she meant; then found note on
my dressing table; it ran thus
"'DEAR HARRY:-You will never know
how love you ! cannot stay with you day
after day and know that am only care to
you. go only that you may be happy. |
think of me dead. But you will never
know how dearly you were loved by
THAT was all. For the last ten years
have looked everywhere for my child
wife, and have not found her. During
that time have learned to love her. 1t
almost breaks my heart when l think
that she is lost to me, whether she is dead
or not. If could but find her, and tell
her that the man she loved only too we'll
at last loves her. ! would give my whole
life to see her happy. But l fear that it
can never be-"
Harry" said Rene, al think you know,
without my saying it, that feel for you
deeply, and will do anything that lies in
my power to assist you in your search.
By the way, have message to give
you which my sister gave me when
told her that you were in the city, and
was going to call on you. She has
friend there who is a grand singer, and
she told me to be sure to ask ysu to hear
her. The girl is an orphan, and Laura
wants to introduce her to few of her
friends"
~ know of nothing to prevent" said
Harry, "except my sadness. fear you
will not find me very cheerful addition.
Your promise Of music wins me. Cora
was q sweet singer"
Evening came. Mrs. Grey's parlor
contained few select friends, and among
them some old friends of Harry's, whom
he had not seen since his marriage, over
three years ago. In . short time Mrs.
Grey came to him and said, -