Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-07-05
Edith's Engagement.

L SlOulG not Ie0I interested III tu0
love of any one else =?
Certainly not SO watched, half
sadly, half .ioyfully, the visits of
Mark Chetwynd to our home.
/ lows Mark Chetwynd. Do not
misunderstood me, and think l
loved him with a woman's love-
Oh, no for years before, my heart
had been given to another Mark
Chetwynd, one who lay sleeping
the long last sleep for many years.
But for nv own Msrk's sake, i
loved Edith's Mark. for that | saw
he was very willing to be.
One evenine she came to me, her
dark eyes calm, and DO flush stain
ing her pure, proud face.
IL have promised to marry Mark
Chetwynd, Aunt Kate, she said.
| glanced at her in surprise, for
there was no love In her voice, no
tenderness in her eyes.
DO you love him, Edith ?' ]
asked.
"No," she answered, 81 do not
love him"
you are decelvidg him, Edith,
in marrying him withou; love-
You are wronging him, as well as
yourself
NO." she said, slowly, II honor
and respect him he is wealthy,
talented and handsome, and |
never saw any one | would sooner
marry. Honor and respect is all |
give him, and it is enough, for he
cannot give me his love, that is,
except man can love twice foI
he has loved hefore.'
Loved before, Edith p
"Yes, years ag ), lie loved fair,
young gill; she was little more
than child, but he loved her with
all the strength of his heart
He told you this ?"
"Nay, not tie depth of his love,
only l saw a shadow pass over his
face, and noticced the tremor in
his voice when he spoke of her
His little sweetheart, he called
her"
"And what came between them?'
"IIe only said he lost his little
sweetheart, and did not ask him
how. ! suppose she died"
He was very handsome, this
Mark Chetwynd, with dark
naughty face, Spanish eyes, and
wavy blue black hair.
He and Edith were well matched
in beauty as we'll as pride, for
Edith was very beautiful.
People called her naughty and
cold, proud aud upapproachable,
but | who knew her, knew that
under her proud manner here lay
concealed a warm and generous
heart, heart that would love pas
siora' ely, if it ever loved at all.
But she had promised to marry
Mark Chetwynd, and love had not
come to her.
About two months after Edith s
engagement to Mark, Leslie Gray
came to live with US.
Her father and I we're cousins,
and after life of wandering Bo-
hemianism, he left Leslie alone in
the world, / offered to take her to
, my home, an offer gladly accepted
| It was fair June evening, that
Leslie came, ard Edith and I wait
I ed for her on the piazza.
| went down the path to meet
her.
She was a slender, little thing,
with great, childish blue eyes, and
tremnlous red lips. She was verI
frlgiie, and her pale, yellow halr
failing loose over ler shoulders,
added to her childish appearance.
Mark Chetwyrd was away on
business when Leslie came tn our
home, and she had been with us
nearlJ I. week when he A.a came
over.
We were sitting in the deepening
shadows of the twilight when ne
came in.
He went over to Edith. "dave
you missed me ?" he said, taking
! both her hands in his.
"Mark,' said she, slightly EN-.
barrassed, My Cousin Leslie has
come. Leslie, this is"-
She stopped short, for Leslie
had risen to her feet all white anC
trembling.
"What is the matter, DEAR" sale
/, crossing over TO her side.
g" 4 am a-little faint" anc
then she sank senseless In m,
arGs.
My eyes had rested on Mark.
face and was [ mistaken, or did i
rot grow dark with pain, as hi.
eyes met Leslie's ?
| might have been mistaken, for
the next moment he was himsel
again.
After that evening I noticed
change in Mark CLetwynd. and
knew there was secret between
him and Leslie Gray.
One evening happened to lool
over at him. aud [ saw his eye
, fixed on Leslie, with a look o