The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-07-09


made me cling to my passion with daily
increasing trust and hope. SO, still the
sequel came.
1t was tempestuous, rainy evening
I walked homeward, past Gysie's gar
den, to see the wind beating down the
roses to sec the last lilies bent, wilted
to the ground. I walked homewnrd,
with no presentiment that so, even
were my hopes.
The lamp-light rested on the smiling
picture; i. hickcrcd gaily ON the cnye-
lopc beside.
\ moments pause, an instructive
shock then tore it open with a JOY
iul cry.
1t were easy to read:
4 have made a mistake, Hugh |
believed that loved you, bat I have
changed. 7 have no excuse, save that
[ love another, and SO, must break my
engagement with YOU. You would not
have it otherwise "
That was all.
stood minute, spell. bound, clcncb-
ing the dainty message in my hand. a
minute, bewiidcred then, with sud-
den, frerzcd movement | struck the
smiling picture with force that hurled
it. shivercd beyond recognition, at my
feet.
I could have chosen no better calm
ING medium; without this effort my
frenzy sank; there remained to me bat
vague sense of suffering--a vague
'onging fnr the sympathy was sNon te
find.
Aud, instinctivtly, half mechanically,
| strobe forth into tho tempest, never
pausing till [ stood in her presence,
my hands still clenchiny the letter, my
anguish written Enthusiastically in my
face,
She started involuntarily. Again
her little white hand sought mine.
"uugh," she said, dear Hugh,
wilaI liz neWS-
Da, the soft touch, the tender words
were, as in former days, the key that
unlocked my soul. Clingiog to her
hand as to an anchor, looking deep
into her eyes, | told hci my story.
poured forth ny bitter anguish rs
unrcservcdly as l once had done my
joy.
Sha sat calmly listening, calmly
witnessing my storm Of voc. Still
calmly, when pausing, bent my head
upon her hand. awaiting her soothing
words.
Then, softly, she spoke my name :
Hugh ~
Strange hour for the revelation, yet
in that hour it came. Came, despite
my own keen suffering, with 4 convic-
ton overpoweriug as sudden; with a
as oy"Tpowcring rs sudden ;
with a certainty not gainsail.
No, | did not mistake, | felt The
little hand tremble; heard the voice
tia, would not be si!cncej, speaking in
h'r own. One poor word, but in it she
had thrown her soul.
did no, mistake That which had
never suspected; that which, in the
Of great happiness, She had
concealed So braycly; that which in wit
Messing my suffering, She hal no strivcn
to master--in its :inal moment had
burst forin ts;-uiF hauIly, beyond her
power to quelI.
4 moment in Which Iiemained lost to
suffering. awc-stric.on, deemed 1t sac
rilcgc, to look up. Then again she
.pokc my nam'; her hand closed sym,
pa;hctioa,ly over mine.
rs from drean Awakening, :a;sce
uy eyes-to see Gysie, calm, t"ndcr, as
IF Old.
TIE days passed Ar'umn c''aoscd
o winter. AID winter TO spring. Tic
vines Ia Gysic's gard u were do"nl"G
heir green; in tn homc' of the dead
ilios ana .oare, the fresh ones were BE-
ginning to boom.
So | mused, watching them on the
eve Of my proposed drpar'nrc from
,omc. hal delayed it thus long; at
FIRST from :, r. dead Of The old scenes;
| Shrinking from lie memories ihcJ
must awake. Later, when freed from
hese as though they never existed,
from longing ! could not sabduc.
For, oddly, as with nature, 30 .qs Z
with me. In the home Of my dead
.ilies and roses tie fresh ones are has
tening to Gio0".
St:auge fate that plays with human
hearts. Without that revelation. tbs
had pcyer been; / had gone through
.ile dead-hcartcd, bind to the deepest
emotions my soul possessed. But So
happily. 1t Was otia.LeG Gradually
from the sweet evening, the CLOUDS
ilted-liftcd to show the nsw love en-
lrvuzcd, pegchanco ihan
It's young predecessor, but lervij, deyo-
.ed-.a lOyc thet can never die.
Nevertheless, in valn. haa lvea
blindly; had lost Il Treasure l could
not reclaim; for. to hcr-lhough infn>
itely purer and deeper knew ito
her whom NY G.si affection had sighted
[ flushed to offer ny second love.
70 rem.ip an( IL silent the time
had passed.. Thee must be no further
yaciliation; ON tho MORROW must
so.
I, ,.os - I,o,rv Journey I was forced