The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-11-21

"Bless you and reward you" he said
when all was over; then closed his eyes
with a glad sigh of content, and the
spirit, as if waiting but for this for its
release, fled away.
A week later, and Elsie sat alone in
her own room, but her white face and
heavy eyes testified to something of all
she had endured
Not one had the man so strangely
made her husband--the man whose name
or whose memory brought a shudder-
intruded upon her privacy. Not since
she had been carried fainting from her
dead fathers side had her eyes rested
upon his face.
"Oh, God, that | might never see it
again." she said, aloud, the words
wrung from her in the intensity If her
anguish, as, burying her head on the
arm of the chair on which she sat, she
sobbed outright.
''Is it, then, so hateful to you Elsie ?"
questioned a sad, musical voice. If so,
my child, your wish shall be gratifed."
And glancing up in sudden terror,
Elsie saw the man of whom she had spo-
ken standing before her.
A wild, fleeting fancy for a moment
possessed her, that could she shut out
forever the hOrrid vision, and listen only
IA tho vnioa whnSa tonac wara full of
melody, life might yet be endurable.
But oh, to live day by day, to spend her
hours, sleeping and waking, side by
side with this spectre of ugliness, she
could not, and spite of herself her sobs
burst out thick and fast.
"Elsie," said her husband, 81 knew
my sickness had altered me, but | did
not realize how great the change had
been. But believe me, when your ia
Their placed your hand in mine, he
consigned to me a trust | shall never
betray. Listen! am going away, on
business which will detaln me until
you summon me back. We may
never meet again. 1t rests with
you, but the chains shall be made as
light as in my power. Would that /
might cast them off from you forever.
You will write to me, will you not?
You will let me write to you? All ! ask
is that may hear from yOu-that may
know the step | have taken is bringing
you the happiness | would gladly lay
down my life to procure"
Was it fancy that his voice broke here
in a sob-fancy that kiss fell as a feath-
err on her brow, a whispered blessing
on the air? She knew not; but, when
she raised her head, she was alone, and
a thrill of pity run through her for the
man she had exiled-the man whose
generous nobility had called that pity
fOrth-the man whose fate vas, per-
haps, harder than her own.
Two years past slowly by, spent by
Elsie in the luxurious retirement of her
beautiful home. They seemed almost
a dream, made reality only by the let
tiers which came, from time to time,
cheering her solitude-letters at first re-
ceived shudderingly, but which she
grew at last to look for, so well did the
writer seem to understand the wants of
her heart. 1t was as though he touched
a delicate instrument, and knew how
to bring music from each hidden chord.
His letter ran thus:
Have you so conquered your repug-
nance that you would welcome a friend
for my sake-that you will receive him
for a short time as your guest? AS your
aunt makes her home with you, it will
be in accordance with the proprieties;
and you will not refuse me the happi-
ness of learning something of your dali
ly life from his lips, on his return. If
the qualification of this wish should
cause you annoyance, consider it I'M
made; but l think you will find Mr.
Bayard a guest by nc means trouble
some.
When would this stranger arrive
this man who knew so well the husband
who was to her an unknown? This was
her daily thought, until morning, pre-
pairing for her drive, his card was put
into her hand, and she descended in
stantly to the drawing-rOom, to meet
and bid him welcome.
She almost hoped she might find him
old, and ugly, and disagreeable, that she
might do more. A wish of Coles!
1t seemed almost like some atonement
to grant ii.
But, as she stands upon the threshold,
she starts. The man who has risep..
ready to receive her, is the handsom
she has ever seen. His cheeks beaySA a
perfect glow of health his eyes, dark
and lustrous. are bent upon her, with a
light beneath which hers quail his
hair falls in short clustering rings
around a high white forehead; and
when she approaches, with a strange,
constrained welcome, her head scarcely
cones to the level of the broad should
ers.
But he bends over the little hand with
reverence due a queen, and in that mo-
ment she feels how easy a thing it will
be to give the stranger the welcome and
the friendship her husband had asked
for him at her hands.
No longer the days drag, OF the hours
seem long. She has wandered into the
realms of delight, She has met a mind
stot pd with workmanship waalth She