The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-12-28

r''''r-iA'i' mere. Mr. Dalton, you
broke yonr promise! What shall be done
/" the promise brea.er?''
He ought Ia he ground into line dust-
ard biu"n cut of eXis;cncr by the north
wind suddenly uttered Kenneth. with 4
h'ice iIght II his dark eyes. utterly out of
place considering The iliilng cause of his
sisters remark.
- Thank yea. Fielding said MIR. Dial.
ton, amused. snIic Meta looked up, yyon-
derIuE. did lie know what cause size had
|" hate broken promises, and hight, mean.
ngleSs mtteranees For some reasons ne.
too, felt stG"hgiy upon this matte.
" ID" you never break promises, Ken -
-tie asked, with n certain bitterness that
reierte d, mo- 10 him, bui 10 her own Thoughts
Mary answered for him, with unwonted
warmth. No. 1t may truly be said Of
Ken that his words are bonds, his oaIhs
are uiacles. -
Her brother only raisrd his eye aravs
.ircpreca;insly, and made selections for
Meta non! q box Of boa. bous, - Don't rec
ommend mr. Mary" lac said. After all,
i.aere was a ~osld Of quiet strength in Ken.
i" Do yen believe i'll anybody? ," suddenly
broke ont Meta.
He looked :; her gravely, from under his
straight, hlaci, Drnws. ''Of course do.
little girl,' he answered. Don't You >"
Then. without waiting for an answer from
tins haIfir".grart little girl, +" he smiled,
aad continued:
People 4.r not always wicked or DELHI
sra,cly false wien they appear So. the
real itouble j. that they a.. weak and frivo.
laus. II people were always il. earnest.
iEeir mistakes even ;hcir great sins-cuuld
be pari"aed; but tiey are So light 81 petty.
SO wanting in balance ofchdractsr and genu
ire power They ale not good a. their
woId, because they would rather talk than
h."
oh yes. hats it-thai is IL" parscd
Meta. "lkHor that Poor child, How
plainly Kenneth read The whole.
Ana nave You found it out already, liz
lie iIieId? - lie said. with something vlb;at-
iu- IN :.is voice, like chord.
She b!u.hcd. ;.r.d turned away OH how
wildly she emed 10 love Willie IIGlsj that
dag. ii she Gully cnuid nave loved him in
peace. w.iaou, the thought that her heart
was leaning on i broken reed lie had al.
most told her. last Summer, thai she was
all The world 10 him; she was sure that lie
WAS good and true. Yet in absence he had
seemed 10 forget, and 10 day, with his bod
lily presence foe her, there WAS some
lniuE wanting. but pang ui Yet greater
disappointment was 10 come
TIA; evening, Meta stood al the front
door. ci"akcd and hooded, waiting for Ken
neth's sleigh. The sof; white mood framed
exquisite little face, with it's delicate
colnring dcrpeucd 20 q glow, it. great eyes
shining With some uuwoutud excitement.
WAS it pain There was more passion in
tha: slcLier frame, more power of suffer
iug III that chld-like heart, than careless
observer w"nid ever dream.
The guests we're gone, the gala day was
nrcr. Anti Vas the prince left to poor Gin
icrclla: Here WAS Kenneth now with the
sleigh. aud I've wrapt her up warmly and
t"ndcrly, but she scarcely knew what lie
was duirr. She WAS host in Il bitter trance
@; pain. " lille Huns, bad passed the hours
with Miss Gray. had never spoken to hc.
a-ain, lad even departed without bidding
her a special farewell, She knew that all
was ovri: She knew that for year she had
wasted her Thoughts. had bull: without a
foundation. had lowered her own self-rc-
>prci iiy thinking of one who never thought
nf her, save for the moment. IL was a bit
jrr less ~ to harm. She was the mercs,
caiid in al s:rh matters; she had taken a
thousand things SCR granted. had fanciea
h:m ,'"itrct, because sh. knew nu better.
aud nov the only alternative Was to l..
woman to bear her gIlcf IN silence and
la: ~ forget. Petty trouhirs. these in
>unrh. I.lrt!e SORROWS of early womanhoci.
y Id thrills vi the fauey, soon forgotten:
hIt In hc even neat to love j. Ia he near the
tire and We suff.I when we are young and
isU"c.Et and foolish, as much as we do
whoa 1c are matured aud l,iss' But are
we ever wise?
They went gliding on in silence through
the solemn .loties of snow aud moonlight,
ill Meta. maddened by thought, suddenly
broke out with a snatch of a song, and a
quick, low, half-wi!d little laugh. Talk
tn me, kea. she cried. '.Do you think
want to SIT aud think -
Yes, / did think So said Kenneth.
= for | know you are tired But if yuu
want To talk, have been told such q wild
story To day-a ghost story, the very thing
- he related in moonlight and solitude.
VIII ven hear it? And he arranged the
buffalo robes more closed around her.
Yes, answered Meta. with a certain
sense Of relief, As she closed her eyes, and
prepared 20 listen drcamily.
Lay your head back, Meta" said Ken:
with corner OF cloak covered with a hand.
kerchicf. You are very tired"
Bat your cloak is thrown back is
oold."
y"u are to lean back there, That will do
Now listen-though | can't vouch for the
truth OF the story" And he went on in
his deep. pleasant voice, till she was half
h-guied into calm.
The agony came back, when they relapsed
into silence. aai tho dark honse-her home
--:unmcl np between her tired eyes and
the hri.sat moon Oh what days she would
spend there! No, she could not. could not
bear it What tranquil night without
what = turmoil in her heart.
Mr.. Brandon opened the front door. and
came forward. dark tignre against u daz-
-'e ci lamp light that sent yellow glare
far across III" moonlighted snow.
Kenneth, | don't like this. D." said Meta's
mother, gerroachinly. as they entered
thought YOU wonld be back before
dark"
My fault, mother: | wouldn't come"
answered Meta =. " hat does il matter ="