Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-01-23

~ TIC n0Nm0 OF 096 VOICE. 8M0 W.Sss 49,
VIA wish uppsrmosk in his mtnd-thas
" Nh never, newer cOme home.
n Nd thought himself brave enough
- rnaet evan her again, but now b per.-
oexved hi utter weAknesA when he and
rkeo once more stOod fAce to lace.
Wi1hinx now % feel her hand resting
n hin 8 than be wished anything
more perhaps than that he had Q
come--Nathan stood still, chained % 1t
vere. until the moment passed, and Miss
Maxwell with 10 violent blush with
drew IT.
The only thing left for the woman wa
70 ret away ~ quickly IS possible.
~ came on business, Mrs. Redditch-
Ma Z little matter to lay before You
md Mr.. Redditch, but another time will
do aid not know--I would not have
intruded upon your
And With : heart almost broken, her
nride humiliated and crushed, Miss .
vell closed the door softly and sped away
= IL 1 ghost were behind her.
AZ, yes; the ghost of other days was
behind her, with hollow eyes and voice
len pleadingA
She had lived through 80 much, had
borne 20 many bitter pangs, but now all
her mast sorrow came TO her with . new
ness and freshness which quite overcame
her. and while the tears streamed from
her ewes she clenched her hands tightly
until the nails cut into the flesh, and hur-
ried on.
Now she had no future-no hspe-no
anything. The rich, lucky Miss Maxwell,
whom everybody envied, would gladly
have fled away forever from her lately
acquired grandeur, far, far from the
hateful place where she had spent 80
MANY dreadful ycars-years whose tears
md seonies were only known to her.
Once she had loved deeply, madly, but q
slight Misunderstanding had driven
away the idol ON whom she had cast all
her hearts wealth.
She had learned to look upon him as
dead. She had begun to look forward to
another life in which they would meet
and set all things straight between them.
But he was alive and had purposely kept
away from her, and at last had rejected
her advances toward friendship. How
could she live neal him, with nothing as
it once Was Oh, this was a dreadful
thought. Perhaps he was married now;
it might be he had long ago forgotten
her.
Busy with her own sad thoughts, she
hurried, almost ran, down the familiar
street, not needing the rapid footsteps
beside her, until q hand timidly touched
her arm.
The haggard, miserable man had pluck
ed IN heart to come after her, feeling in
his soul that if he let that opportunity
pass by him that all his years OF prayer
and waiting should be ~ VAIN as in his
worst moments he had feared they would
"Miss Maxwell"
"Well."
"Give me your hand now, will you?
You misunderstood me just now, as you
did years ago. / meant to give it you.
Nv God, / have dreamed Of this mo-
ment, waking and sleeping, always. At
least speak to me-let me touch your
hand again-it is more than l have dared
TO hone for-I should have been back
long ago, but fate willed it otherwise,
and now, poor and wretched, l had re-
turned to thank heaven for your good
fortune and feast my eyes with the sight
of the only woman / ever loved. |
shall not stay here to mar your peace; l
shall 60 away tomorrow. You will for
rive me for coming? ] could not help
L; the wish WIS stronger than my man
hood"
"Miss Maxwell stopped crying, and
again held out her hand.
Nathan, are you certain that all you
say il true-do you love me?
Better than lie, Drucy-better than
life."
"Then you must not 60 away. /
could not live through that again."
Nathan's thin hand trembled in hers;
the shadow on him darkened.
But do you not know-you do not
understand, Drucy-I cannot stay. ]
am poor-miserably poor. l have for a
long time been ill--all / had gained was
swept away, and now / come back
empty-handed with nothing to offer but
my love-"
"Ah, Nathan-my love, my love
If you could know how rich that makes
me! Money l care nothing for; | have
enough for us both; but you shall keep
that, and l will take your love in ex-
changes l shall then be the richer OF
the two,"
Drucy smiled through her tears, and
Nathan thought she had lost nothing Of
beauty since the day they had parted, SO
long before, when neither one had
dreamed how serious that parting could
be, nor how much Of life's sunshine il
would rob them Of before they SHOULD
meet again.
The new house was large enough fol
two families, with room to spare, and i
was q grand affair, that wedding up al
Miss Haxwelps.
Envy will have its fling, and there ar
folks in Liscomb to this day who talk a
the sewing society Of Drucy MAXWELL
ambition, and fine airs, and cher las
nI.nouv