The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-07
THE NEW ORLEANS DEMOCRAT, SUNDAY. APRIL 7, 1878.

next room. 1t Is lighted by the faint disc Of q
reading lamp, while the one that am In has
byond tine d FLY Inv 81 Jew po ang
more than half closed.
Harriet, did you know that Margaret Pow
er was here in Cornwall2 Did you know that
we should meet to-night?' says Dick. In
voice bereft of it's usual calm.
eyes. l did know that we should meet Mar
garet Power to. night and the result of that
meeting has, think, shown you the state OF
your own heart. Dick, you must not marry
vale have never told you so yet, but now
may say plainly that do not like her"
what has that to do with my marrying
her2' says Dick, and know by the sound OF
bis voice that he is white with rage and has
taken UP arms in my defense.
Nothing, II you choose to count it so, she
answers, still In the same measured tones,
but am free to hold what opinions choose,
and say again that | do not like her. She
Is insignificant in body and mind, and ! see
no quality about her that Is any eompensa-
ton for her being the penniless daughter OF
-blackleg'"
have never heard this term applied to my
father before, | have assuredly no right to
hear it now am doing the meanest action OF
which any one can be capable listening to
conversation that Is not meant for my ear.
But evil possesses me; my great agony dulls
my sense OF right and wrong my perception
Il
Mrs. Colquhoun's words hit like blows; but
do not stir To add to- my pain voice within
me cries out, cit Is true; it Is true. You
know it Is; you are just that and nothing
You have nothing to bring to this man
nothing save the great love that Is even now
rending and tearing Mt your heart, and blind
ing your eyes with tears. Think Of that wo-
mans face as her glance fell upon him, and
ask yourself II you are any better lowered in
love for him than she ISL"
"Of course my opinion may be allow me
to say it is, for the first time, Dick nothing
to you; but there Is q stronger reason why
YOU should not marry this girl, whose color
less character and sentimental love for you
soothed your wounded self-lOve, sore from
that parting. with Margaret Power-you do
not love her"
/ slip from the couch as Mrs. Colquhoun
speaks; [ slip down upon my knees in the
darkness, covering down as from blow
that know is about to fall.
Harriet, you shall not speak such words
to me. She loves me, my poor darling, my
In that moment have read the story Of
the past know it all. as though some
tongue had told it over to me, word by word,
and know that Dick has never loved me
as he once loved Margaret, Power; or as he
| loves her now when she has once more, in
| her beauty and her charm. crossed his path
| way.
"You are not the first nan," hear Dick s.
sister continue, "who has fanoied his heart
caught on the rebound; and can well imag
inc the child's admiration of you soothed the
old PAIN but If you vaunt her love for you, |
can match the boast Margaret Power quar-
relied with you'll loving you all the while; sent
you from her-loving you all the while"
There is q sfnothered exclamation from
| Dick; but she takes no heed.
'In the passion OF her pain and her resent
ment she promised to become the wife Of a
man, at once titled and q millionaire loving
hat lact
last, she dare not, could not carry out her
pledge. She told him all the truth, and here
leased her"
Il never knew-you never told mer
The words came from Dicks lips like cry
of pain.
at was too late; you were engaged to that
child whom you had met and in whose love
you told me you had found rest and healing
| know you well enough to know you would
be true to her, for honor's sake, unless by
some coup detdt | couldsunveil to your eyes
the enornity of the sacrifice and the state OF
your own heart-and Margarets-"
ooh, my GodW
1 know the words are uttered by white
lips; white with the anguish that her words
cause. He would not care for my being tht
"pennless daughter of o backlog" he woulc
not sell his soul for wealth and position, o.
his sister had done, but he loves this dark
eyed woman with q passion and intensity
that he never has given and never can give t.
|, me!
What beautiful thing is the death of day
A line or two Of pale orange-pink on tn
horizon; overhead just faint rOse-tint her
and there; an opal-tnged mist in the dis
lance; the river lying dark and STILL o miro
, in which each separate pollard has its clea
reilection-a reflection so clear as to be q du
plicate of itself; and above all, the CRANE
massive towers OF the Minister keeping watcl
, over the venerable city
It is at the close Of such fair eventide, tina
once again [ near the city OF York. | hav
Travelled all day, from early dawn and sup
pose the usual number of hours have bee
consumed in the journey. cannot however
gauge or define the duration Of time; 10
> surely it is q lifetime since | crouched in tina
9 darkened room, and listened to words tina
/ sounded in my ears as "the crack of doom.
! rious in my flight from Merlewood. No one
, uncertain as to my route nor yet is it needfr
5 to have the grounds searched or the ba
} dredged for my possible corpse. do not be
partings between people who must be tor
, asunder. "If 'twere done, then 'twere well
a were done quickly" is to my mind one OF tn
: wisest sayings on record
! Somehow, hardly know how, got to m
T room that night, after hearing the story c
Dicks "first love- somehow, | wrote to hin
), and though | dare say the words were trent
, lously penned, and know that a tear splashe
, !, down upon the paper more than once, al
: sure the sense of what wanted to say wa
!. clear and to the purpose.
:, 81 could not help it, Dick; | overheard 20
: and your sister talking tonight. I know a
T about how you love Margaret Power. / al
q glad have been some little comfort to yol
sometimes. When have written this | al
: going to push it under your door. Then al
+ going to pack up q few things in my hant
g bag. and walk to the station in the earl
= morning before any of you are stirring
4 shall catch the first train that passes throug
. to the North. No one need be anxious abot
/ me- no one to come and see after me- for | al
u going straight home to mamma, and [ kno
r the children will be pleased to have me BAG
I There is only one thing | want you to do ft
Il me, and that is-never try to see me, an
+, never write to me about anything. Nothin
can do any good; and that you know as we
/, as do. Good-by, dear Dick"
. did not sign any name to the letter; he woul
!, know quite well without that, that it can
= from her whom he used once to call his "litt
- Heartsease" Sometimes, even now, whe
q lifes journey is very far traversed, seem
10 COO no in n dream that other Journey when