Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-21

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no reply, but taking an easy chat
: was soon buried in the Daily New:
"Would you like to hear an eX
: tract OF her letter?'' He nodde
carelessly.
She says: "Our fair begins tn
: nth, and promises to be a CRANE
trots. | insist on your presence
also Mr.. Marks, if he can tear him
self for that length of time from tn,
tolls and charm of Blackstone.
Will take no excuse. You remem
be faving often told me that pre-
Verseness was indigenous to my
nature, and / am preverse enough
to insist on this, so you must humoi
the fOible. Advise me what trair
l shall expect you on"
And il came to pass that pretty
Bell Marks had headache the
evening of her arrival, and had t.
keep a darkened, lonely room, while
Con Napoleon, in snug little phae.
ton, was showing Paul the city by
gaslight. A pink muller thrown
over her brown hair, was an exquis-
| tie setting for the cameo-like face,
/ with its arching brow, and arcbing
| lip. She had been intent on her
mission, and had allowed no room
| for another topic. 1t is astonishing
with what wonderful tact woman
can steer around forbidden and
unpleasant subject. But anon as
/ they turned aside from the more
brilliant streets, her companion
said:
"Miss Mapleton / am prepared
now to make my second proposal.
Not that / have the shadow of hope,
but simply as medium to reach
the charmed thi q, which is TO win
for me untold joy. Can you give
me no encuuragement?'
"None. But l can say that your
persistency is OdiouS. | have told
you | would never marry YOU.
Please consider this decision as
final"
He made no reply, but as the
phaetOn reached her fathers door
he lifted her tenderly out, and
escorted her up the steps in silence.
The thin shades of Il September
day crept over the beautiful beach
of Brighton, and the um of insect
chorus gave presage of early twi-
light. Leaning YEARLY among the
cushions of an invalid's chair was
Con MapletOn. 1t had been wheeled
out on the beach that the Invalid
might catch breath of the cool, sea
air, and her blue eyes drank in
the distant fOam-luced |
waves. All strength and energy
was gone from the once straight, |
elastic form, now shrunken and /
by dire disease. No light |
and eagerneSs in the eyes no pink !
arching lips. The brow retained its |
proud claim to beauty, but it alike
was touched with a sickly pallOr. +
For a year she had been fettered by |
a stubborn Illness that no studied |
skill had bent, and no balmy CLINE |
had removed. 1t had wrought a
change in its victim had
taken all scOrn from the lip, the de-
iiance from the eye, and the beauti-
full ruundness from the form. She
was wasted, pinched and sallow.
For year this tyrant had held her
from the charm of society, and for
the giddy pleasure her inclination
yearned for.
There is no cOquetry now in the
blue depths of the eyes turned Ian
guidly seward, and no smiling
on the pale, compressed
Ups. The wind from the waves at
ength grows chill 30 the thin, q
wasted form, and she is wheeled to
he Veranda of the hotel, where by
request she is left alone. An Italian
)and in the office is playing with
heir peculiar sweetness Dus bIllmen-
led, and the sick, tired girl leans
)ack in her chair, and closes her
yes YEARLY. Still the music of the
lower song flows on, in that de-
ightful siX-eight time, which can
o easily sOoth into slumber. Suffer-
ng vanished pain fled all trouble
ONE thoughts took flight before
hat swinging melody.
"COn." The word fell family on
Ter ear, but she needed it not. Dus
was surging through
leart and mind and soul. "COn."
again her name with strange, yet
Weet distinctneSS, fell on her senses.
,he would have mOtiOned it away
nd fingered in the meSmeric de- ]
tights of the flower song had not a
land taken her own thin one, and
Ups kissed it passionately. She I
tarted up, and 10! kneeling at her :
idle was the splendid form of Paul
Iarks, and near, very near her 1
,allid cheek, was his fine aud noble {
ace.
Con-" and the third time the
ame was called, mingling with the
oft, sweet German melody that l
Ioated through the open window,
i am come to make my third offer
ng; to hold out my strong arms to
our failing strength. Our past is
one, and L do not censure you for !
he words you have spoken to me. :
But if you are tired of life's chang :
ng drama, If you have grown weary
f tragedy, 1 have come to claim
-ou."
The i'll, tired head dropped sud- {
.enly down on the shoulder beside
t, and she found rest.