The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-06-19
Two Dollars a Year.

My hand trembled. / dropped the
/ book As Pierre came rushing back with
the painting old woman.
Yes, | have left the wrong basket.
/ The other, outside, is yours, sir. Hope
you'll excuse me. I'm getting old and
I torgetful."
STAY | said breathlessly. "Whom
are the lady's things for?'
For the young lady down stairs who
came last week, sir-Miss st. Jean. I'll
take them away directly"
/ Unheeding the wondering eyes of the
two. l snatched up handkerchief on
which | saw a name marked. Yes, it
was "Stepheniel"
| grew faint and turned away to hide
my emotion. My hand shook as
snatched up my hat and rushed out of
doors.
The sun was setting across the water
| Ine waves danced blood red in its light.
The air had grown cool and a pair of
singing shore birds flew before me as /
sought favorite seat of mine, retired
among the rocks. had not composed
my mind, when there was a rustic of
silk, and a soft hand was laid on my
arm,
Forrest"
"Stephenie,"
"Gou know | am here, now, and so /
have come to speak TO you"
She sat down close beside me. facing
me, her arm across my knee, her clear
eyes steadily meeting mine; and, before
she spoke a wo4d, | took that fair hand
tenderly, feeling that she was to be re-
stored To me.
Forrest, | have been here a week,
wishing to see you, yet repealed by your
determined seclusion. If the old woman
called Aunt Betsey, who frequents this
place, had not told me tonight that ac-
cident had revealed my presence to you,
l should have lost my. last remnant of
courage, and returned home without
speaking to you
WHAT have you to say to me now,
Stephenie?'
You overheard me talking, as you
supposed, to Capt Langdale, Forrest, |
was reading a letter"
"A letter.
81 have a startling story to tell. Lis
ten. Ali tue spring my cousin LiIy's
malady had seemed strange to me. |
could not understand her loss Of strength
and color, until | learned by occupying
the next apartment to her at Branch
vile, that she spent her nights in weep
ing. While ! wondered that she should
have secret trouble from me, and per
picked myself how to gain her confidence,
| entered her room one morning, and
found 1t to be full OF a strange, sickening
scent, while Lilly lay senseless upon the
bed. She had taken an opiate powerful
enough to produce death, and upon the
table lay two letters. One was addressed
to me, the other TO Capt. Langdale.
GAS soon as had procured assistance,
and physician help had saved her life, |
| read the letter the poor child had adj |
dressed to me. Poor Kitten! her heart
was breaking, for she had set it, upon
one friend, and she believed that he
loved me lam speaking Of Capt. Lang
dale. He Is handsome, gay and debon-
aire, and the poor girl believed him
necessary to her existence, SO she con
tessed to me, yet her heart seemed TO
hold no bitterness for her supposed rival !
''She had always loved me, the said, |
and | was more worthy Of her hero |
But she was SO pitifully miserable, poor
little thing. Well, ! considered the mat |
ter carefully. | was only an hours ride |
from Capt Langdale, and / resolved to !
see him. Lily was sleeping a restora- |
tive slumber, and / could 90 to the city |
and return in about three hours. | did |
so. When | reached the depot / sent a |
carriage for him to come to our house |
He came and read the letter. Our sol |
der has tender heart; he was affected |
to tears. He gave me the letter to read,
bidding me to read it aloud As did |
50, you entered and heard the words
which SO misled you"
Her eyes were swimming as they met
mine; but after an instant she went on:
Capt Langdale showed deeper and
more delicate feeling than had suppos-
ed him capable Of.
If little Lily thinks such a harum-
3carum fellow as | am worth dying for.
ought to make myself worthy the
blessing Of such love, he said: and added.
] will give myself to Kitten tomorrow,
+ she wants me, and l will be a better
nan than | have ever have been, for her
sake.
$50" stephenie, Frightening, "there
5 to he a marriage in early autumn. NV
Lily is quite happy in the prospect Of
sharing a soldiers life, and-and'-
FLUSHING radiantly, and flashing one
'eauteous look into nay eyes-''there may
9e double wedding, if you please, dear"
tell my wife my happiness was saved
BY such fragile thing as an embroid-
red stocking-certainly for this world,
md / believe for the next.