The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1878-04-23
FRS LOVE.
BY DUSTY FOOT.

UIiSHl cJ'u si' 40 CIV
classically moulded brow upon the shoul,
der Of her lover.
"No. Leila, you are not my only nor
,py first love-, haye loved another,
dSua yoOrs hsfors EsaFbdi I loved an.
other, and I love that other STILL"
"Lovc that other still-and better
than me. Paul, why do you tell me
thatT' said She, raising her dark blue
eyes and gazing steadily in those of her
lover, half in astonishment and half in
sorrow, while her jewelled fingers tight,
enedseaasulsiycly oq lds arm. lNrTq
aYou asked me, Eeh+ and I an:
swcred you with sincerity: you would
not have me deceive you, would you ="
"You love her still, then p
81 love her STILL"
aAnd better than you do me?"
"Ne better, but as well"
= ss.Atd win loseher still p
"Until death, and even beyond death
over her last resting place | will strew
springs earliest flowers, and bedew the
spot with the purest tears that love ever
she'd"
"Hansomer than | is she not p
''Her eyes are as black as night, and
her hair in glossy blackncss outlives the
wings of the raven. She hasn't your
sweet blue eyes. your soft brown hair; /;
vet, oh Leila her eyes have been the
sweetest eyes to me that ever looked the
look Of eternal love"
''paul, why do you wish to break my
heart ? Why have you taught me to love
you SO wildly-so blindly-and then io the
midst Of my happiness tell ME that there
is an impossible barrier between US
This night, Paul, We must part forever.
I would not have believed this had an
other told me ?" and her eyes grew dim
with tears.
"Be not too rash, Leila, hear me to
the end {; you love me too dearly to part
with me thus Think you that you could
not share my heart with one that | so
dearly love :"
"Never, Paul, never !"
"You shall, Leila. aud must! Listen
for a moment while l tell you ofmy first
love, and I am sure you will be willing
to share it with her then"
II will listen, Paul, but will not share
your love must have all or none; L
am selfish in that respoct-aud who that
loves as do, is not ? Forget me Paul,
or forget her forever!
"Forgct her, Leila ? Never would
not lose one jot of her pure affection for
the fairest face that ever blooned &; no,
not for the glrdle of Venus or for the
love of second Helen"
"Then, Paul, you are lost to me for
ever we must part. Farwell to our
every dream Of brighter future. | love
YOU well, and am too proud to share your
love with aught created. Oh, Paul
YOU have wronged me deeply :" and her
exquisitely chisclled lips curlec In ind'g'
nant sorrow.
Stop. Leila, or you will deeply wrong
me also. met this loved one, as said
before, in one of the sweetest, sunnlest
wales of our broad Illinois; wandered
with hand in hand, for long years, be"
side the sparkling waters Of my child
hoods home. First, by her smile of ex-
ouisite sweetness, she taught my heart
that she loved with unutterable fondness,
and never have | doubted my trust in
her has ever since been steadfast and
fearless never has her eyes looked coldly
upon me, and never will it till the death
angle shall dim it for the long sleep.
OFT in the still hours of the night have
| been awakened as if by the gentle fam.
ing of tho epgod's wing; and behcld
that face. those eyes gazing upon me
with all the beatlfc tenderness Of a
guardian angle over repentng prodl-
col and kiss would fall upon my brow
more soothing than the dew of Hebron
The same gentle hand has held me along
life's fowcry way, and beside it, unruhled
waters and if ever my arm was raised
to do a deed Of wrong, or my heart
steeled to conceive it, that gentle, ad'
monitory voice came whispering in my
ear, and stayed the one mliway' and
drew the iron from the other. And
do we'll remember, in my manhood
riper years, when deep sorrow fell upo,I
NV soul, and I fain would have drank