The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-12

fell at the announcement Of the vigi.or.
"she is my fathers widow" the spinster
said gravcly. $50 We must endure her
fora tlme."
She was most fascinating widow when
she appeared at the late dinE. in thin,.
black dress, all jet and trimming, with ;
some knets of black ribbon in the prOfu-
sion of her golden curls. Her color was
softly tinted as ever, her blue eyes as baby
ish and winsolne; yet, when the first even
ing was over she, knew she had gained
nothing in her effort to recapture the heart
she had thrown aside.
But she did not despair. She sang,
the old songs,that Gilbert had once heard
with rapture. She varied her dress with
laces, ribbons and jewelry, till its pre-
tense of mourning was mere mo ckefy.
She put herself in Gilbert's way with
every. dainty device; of feminine needle
work. She entreated permission to pre-
pare his fayorite. dishes with her own
white hands. And, as if to try his CON
stancy, Miss Jane aided and abetted this
schemer for her nephew's fortune, and
spoke but little of Ella, never inviting her
now to the house, so that Gilbert was
forced to seek her more and more in her
own home, and found her ever more love-
" and winsome from the contrast with
the idol he.had proved to be clay 1t was
six months after the arrival Of Mrs. Cor
ham in her stepdaughter,,s house, when
Gilbert, returning from drive with Ella,
met his aunt n the hall, and clasping
her in close embrace whispered very
softly: =.
celia is mine! Wish me joy!"
"From my heart" she whispered back.
Radiant with joy and hope Gilbert, Of:
ter changing his driving-dress, hurried to
the sitting-room to tell Aunt Jane "all
about it," He had absolutely forgotten
their guest, and it gave him an unpleas-
ant shock when he found her, seated in a
low chair :. busted about some wool work,
that showed to great advantage her tiny
white hands, glittering with. jeweled
rings. =:
She rose to greet him, and then, to his
embarrassed surprise, she clasped her
ieweled hands, and bursting. into tears,
| sobbed:
ooh, Gilbert, do not look at me SO
coldly. I.cannot bear it. l know de-
serve nothing from you but contempt, but
if you knew how sorely my mother urged
me, how importunate your grandfather
was, you would forgive me-. | was insane
with theiwersecutions and thought in
my misery that could still see you, and
:. perhaps: some day - wheh was free
again--I-p'- -.
| And here even her effrontery gave out,
and she only sobbed convulsively. Taken
| by surprise, every gentlemanly instinct
urged Gilbert to comfort this woman wing
4 was so recklessly offering him what it was
once his fondest hope to possess. But his
whole soul shrank from. her, his manly
true heart was only outraged by her m
womanly advances. -
Grayely he stood looking down npo1
= her as she shrank in the chair, sobbins
and covering her face, and yet furtivel.
watching him.
: "Gilbert,. speak one tender word t.
me,' she implored; "say you do not ut
ter!y desbise me-"
But.he did: He sought for words t.
convey his meaning kindly, and the
would not come. Blushing like boy il
= his confusion and pain, he said, gently:
81 am very sorry, Mrs. Gorham"-.-
= 'It used to be e'Myra," she sobbed re
proachfully.
.:sTrue, but those were days that ca
e never be recalled"
"You are cruel"
y "I do not wish to be so, but | must b
;. frank with you. The past is dead
4 Never can we revive that love that wa
once so precious to me, so very trifing
you"
;. mo, no, you wrong me. Alas for mt
g it is my misfortune thatI cannot conque
my love-
II 'But mine died when it was insulte
! and sighted" e.
% d, Here Gilbert drew deep sigh Of relit
- at the appearance Of Aunt Jane, enterin
i the room behind Myra's chair. Mr.
- Gorham did not hear her light step, al
sobbed. - .. e.
"YQur love cannot be dead, Gilbert.
. willliye again. Pity and forgive me-"
.e 81 both pity and forgive you," sal
d Gilbert, very gently.
q "But"-
d .'But,' said Aunt Jane, in her harde
N tone, and with her face set in rigid line
n "you forget, Mrs. Gorham, the law do
-e not permit a man to marry his gran