Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1879-04-24
FATE.

|
and led his companion into The
dimlv lighted hall.
Good orUing, you mean
laughed she, as the silver chime,
D clock in the library rang ont two
strokes on the silent air; and nod
ding gayly, she fitted up the wind
ing stairs, pretending not to see
the outsrretched hand, and the ten
, der look in his eyes.
Evidently, Claire Hayden was
not i'll The best of humors.
To think Guy will be so silly,
pouted she. He knows do not
care for him, aud yet he will persis,
in trying TO make me. OF course
he is ever SO nice, but-as if !
could marry man with no music
in his soul Why, be does not
know Yankee Doodle from Old
Hundred, said she, to her reflection
in the mirror, as it that were Il
crime too dreadful to contemplate
/ am sure he means to propose
again and, if it were not that |
have promised to sing at that
charity concert, next week, | would
start on u visit to Madge Overton S
Tomorrow. As it Is, shall go as
soon as possible.'
'Uuavoidably detained fill my
place. II. L.
teIegraphed TALL, dark man, late
The following Thursday afternoon.
Then he sanntered up and down in
front of the hotel.
Poor Nell will be SO 1isappoint,
ed, he thought. Il promised faith.
fully to come. However, there is
no help for it; and, after pacing
up and down till he Was tired, he
went inside.
There is to be charity concert
next door, said the clelk.
He Ieceived no reply. for Ray
mond Lyle was not III a mood TO
be amused. He tiode off to his
loom aud sat down by the open
window, to smoke and brood over
his disappointment. Nell was his
only sister, and he was to have heeu
g.ccms man at her wedding. A
slight accident had prevented his
making Connection, and He would
not be IA: home i'll lime. She had
written Il have the lovliest
bridesmaid selected for you. and l /
hope you will fall in love with he, |
| know hut one draw back she F.!
cannot sing. But l hope you have
got over that foolish notion long |
ago.
He smiled ut the thought of this.
There Was no regret al not meeting |
the lovely bridesmaid. !
No, Nell, he thought L am
just as big IL fool as ever, and etilI /
waiting Tor the magical vice that
Is 10 rouse my sluml.ering heart. OF
one thing l am sure l never yet
have heard her sing
The room Was warm and our
hero tired. When he finished the !
clear aud sat leaning lis head
up"u bis hand, ho soon passed
iuto dreamIaLd
Meanwhile the concert next door
aud, if Raymond had
been awake he would certainly
have enjoyed it !; but duets aud
quariets alike failed tn rouseshlm.
however, be opened. his
eJ eS. Was he III heaven. and was
that the vClce of an angel ? He
kelfl bis breath to listen. 1t rose
and fell Till the whole air seemed
rhrobbing vi h the most exquisite
melody. Raymond Lyle had heard /
many more powerful voices, many
that showed sigus of more careful
hut theie was in this
peculiar sweetness, agnetic
power that thrilled his whole being.
The song Was The Message and
he scarcely breathed till it WAS I'm
ished. There was moments hush,
during which his heart beat loudly,
then storm of applause that con
tlnued until the singer game back
and gave them IL Scotch ballad that
brought the tears to many eyes,
There W ere several songs after this,
ana the concert Was over /; but Ray
mond heard no more.
With his face buried in his hands,
he sat and listend to tile sweet echo
that was wakeirei In his heart.
while Ills lips said trinmphantly, |
over and over again, 4 have found /
her. ~
His firm resolve, when he weat |
10 sleep that night, was that, on
the morrow, he would see the face
of this fair unknown. He felt she
must be fair after hearing her glo-
rious voice.
But morning brought more Sc
rious Thoughts. Not one Of Ray
lnond Lvle's friends would ever
have accused him Of being romantic.
A more TIA orsaghly practical bust
ness man did>nor exist He rarely
acted on All impulse, and the serious
thoughts in this case were the ones
he followed out. He had business
in q distant city where tho bride