The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-03

| WIS lyIuS Ol GllC lltllos QUA SAAASNe
through the mist like q great ball OF
flame. and pillows of dead brown leaves
swept up the ravines, as Nathaniel Holt
trudged down the mountain path, his
brown cheek flushed with exercise and
his eyes kindling with love, rs the old
farm -house with its many windows
stained with amber, and tall gables
draped with scarlet runners, came in
view. His mother sat on the porch,
bathed in q rift of ruby sunshine, but he
looked in vain for Elsie-Elsie who had
promised to come up the mountain path
to meet him. Something like the muir.
muir of voices attracted his attention,
and turning into q side path, he came
upon Elsie and Lewis Walton seated on
a messy log. with their faces turned
from him. Walton's hunting Jacket
and gun lay on the ground. and Elsie's
hat had fallen at her feet. while the fail
glowing face was upturned to the hazy
November sky, as if she dared not, YET
longed to meet the fire of the black
eyes that seemed to read the innermost
thoughts of her heart.
"Elsie-Elsie," the soft persuasive
voice was saying, "be wise. and listen
TO me. You do not love Nathaniel Hol,
rs women love men they marry"
Nathaniel is so good; and has been
like a brother to me since mama's
death" murmured Elsie, by way Of pro:
test, while Nathaniel stood as if rooted
to the spot, his breath coming in thick,
hot gasps.
"That is Just it, Elsie; you have mis-.
taken your feelings. Instead of the love
you should give him.you will reward
his great love- for he does love you
dcrplv-with a warm sisterly affection.
All Elsie think in time-I love you rs
have never loved before, and Elsie, you
love me-" said Lewis Walton, as he put
his arm around her slender waist, and
drew Elsie's happy face to his bosom,
and covered the warm red lips with
kisses.
Nathaniel Holt fed from the spot, like
a hunted deer. The veins OF his tenn
Piles stood cut like whipcords, and dry.
voiceless sobs broke from him, as he
sank down on the messy turf. and buried
his facein the cedar spears that lay inch
deep on the moist ground. Never again
could he take Elsie Marian's fair. false
face in his hands and kiss it with a
lovers kisses. For she had wilfully
given up the pure honest love of his
euileless heart for the love of a man.
who in Gods sight, ifnot in the sight OF
men. was legally bound to another.
Perhaps he had leen mistaken in him.
self. but this he knew, he had made an
idol of her. and given her such love as
no human being should lavish on a fell
low creature, be they ever so perfect,
and God had seen the foolishness of his
idolatrous love, and punished him sorely
for it.
After his passion of grief had spent it.
self. he arose and turned into the path
that led homeward, feeling very much
as if he had stood beside Elsie Marian's
grave, and saw her laid in it. His face
had grown white and hard and stern in
that short, but bitter struggle. and the
brown eyes werefull of q grief too deep
for tears. He felt faint and dizzy when
he saw Elsie standing at the meadow
gate alone, a beautiful bloom on her
young face. and the light of her newly.
awakened love in her blue eyes.
"Nathaniel," she speaks nervously,
for her womanly instincts tells her
something is wrong, "what has hap
pened you are late"
"Just this, Elsie"-het takes her hands
in his and turns his set white face away
from her-"I have lost something out
of my life which I shall never. never
own again, an untroubled mind: and,
Elsie, dear, forgive me if have / mis-
taken gratitude for love and held you
against >your will. Take the a OF
your choice, Elsie, and Heaven grant
you may not find your happiness Dead
sea fruit"
"Oh, Nathaniel" Elsie's tears are
falling over the hard brown hands; 81
did not deserve your love-I do not de-
serve your kindness now"
"Go"he says, gently, and Elsie slips
past him, leaving him to conquer the
rush Of feeling that threatened to over
power him. At length he felt strong
enough to face his future and went into
the house with q look on his face that
told his mother the hour she dreaded
had come. for. with the keen instincts Of
her sex. she had foreseen the result Of
Lewis Walton's attentions to Elsie, and
was more gricved than surprised wher
Nathaniel told his pitiful story.
Elsie was married. The first snow
had just whitened the earth when she
left the Holt farm, the wife Of Lewis
Walton, 4 strange pallor on her beauti.
full face, q strange dread in her heart
for some thoughts had come to her, in
the eleventh hour. that were neither
pleasant or %ennobling, for they taught
her that her life had been a mistake, as
tar as stability of feeling and purity o.
purpose were concerned. for the white,
weary face of Nathaniel Holt was dearel
TO her heart than the handsome face O.
the husband by her side.
The winter days rolled on. News o.
Elsie Walton's triumphs came now anG
then to the quiet farmhouse and stirred
Nathaniel Hollis heart with q touch o.
the old pain for he could not forget thai
all this beauty and grace might have
been his. Lewis Walton might value il
as q child prizes q beautiful toy; ht
would have idolized it, as some devotee
worships the beauty OF his goddess
and for this feeling alone he felt the
great treasure of Elsie's love had beer
denied him.
But a rumor was stirring the fash.
ionable world that never reached the
quiet old homestead. Men looked with
pity on the lovely. trusting wife, women
smiled and sneered behind their fans
and still Elsie never dreamed aught o.
the shame and disgrace that was gath.
ering around her. When the news O.
her tickle husbands elopement with &
dashing widow reached her. she threw
up her hands with II cry of dispair-
Observation-Disclosures. my sin has
found rue out"
Three days later the dead body of he,
husband-for a railroad accident hat
ended his career-was carried home tc
her; and Elsie. broken and full Of bitter
remorse. followed it to its last resting
place; then turned her face to the quiet
old home she had left 4 bride but a few
months before.
Nathaniel asked no questions. The
sad white face was dearer to him now
than it had ever been before. lie made
no outward Sign of the love that was
burning within his breast, yet his care
Of her vas wonderful: and he thanked
God Through afliction he had beer
shown the weakness of his idol. ano
: that Elsie was but human, while hi:
J own heart had been purified in the fir
l of t%ribulation. More than a year afte1
Lewis Walton's death, we find then
standing where we first saw them, under
, the old willow. and Elsie is wearing
wreath Of dogwood berries and autumn
leaves. Her cheeks are flushed, and
, tender light fills the beautiful eyes.
L.,