The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-09-25
VOL. w.

and furtive manner, 10 see lilly Meta
voep Why did find her and her loud
voiced, painted sisters a sort of agreeabl,
relief to the higher graces OF Agnes p
My brush was more constant than my
heart. When tried. TO put her mere
trieious graces on the canvas my penci
refused, aud / could paint nothing bu
Agnes.
l cannot tell how long things went or
at this rate, when suddenly heard that
Mr.. Ballentyne and Agnes had gone tc
France. Not word for me. Those
beautiful letters Il have them yeti which
Agnes wrote to me were all, all at an end
not even note told me that she had
left Glasgow. 1 waited week, and then
Mr.. Ballontyne's cishier called with q
large check-the payment of my eopyist
work. I ventured to ask him of the
family news, but he knew nothing, ex-
cept that Miss Ballentyne was i'll and was
taken abroad rather suddenly for her
health. d. -rs.s2 a-uieI1'l- io-
That night came great fire in Glas-
gov, and up went up studio and all my
work. Each hard featured old dame
and laird of the ,Blllentyne persuasion
went up to heaven, like the prophet of
old, in a chariot OF FIRE.
] was ruined, for knew that Mr.. Bal
lentyne would not pay for calcined an
cestors.
The next day 1 received letter from
Agnes, dated Paris.
4 know all, Archie. know that you
love Miss MacTavoe. Did you think to
deceive meP I who have known every
thing which was to happen TO me almost
from my birth, how coming events cast
their shadows before or are you under
aspell? You know / believe in such
things. Perhaps it was destiny. was
to turn from those who loved me dear to
one who was to be loved, but who loved
me not. Thank heaven | l have made
your career, You have orders enough
now to make you the most successful
man in Scotland, and my fathers order
(dear, generous papal he never would
have thought Of an ancestor but for mob
has made you comfortable for the pre-
sent; but please return the letters, the
gifts and the portrait Of Agnes Ballen-
tyne
Except the letters, which, by my only
good fortune, had kept in the humble
lodging where my poor dear old mother
and I lived, amongst the quiet people of
Glasgow, l had nothing to return. She
had not heard of the fire, dear Agnes.
/ was sitting in the small studio, which
I had fitted up after this great cloud OF
FIRE and mist had overtaken me, some
weeks after this, when knock came to
the door, and, as 1 opened it, l saw
Agnes. I'D t+- as
She foatedin so changed, so ethereal
ized, that 1 doubted moment whether
it was real woman or a ghost.
She smiled, smile of divine pity,
compassion and love. fg !t
i am going, you see, Archie, said
she. The blow struck here, where /
never was strong Aud she laid her
hand on her chest. 1T was not your
fault that you did not love me. Love
goes where it is sent. / mean that you
did not love me with your whole nature;
you did love me little'-here her sweet
wild-rose color came high up in her
one time, did you not, Arch
ie ? but with me it was complete pas
sion; 1 loved you wholly, and when /
felt here that you loved another, began
to die. 1t has not been very remuner-
ative passion to me- said she to me,
half laughing and blushing, and as she
said so, tear fell from her eye and gilt
tering like diamond, it slowly trickled
down her dress. sss \ JlAW E8H
/ knelt at her feet, / buried my worth
less face in her robe. What did say +?
How did ask her to forgiven What
could a wretch say, who had received
everything and had given nothing2
We had one of those interviews which
-
cannot be put upon paper she begged
me, / remember, as the last wrench Of
my degradation, TO take the check for
the burned pictures.
1T was not your fault that they were
burned, said she. t,s asa an. "A
l tore it in small pieces; that was all
the comfort l had out Of that piece Of
paper.
After she had gone Hooked on the
floor, near where she had sat, and saw
ht,sparkling thing lying on my hum
BILE carpet. 1t was diamond-perhaps
her tear crystallized. AS l took il in my
hand, severe magnetic shock ran
through me; the stone had some mystic
power, perhaps from the touch Of Agnes,
] felt as I looked at IL, all the great,
shame and enormous folly, all the in
consistency and the coarseness Of my
own nature. ! had loved this beautiful
creature as well as an imperfect nature
can love perfect one 1t was the earth
mess revolving against Heaven which
had driven me to the side OF lilly Mac
Tavoe; yes, from the feet Of one whose
face was irradiated by the lightof Para.
disc. le ifs ~ rs a
And to add to my anguish and self.rO-
proach, love, fiery, impatient, heart.
rending, for Agnes took possession of
II