The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-02-10

the same 10 me-" F
'But you will not urge her to leave me
yet-not until spring9 Tis but a few
months, but it is all my hfe."
81 will not ask her to leave you," Herbert
said, deeply moved by the pathos of those
last words but let me speak to her-win
her consent to be my wife if I can, and
have the right to return here 10 comfort her
at any time you fear you must leave her in
sorrow and loneliness"
"Yes, yes; but must you go2"
~ must. I am here only on business,
and must return to my home at once.
But if you wish it, I will return in March"
II do wish it."
| Little doubling his success-for, while
Leda had never been unmaidenly, she had
never quite concealed her shy pure love-
Herbert wooed and won the maid he sought
for his wife,
They were to correspond regularly, and
in March Herbert was 70 return and remain
with the Morrisons.
January was over when the letters ceased
He waited reasonable time, then wrote.
No answer fastening to the house Her
bert found it closed and deserted.
The agent, whose address was on the
placard announcing the place 'To Let"
could give no information excepting that he
received the orders to let the house from
Mr.. Morrison, the brother of the former
owner. He was not at the funeral himself,
and knew nothing about Miss Leda. He
could give the address of the late MIR.
Morrison's lawyer, and knew that the SUR
viving brother and his son were travel
ing.
At the lawyers the news was crushing.
Mr.. Morrison had died without will, and
the entire property had passed to the heirs
at law.
''He was superstitious," the old lawyer
said, ''fanoying it would hasten his death to
make will Foolish? Well, yes, but not
uncommon. Miss Leda remained week
and l do not know what became of her
then. The brother was very unkind-you
might say brutal, for he had been jealous
of her for years, and understood perfectly
well that it was through his brothers neg
| lect only that she was left penniless instead
of inheriting the most of the estate. If
ever hear of her again will certainly let
you know of the fact"
But thirteen long, weary years passed by,
full heart waiting and hoping to receive the
long looked for tidings. No other fair face
ever took the place in Herbert's heart that
Ledas face filled, No other love ever drove
out this one strong love of his life, and
when he looked upon the parting gift of
his darling every throb of his heart was as
truly hers as it had been when he bade her
farewell, and tenderly kissed her falling
tears away.
1t was many minutes before he could
control his agitation sufficiently to open the
letter.
The date was that of the day previous tc
Mr.. Morrison's funeral In humble words
Leda told him frankly the story already
familiar to him, and of her own penniless
condition.
"You may not care to claim wife who
knows nothing of her BIRTH" she wrote
"and who now stands utterly alone, a beg
gar. But if-as my heart whispers hope
fully-you still love me, you will find mt
here week longer. If you do not come
shall know you despise me for my invol
untary deceit and I shall accept positio,
offered me by an old friend, as governess t.
her children"
ooh, my darling, my forsaken darling !?
t Herbert whispered, ''where are your Sor
| rowing for your wasted love? Despisinl
t your lover who deserted you in sorrow AM
, loneliness? 1t is too bitter!"
But calmer thoughts came at last, an
t after long delberation Herbert decides
r upon one more effort to gain his lost love
In every city, for one week, one of the lead
@ ing newspapers contained this advertise
a ment:-
r 'IEDA:-The letter written thirteen year
d ago has just reached me- Write again.
'H."
Waiting, enduring for so many days be
I came torture after this advertisement ar
" peared, and once again Herbert Payne re
O signed himself to a future uncheered b
+ loving companionship.
S Had he possessed Asmodeus' power b
! might have been waited to home in Pari
v where sweet-faced woman, lovelier in he
;, gentle maturity than even in her girls
3 bloom, was teaching class of girls th
n hard words of the English language.
Accepting the position offered by her ol
5, friend, and refusing the assistance grudl
10 ingly profered by her adopted father
j., brothers Ieda Morrison had Travelled wit