The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-08-16
TRI-WEEKLY EDITION.

| lOllR HlIllcI CfclllilSS
'Now Eta, is that the best you have to
say for such man2 You had better think
twice before you try to flirt with him.
"Indeed, my mind is quite made up, and
Intend to make him propose before re-
t. IN home"
Time rolled on. Dame Rumor had it
that Horace Lester and Eta Mayfair were
surely engaged; but Horace also paid at
tention to Bertie, and continued to divide
his time equally between the two. While
with Eta he was very gay, and sometimes
Il little sentimental; and she used to wonder
why he did not propose. Instead Of the
filtration she at first intended, she had
given him the warmcst love Of which her
shallow nature was capable. With BERTHE
he was always gentle and kind; and by
and-by she too began to care more for hlm
than she would have confessed. She fought
against her love. thinking he was engaged
| to her friend
| Affairs were in this state when an uneX-
pcctcd event cut the Gordan knot.
The whole party were out horseback
riding. Horace, rs usual, divided his attcn-
tions pretty evenly between Eta and Bcr-
tic. They were laughing mcrrly, when
suddenly lSertie's horse took fright at some
object Oh tho rearsdc, reared and then
started ON IL mad gnllnp. Horace whipped
up his horse, and endcavored to overlakc
her, but had not gone far before he saw
Berthe fall to the ground, where she lay
perfectly still. SprinSing from his horse,
he took her in his arms.
so BERTHE! Speak to mel Say you arc
not dcad!"
! She opened her eyes for moment and
| smiled at him, then rclapsed into uncOns-
ciousness.
! by this time the remainder Of the party
had come up, Eta loud in her profession
of grief, May cried quietly.
''Oh, Horace, she is not dead, is ohc3"
asked Albert.
"No, she is not dead, only stunned" re-
piled he. "But we must get her home as
soon as possible.
They succeeded in obtaining convey
ancc from ncighboring house, and were
soon on their way back. Mrs Ray met
them at the door, greatly alarmed, having
seen them advancing at a distance. They
conveyed BERTHE 10 her room and summoned
a doctor, who said she would be quite well
in a few days
AS BERTHE was playing the invalid, next
morning, looking very lovely in her white
wrapper, the bell rang, and the servant an
nouncel Mr. Lester AS Horace entered
and saw her looking so pale, he exclaimed
ooh, Berthe, my darling! If you had
been killed what should have donc2"
BERTHE looked surprised, and said
''Rcally, Mr.. Lester, this is strange IAN
guage for you to use to me-"
"Bcrtic, Berthe Don't you know love
you2"
''Are you not engaged to Ettaa was
under thnt impression.
'Then let me say it was false one.
Miss Eta is not lady would chose for n
wife; but you are my ideal of what wo-
man should be, darling, and if you will be
my wife | am sure you will never have
cause to regret 1t. Will you, Bcrtie7"
She did not answer him in words, but he
read favorable answer in her downcast
face, and sealed their bethrothal with Il
kiss.
At that moment Eta stood in the door
way; she turned very pale, and then went
away as silently as she came.
The next morning she received a tclc-
graph to the effect that her father was not
expected to live, and he desired her pre-
sence Immediately. Of course every one
was very sorry for her, but they were
in their hearts glad that something called
her away
When summer had heightened Into Au-
tumn, and tho leaves were gold and brown,
there was double wedding in the pleasant
little church. Horace and Albert were the
grooms, and Berthe and May the Brides.
BERTHE never knew, until her wedding day,
that she was going to marry rich man.
In after years, when Horace and BERTHE
had grown gray in love and harmony, they
received a letter from Eta, asking for
charity. Her father, on his deathbcd, had
cXactcd promise that she would marry a
friend Of his who was very wealthy, which
she did; and he, specializing largely both
with her wealth and his own, had lost all,
and then died leaving her penniless and
friendless. Horace brought her to their
home, and both he and Bcrtic treated hcl
as sister until the end of her days. which
indeed were not many.