The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-05-15
the chair close in the quiveriug muscles of

the chair close in the quiverug muscles of
his own,
! "My name is Laura, SIR" she interrupt.
ed, softly.
"Ycs, Laura" he repeated, "you will
not remain here, neither will i 90. You
will take with you the only true happiness
have ever known; the memory Of it will
perhaps serve to make the rest of my life
endurable. And now let me toll you, love:
lost and most generous of women, why |
cannot 90 and you cannot stay. When
was Duta lad OF twenty, and still pursuingmy
studics fell in love with a young woman
who lived i'll the ncighborhood Of the col
legc. soon learned that her passion was
| teigned from the first and that she only
married Inc from motives Of convenience; !;
but mine, founded upon a deusion of the
brain, led me into u fools paradise; and
even when the bitterness of her mistake
and my own began 10 eat into our lives, it
| slckens me to remember how I stroye
against it, how meanly and serviley SHUT
my eyes and CROPPED blindfolded for the old
mockery. But it had long been ghost,
| and the time came when even the memory
OF 1t was curse Then the cross was per
| haps heavier for her to bear tlan for me.
| Tied to man, whose pursuits, thoughts,
ambitions. affections, she could peitheran-
dcrstand nor apprchend, condemned to the
| proprioty and soberncss allotted to the life
| OF preachers wife, and even denied the
comfort of wearing gay trinketsand apparel,
| often she told mo she cnvi.l the freedom of
an Indian squaw, and how glad she'd be to
know nothing but Chocta1 to get rid of the
eternal preaching, preaching, -. r,rr,r.
Poor soul!' said Mrs. Deiplaine, with
| al involuntary shuddcr at the life the par
| son portrayed Then she added, with in
finite tenderness, ''Ah! but she did not love
you'll"
"No,' said Mr.. Hume, "and, God for
give me, there were times when | was
tempted to put an end to my life, it bred
such misery for us both. At last Il merci-
ful Providence-I can only think it such
| enfcebled her health and took the corporcal
sting from her slavery. The powerful vi
tallty which lent dangerous strength to
hcr dlscontent was broken, and she became
| content to be amused and taken care of in
a way that was possible to me. An old
nurse connected with the family was III
| d'lced to take entire charge of her. The
| Incidence of a southern climate suited her
| desires and capacities. As for me the rigor
and serenity OF this region had charm for
me; It's isolation soothed and consoled me:
and SO the years went by till you came"
1lcre he got up on his feet and bent over
her, taking both her hands In his. His face
had gradually gained a sad serenity. 81
cannot be sorry we have met" he said, 'it
has been such JOY to me. Even in part
ing there is something sweet in the know
ledge that you take with you some brief in
terest in my poor life"
Mrs Delplainc's hands trembled with his
own. A shrll wind whistled at the case
men ment heavy black canopy OF cloud had
s l"'' ~, ~ A. o. ,,ouh,alh anu nung there
like pail; the room had grown dark: sud
denly Mrs Delplaine stirred with her little
hceS the embcrs into blaze; her ewes
shonc tcndcrly flame of color burned in
her check.
"Why should we part ?" she said. look
ing gravely up in his face. 81 will not
have it SO. Why should both our lives be
spoileds You did what you could for her
while she lived"
breath.
'What-what is it2" cried Mrs. Del
plaine. "Shc is dead; Hagar told nc she
died long ago." WV
"No, no. said Mr.. Hume. "God for
bid, she is not yet fit to die"
Then Mrs. Delplainc sank back in her
CHAIR, and drew her hands from his 81
would like to be alone" she said, and be-
fore he was fairly out of the room she burst
into passionate weeping; but the minister
went straight to his study, where he passed
the night in wakeful misery.
AT daybreak the stage stopped again at
tho parsons door, and several big trunks
were hoistcd to the top. Hagar helped in
yelled and shawled figure that seemed to
the few passengers principally made up OF
big, wistful eyes. These eyes were glued
to the windows of the coach, and two other
haggard orbs from the parsons study fol-
lowed the numbering vehicle till it became
lost in the tortuous descent of the hill.
All this happened many years ago, and
| 1t seemed as yesterday to the poor parson
when one morning, with trembling
hand, he addressed newspaper to a lady
then travelling abroad. It contained the
intelligence of the death of poor Mrs. Hume
at Nassau. The only answer he received
was shabby foreign sheet. wherein among
the marriages he found that of Mrs Dclp-
lainc