Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1880-04-07

lille ueDOlhbe region, ant
alone 2" said Mrs. Delplaine.
Hagar reckoned it was q considerable
time, but gave it as her opinion tina
some peoples room was better thar
their company, and adding that Mrs
Delplaine was talking too much and thai
abe had better 60 to sleep, Hagar left
the room.
No sooner had she gone than Mr.,
Hume entered. It had been customar,
for him to relieve Hagar's duties in the
nick room. Internationally, perhaps, ht
had been listening for Hagar's retreatinp
footsteps. As he entered the room his
face frightened; the cavernous SORROWS
in his brow seemed TO have Strengthened
into joyous benignity; the very angles oi
his nature, sharpened by the Loneliness
Of his life, took comfortable rounden
shapes to themselves, and he greeted the
pale pretty woman in the straight back
chair with a peculiar and charming ten.
derness Of tone and manner, born Of this
new experience, that would have fright
ened and astonished himself had he been
a looker-on. But Mrs. Delplaine was
neither frightened nor astonished. She
was still 40 weak that Hagar's harsh and
abrupt replies had brought foolish tears
to her eyes which still hung upon her
lnshes AZ she smiled upon Mr.. Hume.
She gave herself up to the sweet relief
and comfort Of his presence. She began
to believe that destiny had determined
this remarkable event in her life, and
felt an irresistible desire to further the
designs Of fate. She had never In her
life seen any n 90 noble and majestic,
yet 30 gentle and tender, as this preacher.
81 am 90 glad you have come" she
said. "I have something to sayt to you. u
A strange, wistful, DISCONNECTED look in
his face disquieted her, and she added,
gently, "You will not despise a little adj
vice and remonstrance of mine?"
~ could despise nothing with which
you were associated" he said.
"Then listen to me-" she continued;
sit here by my side and listen to me.
1 am getting quite strong and well.
You have saved my life-you and your
good Hagar, and the worst Of it is that
now I must go away" Here she paused
and enjoyed the sudden wincing in his
face and resolved more and more to spare
him the pang Of parting. "I am going
to coax you away from here" she said.
Indeed, Mr.. Hume-may I call you
Paul?"
"Yes," he replied, but began to turn
pale.
"Indeed, you are quite thrown away
IN this place. It would be 30 sweet to
me to Q You admired and deifed and
bowed down to, a. the world out yondei
does to men like you. They love a silver
tongue, do the people. VIII you let me
manage it for you? ] promise you, il
You will, parting shall be brief. ]
have considerable influence, which 1 will
WELD in your behalf. You have but Ia
be known to he appreciated. See the
good you might do, Paul" she added,
coaxingly. Her face took fire as she mt.
tered his name, but that Of the preacher
grew paler and paler.
~ am grateful to you," he replied;
"more grateful than / can say; but ]
must remain here. : Believe me it is bet.
ter that I should"
Mrs. Delplaine had somewhat foreseen
this refusal. In her exalted estimate OF
his character abe could scarcely hope
that her hero would step aside from the
path he had marked out for himself to
cater to the preference OF a woman.
She yielded ct once.
because you are stubborn and
proud," she said; "because You cannot
bend to any weak frivoliy; and il you
viii not yieldto my wishes, there is moth.
ing left to me but to submit myself Ia
yours. Well, then, I will also remain
here. It matters little where I live, and
this il . winsome country in its way. ]
think we shall SOON have a promise oi
spring. On that big, stern rock out
side the window / saw the poor moss
growing just q little green. 1 can get
some old house, and old houses can be
refurnished. Cold, gray homespun can
give place to Persian woods, and odorous
fires can still glow in the old chimney
places. Since it is your win, sir, to re-
main in this place, you will not object II
! make this wilderness TO blossom 40 he
rose"
Mr.. Delplaine," he said, crunchine
the slim white hand that rested on the
arm Of the chair close in the q~uiverine
muscles of his own.
my name is Laura, sir" she inter
rupted, softly.
"Yes, Laura" he repeated, "you
viii mot remain here, neither will I go
You win take with you the only true
happiness / have eve known. The
memory Of it viii perhaps serve to make
the rest Of my life endnrable. And nov
let me tell you, loveliest and most gener'
Gus of women, why cannot 60 and you
cannot stay. When / was but O lad Of
twenty and still pursuing my studies ]
fell IN love with q young woman who
lived in the neighboohood of the college,
Q learned that her passion wal
feigned from the 6rst. and that she only
married me from motives Of convenience.
But mine, founded upon q delusion Of
the brain, led me into a fools paradise;
and even when the bitterness of her mis-.
take and my own began TO eat
into our lives, it sickens me to ne
member how I strove against it-how
mean and servilely / shut my eyes and
CROPPED bindrf0lded for the old mockery.
But it had long been 3 ghost, and the
time came when even the memory Of il
was 4 curse. Then the cross was q
hAps heavier for her to bear than for
me. Tied 10 9 man whose pursuits,
thoughts, ambitions, affections she could
never understand nor apprehend, con-
demned te111e propriety and soberness
aai0eeed III &e ne 0f a~preAcher's wife,
md Men d60fed he OOmfogt q wearing
ca md apparel, often she told
~ aheAnS52 The lreed0m q IN Indian
nnGGt9An& how glad shesd be 10 know
bat Ch00tGw 70 ut rid a the