The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-03-03

ana ran lnJO Lne mousse, anu NdLHdnlcl, sllcHI-
ly, but not convinced, sat perfectly still and
tried to reason away his fears. with knitted
brOws.
After that life went on as usual at the
Holt farm. Elsie was to become its mistress
at Christmas, and her Aunt Eunice was very
busy over the expected wedding. She loved
Elsie with mothers love already, and Ma
thaniel, as the autumnal months drifted by,
grew trife thoughtful, for Lewis Walton,
who had been a summer guest in the neigh
borhood, still fingered, and still called on
Elsie, who tried to hide her growing f0ndness
for his company. He was wealthy, INDECENT,
and gifted with persuasive tongue. Elsie
loved ease. a.ked frmness of principle and
will, and although she imagined herself faith
full to Nathaniel, her heart was slowly
but surely being begdiled away
from the true and steadfast love of an up
right man.
Nathaniel watched her with brooding
tenderness. He was so loyal himself, that he
would indistinctively notice any wavering on
Elsie's part, he thought, yet the eyes of love
are often blinded by selfconfidence, and
when Elsie came to him and laid her golden
head against his arm, as she often did IN the
autumn cleaning, Nathaniel's happiness was
too deep to be deiusive, and he would hold
her TO his breast, as if nothing could never
wrest her from his faithful arms Poor Elsie!
Little did she know of the passionate depth
and power of this strong mans love. His
homage was hers by right, and she accepted
il as some princess might the service of her
vassal She never thought how desolate
that life would be if bereft of her love-
how barren of hope or happiness would
be his darkened future, for if he
erred in any sense 1t was IN the strength and
purity of the love he laid ut her feet.
The purple haze of Indian summer was
living on the hills The sun sailed through
the mist like great ball of fame and bill
lows of dead brown leaves swept up the
ravines, as Nathaniel Holt trudged down
the mountain path, his brown cheek flushed
with exercise and his eyes kindled with
love, as the old farmhouse with its many
windows stained with amber, and tall
gables draped with scarlet runnern, came
in view His mother sat on the porch
bathed in rift of ruddy sunshine, but
he looked in vain for Elsie-Elsie who
had promised to come up the mountain
path to meet him. Something like muir
muir of voices attracted his attention,
and turning into side path, he came
upon Elsie and Lewis WeltOn seated on
a messy log. with their faces turned
from him. Walton's hunting jacket and
gun lay on the ground, and Elsie's hat had
fallen at her feet, while the fair glowing
face was upturned TO the hazy November
sky, as if she dare not, yet longed to meet
the Are of the black eyes that seemed to
read the innermost thoughts of her heart.
"Else-Elsie, the soft persuasive voice was
saving, "be wise, AMI listen to me. You do
not love Nathaniel Holt as women love the
men they marry
Nathaniel is so good, and has been like a
brother to me since mammals death" MUIR
INJURED Elsie, by way of protest, while Nath-
aniel stood as if rooted to the spot, his breath
coming in thick hot grasps.
''That's just it, Elsie; you have mistaken
YOU feelings Instead of the love you
should give him, you will reward his great
love-for he does love you deeply
with warm sisterly affection. Ali Elsie,
think in time-I love you as L never loved
| before, and, Elsie, you love me-" said
| Lewis Walton, as he put his arm around her
slender waist, and drew Elsies happy face to
| his bosom, and covered the warm red lips
with kisses.
Nathaniel Holt fed from the spot like a
hunted deer The veins on his temples stood
| out like whipcords, and dry, voiceless sobs
| broke from him. as he sank down on the
messy turf, and buried his face in the cedar
| spears that lay inch deep on the moist ground
| Never again would the peace of an untrOu.
bled love be his-never again could he take
/ Elsie Marlans fair, false face in his hand:
| and kiss it with lovers kisses. For she had
| wilfully given up the pure honest love o.
| his guileless heart for the sinful love of 8
man who, in Gods sight, if not in the sigh
of men, was legally bound to another. Per
haps he had been mistaken in Elsie, perhaps
he had been mistaken in himself, but this HI
| knew, he had made an idol of her, and giver
her such love as no hnman being should
lavish on a fellow creature, be they ever 81
perfect, and God had seen the foolishness o
his idolatrous love, and punished him sOrel,
for it.
After his passion of grief had spent itself
he arose and turned into the path that lee
homeward, feeling very much as if he haC
stood beside Elsie Marian's grave and saw
her laid in it. His face had grown white ant
hard and stern in that short but bitter strug
gle, and the brown eyes were full OF a grie
too deep for tears. He grew faint and dizz,
when he saw Elsie standing at the meadow
gate alone. beautiful bloom on her youn,
face, and the light of her newly awakene'
love in her blue eyes.
| "Nathanlel, sne speaks nerVOusly, LOT ne
womanly instincts tell her something
wrong, 'what has happened; you are late2
Just this, Elsie"-he takes her hands il
his, and turns his set white face away from
her-"I have lost something out of my lit
which shall never, never own again, a.
untroubled mind; and, Elsie, dear, forgiv
me, if have mistaken gratitude for love
and held you against your will Take tn
| man Of vour choica Elsie and Heaven GRAN
you may not find your happiness Dead Sc
fruit
40, Nathaniel" Elsie's tears are fallin
over the hard, brown hands; Il did not dc
serve your love-I do not deserve your kind
ness now"
Cop he says gently. and Elsie slips pas
him to conquer the rush of feeling tha
threatened to overpower him. At lengt
he felt strong enough to face his future
and went into the house with a loo
on his face that told his mothe