Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-02-13
FOREVER.
A story Of the Heart.
BY the late Harry HARDWOOD Leach

"Promise!'
81 do solemnly."
"Forever continued the solemn,
broken voice.
Forever" echoed the weeping
maiden by the bedside.
The wasted hands were raised over
the heads of the kneeling figures the
pale lips OF the dying woman parted
the tongue tried TO utter blessing
but all brightness faded from the eyes
The woman was dead.
Two young girls knelt at the bedside
Constance Owen was the name of the
one with sallow skin and large brown
eyes, and Edith Ormond, she was called
with ringlets of gold floating around
her fair neck, and whose head was lean
ing upon the shoulders of Constance
who had promised the dying woman to
be sister, protector-mother even--to
the fair maiden at her side.
The strong, faithful, homely girl
called Constance was an adopted daugh.
ter OF the dead lady-one of those waits
Of the street, whose only hope of life is
in the charity of some tender-hoarted
stranger. She, however, repaid her
protector by love and regard as fila
as that of her own daughter, and when
on her deathhed M s. Ormond babe
Constance Owen to make the solemn
promise recorded, the brave girl not
only did not falter, but whispeIe ed once
more to the stricken girl at her side:
eyes, Edith, for the sake Of the love
your dear mother gave to the orphan
will love you better than myself-for
ever"
And darkness was in that chamber
desolation in the hearts ofthe mourners
Two years passed-two years since
Edith the beautiful end Constanc,
the brave had lost their best earthl,
friend. The former had grown NOR,
lonely even then the promise of tn,
dawn of her radiant maidenhood the
latter more homely, larger-featured
in face, but with two years an addet
dignity ofmien, more intelligent ligh
in the quiet, tender brown eyes, anc
force of character better defined IL
every movonacnC. Thoro oetne man,
suitors to Bonnybrook-so the littl,
country seat belonging to Edith wa
Cbiltu-Dut, bU ldI VIC Hblle CUYu0lt'
did not pay much heed to any of them
She was chasing the butterflies of Fancy
around that Garden Of Eden--frs
youth. But at length her beauty, grace
and perhaps high social position
brought one day to the gates of Bonny
brook one DIR Paulding, q superior anc
rising young physician. who lived il
the city close by, and when he had foun(
his way TO that pleasant country nook
somehow he discovered patients in tina
vicinity very frequently. Was it Edith
fair face that made him take tina
blooming highway 80 often?
He was, indeed, fascinated by he
bright, girlish beauty, and one evening
after he had been wandering in thegar
dcns, under the moon, soft pleasan
words must have been spoken, for
after he had gone, Edith, with flushed
face, dashed into the room where Con
stance was awaiting her, and THROWN,
her arms around her, in a happy, trem
bling voice:
20 darling, | am so happy. He'ha
told me he loved me-"
Constance spoke not a word; Edit
was held moment to beating heart, (
soft kiss touched her forehead, and tn,
next moment she was alone.
HE loves mel He loves mel AnC
Edith looked out over the gardens, from
which the dews of night we're distillinl
all their odors; she gazed at the round
beautiful moon, and peopled theil
shadows with the man who had frs
stirred the young life with the divine
music OF love,
A month after the pleasant confession
had been made, Edith was called to the
mountains OF Vermont TO attend dy
ing aunt, the only sister of her deal
mother, and she had TO proceed alone
as Benny brook would have lacked 8
guardian II Constance had accompanied
her-Dr. Panlding's duties utterly deny
ing him that pleasure.
Constance was engrossed in her home
duties and saw little Of society, save 8
few rustic neighbors, who only recon
mended themselves by their goodness
of heart, and certainly not by the brill
fancy OF their wit or understanding
Once in while ne would Idle out to Bon
nybrook, as Constance told him from
the force of an old habit" but soon il
seemed that the man of medicine and
science did not carry on the conversa'
ton with the old ease, grace and spirit
What had come between Constance
Owen and himself Something inexpli
cable. The noble woman found q
strange rare pleasure in The society o
the gifted man: the scholarly man q
asympa'ny with the Iarge-hesrted, In
tellectual woman which he had never
known or experienced in any OF hei
sex. True" be said 70 him
ser, she il not beautiful; indeed
measured by the rules Of beauty, she i
positively ugly. But who can gauge
the charms Of melodious voice. or de
fine the tenderness Of an honest, kindly
eyty
And she too, unused in this way
''Thie DR.. Charles PauldinQ i mar
velously gifted man. What powers q
language, what treasures Of inaapina
ton be possesses What noble car.e