The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-03-31
BY HUGH WILSON AND Il: I. WARDLAW.

writing in which the envelope was
directed. There was but word from
Leonard, and as read it, my heart stood
still. i entrust Margaret to your care.
The writing was Leonard's, but so
changed; it looked as ifit had been writ.
ten with the greatest effort. I was so
overcome by reading these few words
that / forgot all about the other letter.
Why should Leonard entrust Margaret
to mep Was he dead, and she free?
The thought flashed through my
mind like lightning. / eagerly seized
the other letter and read it at glance.
Leonard was dead, and his death caused
by his intirmity without doubt. 1t was
rs feared. Feared, when Margaret was
free, and I could rightly sue for her
hand. l was completely overpowered
by the contradiction Of feelings in my
breast. My grief for my dearest friends
death was in strong conflict with my
owr selfish feelings that Margaret was
mine-mine if could win her.
II took up the letter again and read it
carefully. 1t was written by friendly
miner who had been with Leonard at
the time of his death. He had gone to
the hydraulic mines to try his fortune
there. A morning or two after he ar
rived he was working under project
ing mass of earth and rock which had
been loosened by the water. The other
miners saw this mass tremb)e and called
| to Leonard to run from under it; but,
alas, he could not hear them-he was
deaf. The earth and rocks came down
witha crash, and partially buried him;
but he was rescued while life still re-
mained, and taken to neighboring
house, where everything was done tor
him that was possible. But all IN vain,
for he died within the next twelve
hours of some internal injury; How
wrote these few words, entrusting to
me what was dearest TO him on earth;
he also requested that the little gold
dust which he had found should be sent
to me, the result of his first and last
II learned all this from the miners
letter. 1t was written in strange Ian
guage, and still stranger spelling, but
under the rough exterior you could see
that there was one of the kindest OF
hearts, always ready to aid fellow
being in distress.
Leonard's friends in the little min
ing town sent the gold with the letters
to San Francisco, where they were given
in charge of a merchant on his way
East, who brought them to me.
AFTER rereading the letters, sat in
thought for long time. At the end Of
that time, let me say it to my credit, l
thought only of Margaret's deep sorrow
and my great loss in the death Of
Leonard Meredith:
"The next day went to her. How
was to break the news without break
ing her heart? She had just lost her
brother, and now to lose her lover was
indeed very hard.
"This was the severest trial had
ever been through, and when I told
Margaret the burden seemed more than
she could bear. The hope of seeing
Leonard had carried her through her
brothers death, but now no hope was
left, and she was alone.
II was resolved that she should no
longer remain in the little college town,
where everything reminded her of her
brother and Leonard. I urged her to
move into the city. and she consented,
because she thought she would be in a
better position to get work.
How | longed to tell her that there
was no need OF her working!
Through the influence of friends,
Margaret was soon offered the position
of governess in a family going abroad
for three years. She consulted me
about accepting the place, and ad-
yised her to, by all means. was loatii
to have her 60 away, but what better
hing was there for her than q change
fscene?
Il continued in my law studies, was
limited to the bar and practicing for
y yself when the three years appointed
tor Margaret's absence had passed.
"In the meantime l heard from her
often. She wrote. in bright, chatty
way, which showed that she was I'M
proving both in health and spirits. In
nv letters to her, tried to write as a
friend. but know that my love showed
itself in spite of me. By-and-bye I
fancied there was a change in her let
ters. T was unable to tell whether this
change meant that she was offended at
the love which could not conceal, or,
what l scarcely dared hope, that she
was learning to love me.
"Imet her at the dock as she landed,
and hardly knew the Margaret Wads-
worth of old. The lines of care had
gone from her face, and, although she
was three years older than when saw
her last, she looked as much younger:
Il will not burden you further with
how I wooed and won her, but if you
will notice the wedding-ring on my
wife's hand, the only jewelry she wears,
YOU will see that it has richer, deeper
color than ordinary rings, because it
was made out of his first and last dig
vinuc