The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-12-03
July. 4th. -

DEAREST FANNY-Only one month
since my last letter to you, and yet, am
sitting here by my window this glorious
morning, mere wreck of my former
lively self.
I have o story to tell you, Fanny-a
wretched, heart broken story, and be-
fore tell it, promise me it shall be a
secret, for no one else shall ever know!
Now, you have promised, and as I
must tell some one, I'll commence!
Ralph is false! He has left the vii
lage-left without one tender FAREWELL
He tcame here, three weeks ago, and
found me alone in the rose arbor. "The
dew was falling-a cricket calling" and
1 was sitting there alone, dreaming Of
him, and of the time when all waiting
would be at an end. Suddenly, sha-
dow fell before me, and looking up, I
saw him standing in the door.
''Well, Miss Lura," he said, lightly,
are you dreaming here alone in the twl-
light?"
I answered him carelessly, my heart
throbbing painfully, for I felt that there
was change in his manner. He sat for
an hour or SO, talking cheerfully, even
gaily, and when at last he arose to go,
not one tender word or caress had re-
eived.
81 forgot to tell you, Miss Lura," he
said, pausing at the door, "that I came
to say good-by."
My hand trembled and grew cold in
his.
"And before going," he continued, ST
wished to thank you for your kindness to
me this summer-it is 50 lonely here, I
don't know what I would have done
without you! 1t is scarcely probable
that we will ever meet again, yet be as
sured that wherever I go the remem-
brance of this quaint old village and my
dear little brown-eyed friend will go
with me! May God bless your,
And then he stopped and touched his
lips to my hand and left me, and without
a word or cry dropped to the ground,
and lay there in the long, wet grass,
with the dew about me falling, and the
cold stars coming out in the heavens to
laugh at my grief!
And there I lay all night long, my
hands pressed to my head, and dry, tear
less means escaping my lips-my parents
thought was in bed-and in the early
morning, Mr.. Ashley, the new minister,
in passing, heard my moan, and carried
me up to the house.
His sister, Cora, has been here all the
time I have been i'll, and is just as good
and kind as she is beautiful.
am sitting up, to-day, for the first
time, and though they all say am bet
ter, Iknow I will never be well!
My fever has left me, but it is not that
that is eating my life awayLfor o,
Fanny, I may as well tell you-I am
dying!
The autumn winds will sigh over my
grave, and the winter SHOWS fall upon It'll
feel i'll know It'll
Yet hold not one bitter, reproachful
thought against him-the man love! I
will love him, and be true to the last
moment of my life, and if I should lin
ger here ten gears, and he should return,
he would find me still waiting for him
ready to forgive and forgotten prom
ised to be true, and I wiU be-t,'ue as
steeU But alas! it will not be for longl
Another month, and I will have passed
And some clear, bright morning, " hen
the sun is shining, and the robins sing
ing, and the rose-leaves falling away,
they will carry little Lura out and lay
her down to rest under the maple at the
gate where he kissed me! think, per-
haps, If I lie there, / can see the sun
light come through the leaves in the
morning, and the moombeams at night
even though am dead!-can, perhaps,
hear the robbins singing in the branches
above me, or the crickets chirping in the
grass!-I may even inhale the sweet fra
GRANGE of the hyacinthes and sweet vio-
let's, which must be planted by my grave,
because he loved them! And, now, I
fancy I can hear the minister's voice
tremble, as he says, "Ashes to ashes, and
dust to dust, over sbrown-eyed Lura-
aged 18"-hzat will be upon my tomb
stone.
But, Fanny, dear, must close; I will
write once more to say fareweU!
Yours forever, LURA.
July 20, 18-.
DEAREST FANNY:-I am feeling a little
better. / do not think it will last long.
though-and when the end comes I will
r