The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-22

love are often blinded by self confidence,
and when Elsie came to him and laid her
golden head against his arm, as she often
did IN the autumn cleaning, Nathanie's
happiness was too deep to be delusive, and
he would hold her to his breast as if moth
ing could wrcst her from his faithful arms.
Poor Elsiel Little did she know of the
passionate depth and power of this strong
mans love.
Thepurple haze of Indian summer was
lying on the hills, Us Nathaniel Holt
trudgcd down the mountain path, and his
eyes kindling with love, as the old farm
house, with its tall gables draped with
scarlet runners came in view. Ills mother
sat on the porch, bathcd in rift of ruby
sunshine, but he looked in vain for Elsie
--Elsc, who had promised to come up the
mountain path to meet him. Something
like the murmur of voices attracted his
attention, and turning into side path he
came upon Elsie and Lewis Walton seated
Oh messy low, with their faces turned
fro III him.
"Elsie--Elsie," the soft, unobstrusivc
voice was saying: "bc wise, and listen to
me. You do not love Nathaniel Holt as
women love the men they marry"
Nathaniel is SO good; and he has been
like brother to me since mammal 8 death, "
murmured Elsie, by way of protest, while
Nathaniel stood as if rooted to the spot, his
breath coming in quick, hot gasps.
'srhat's is just 1t, Elsie; you have mis-
taken your feelings. Instead of the love
you should have given him, you will re-
ward his great love- for he docs love you
deeply--with warm, sisterly affection.
ALI! Elsie think in tlmc--I love you, as |
have never loved before, and, Elsie, you
love me-" said Lewis Walton, rs lie put
his arm around her slender waist, and
drew Elsie's happy face to his bosom, and
covered the warm, rcd lips with kisses
Nathaniel Holt flew from the spot, like a
hunted deer. The veins OH his temples
stood out like whipcords, and dry, VOICE.
less sobs broke from him, as hc sank down
on the mossy turf, and buried his face in
the cedar spears that lay an inch deep on
the moist ground.
When his passion of grief had spent
itself, he arose and turned into the path
that led homcward, feeling very much as
if he had stood beside Elsie Marians grave
and saw her laid in it. His face had grown
whitcan hard and stern III that short but
bitter struggle, AMI the brown eyes were
full of grief too deep for tears lie grew
faint and dizzy when he saw Elsie stand
ing at the meadow gate alone, bcauti-
full bloom on her young face, and the
light of Il newly awakened love in her blue
eyes.
''Nathaniel," she speaks nervousIy, for
her wOmanly instincts tell her something
is wrong, 'what has happcncd; you arc
| latc2"
''Just this, Elsie, "---hc takes her hand
in his, and turns his set white face away
| from her-'I have lost something out of
| my life which shall never, never own
again, an untroubled mind: and, Elsie,
| dear, forgive me, if have mistaken graft
tudc for love, and held you against your
will Take the man of your choice, Elsie,
and heaven grant you may not find your
happiness Dead Sea fruit"
"Oh, Nathaniel" Elsic's tears arc fall
ing over tho hard brown hands; 81 did not
deserve your love, l do not deserve your
kindness now"
"Go!" he says gently, and Elsie slips
past him, leaving him to conquer the rush
OF feeling that threatened to overpowcI
him. At length he felt strong enough to
face his future, and went into the house
with look on his face that told lis mother
the hour she dreaded had come, for with
the keen instincts of her sex, she had fore
| seen the result of Lewis Walton's attention
| to Elsie, and was more gricved than sur
priscd when Nathanic! told his pitiful
| story.
Elsie was married. The first snow had
| just whitened the earth when she left the
| Holt farm, the wife Of Lewis Walton, a
| strange palor on her beautiful face, a
strange dread in her heart, for some
| thoughts had come to her, In the eleventh
hour, that were neither pleasant nor en-
nobling, for they taught her that her life
had been mistake, rs far as stability of
feeling and purity Of principle were con-
Ccrncd, for the white, weary face Of Ma
| thanicl Holt was dcarer to her heart than
the handsome face of her husband by her
side.
The winter days rolled on. News of
Elsie Walton's triumphs came now and
then to the quiet farmhouse, and stirred
| up Nathaniel Holt's heart with touch Of
the old pain; for he could not forget that
all this beauty and grace might have been
his. Lewis Walton might value it as a
| child prizes beautiful. toy; he would have
| idolizcd it, rs some devotec worships the
beauty OF his goddess-and for this feeling
| alone he felt the great treasure of Elsic's
love had been denied him.
But rumor was stirring the fashiona-
bic world that never reached the quiet old
homestead. Men looked with pity on the
lovely, trusting wife, women smiled and
sncercd behind their fans, and still Elsie
never dreamed aught of the shame and
| disgrace that was gathering around her.
When the news OF her tickle husbands
| elopement with dashing widow reached
her, she threw up her hands with cry Of
despair
Observation-Disclosures, my sin mas
| found me out"
Three days later the dead body of her
husband--for railroad accident had ended
his carccr--was carried home to her; and
Elsie, broken and full of bitter remorsc,
followed it to it's last resting place, then
turned her face to the quiet home she had
left bride but few months before.
Nathaniel asked no questions The sad
white face WAS dcarer to him now than it
| had ever been before. lie made no out.
ward sign Of the love that was burning
within his breast. yet hiD care of her was