The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-02-26

late that NE would 20 II 0o1o1e OF her
love-how barren of hope or happiness
would be his darkened future; for, if
he erred in any sense, it was in the
strength and purity Of the love he laid
at her feet.
The purple haze of Indian summer
was lying on the hills. The sun sailed
through the mist like great ball of
flame, and pillows of dead-brown leaves
swept up the ravines, ~ Nathaniel Holt
trudged down the mountain path. his
brown cheek flushed with exercise, and
his eyes kindling with love as the old
farmhouse, with its many windows
stained with amber, and tall gables
draped with scarlet runners, came in
view. His mother sat on the porch
bathed in rift of ruby sunshine, but
he looked in vain for Elsie-Elsie who
had promised to come up the mountain
path to meet him. Something like the
murmur of voices attracted his atten-
ton, and, turning into side path, he
came upon Elsie and Lewis Walton
seated on NOISY 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 dared
not, yet longed to meet the fire of the
black eyes that seemed to read the in
ne1 most thoughts of her heart. il.
"Elsie-Elsie," the soft persuasive
voice was saying, "be wise, and listen
to me. You do not love Nathaniel
Holt as women love men they marry"
Nathaniel is 80 good, and has been
ike brother to me since mammals
DEATH" murmured Elsie, by way of
protest, while Nathaniel stood as if
rooted to the spot, his breath coming in
thick. hot gasps.
"Thst's just it, Eleie; you have mis-
taken your 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.
All! Elsie, think in time-I love YOU as
I have never loved before, and, Elsie,
you love me-" said Lewis Walton, as he
put his arm around her slender waist
and drew Elsie's happy face to his
bosom, and covered the warm, red lips
with kisses.
Nathaniel Holt fled from the. spot
like hunted deer. The veins on his
temples stood out like whip-cords, 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 could he take Elsie Mari
ans false face in his hands and kiss it
with lovers kisses. For she had will
fully given up the pure, honest love Of
his guileless heart for tho love of man
who, il the sight of God, if not in the
sight of men, was legally bound to an
other. Perhaps he had been mistaken
in himself, but this he knew, he had
made an idol of her and given her such
love as no human being should lavish
on fellow-creature, be they ever so
perfect, and God had seen the foolish
ness of his idolatrous love, and punished
him sorely for it.
After his passion of grief had spent
itself, he arose and turned into the
p th that led homeward, feeling very
much as if he had stood beside Elsie
Marian's grave and saw her laid in it,
His face had grown white and hard and
stern in that short but bitter struggle,
and the brown eyes were full of q grief
too deep for tears. He felt faint and
dizzy when he saw Elsie standing at
the meadow gate alone, and the light of
her newly-awakened love in her blue
eyes.
"Nathaniel"- she speaks nervously,
for her vomanly instinct tells her some
thing is wrong what has happened?
Yor are late."
Just this, Elsie" he takes her hands
in his and turns his set, white face
away from her--"I have lost something
out of my life which I shall never,
never own again-an untroubled mind !;
and, Elsie, dear, forgive me if have
mistaken gratitude 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" Elsie's tears are
falling over the hard, brown hands; II
did not deserve your love-I do not de-
serve your kindness now"
"Gop he says, gently, and Elsie slips
past him, leaving him to conquer the
rush of feeling that threatened to over
power him. At length he felt strong
enough to face his future, and went in
to the house with look on his face
that told his mother the hour she
dreaded had come; for, with the keen
ln0fInNto rh LII
the result of Lewis Waltons attentions
and was more grieved than surprised
when Nathaniel 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, = strange pallor on her beauti-
tul face, strange dread in her heart !;
for some thoughts mad como to her in
tho eleventh hour that were neither
pleasant nor ennobling, for they taught
her that her life had been a mistake, Is
far As stability of feeling and purity
OF purpose were concerned; for the
white, weary face of Nathaniel Holt was
dearer to her heart than the handsome
face OF tho husband at her side.
The winter days rolled on. News of
Elsie Walton's triumphs came now and
then to the quiet farmhouse and
stirred Nathaniel Hollis heart with q
touch of his old pain; for he could not
forget that all this beauty and grace
might have been his. Lewis Walton
might value it as q child prizes q beau
tiful toy; he would have idolized it as
devotee worships the beauty OF his
goddess-and for this feeling alone he
felt the great treasure of Elsie's love
had been denied him.
But rumor was stirring in the fash
ionable world that never reached the
quiet old homestead. Men looked with
pity on the lovely, trusting wife; women
smiled and sneered behind their fans :
and still Elsie never dreamed sught OF
the shame and disgrace that was gath
ering around her.
When the news of her tickle husbands
elopementw with q daahing widow reached
her, she threw up her hands with q CRY
OF despair" Nathaniel, Nathaniel, nv
sin haa fOnn6 ma mt ~