The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-01-29

the Hush that before had crlmsoned her
cheeks died out, and she became ghost
ly pale. Her fingers, which had clasped
the flowers, slowly opened and they
dropped to the round at her feet. All
at once the vision OF the dead woman
seemed TO present itself to her mind,
and the trust she was violating struck
cold to her heart. Was this the
Forever she had spokenp She staggered
and would have fallen; the arms Of DR..
Paulding we're about her, but she waved
him away in a moment with such a pit
eous, despairing gesture that he obeyed
her without a word. She only had
strength to falter:
'Go-and remember E1ith'-and she
staggered back towardsthe house, leaV-
ing him standing there, bent and trem-
bling.
She did not know how she reached
her own room; the strong woman had
learned at the same moment she loved
that she must sacrifice and renounce.
She stood for hours white and molten.
less, looking out at the sunset and the
gathering gloom of evening, with wild
thoughts chasing themselves through
her brain and dumb, aching pain in
her heart; every hope trailing in the
dust, like those sweet flowers he had
given her. She laid her head after awhile
upon her hands, on the window case
ment of her room, and wept softly
through the long, long hours, until she
heard the village bell strike the hour Of
midnight. She had prayed and wrestled
with her grief and agony, and rose up
at length quiet and calm. She had
yielded to duty and her promise to the
dead.
Somehow Constance Owen seemed to
grow prettier as the months passed
by-there was some refining change
which was softenirg her rugged features
and rounding every line in her stately
form. TIE summer into autumn had
flown, and still Edith Ormond had not
returned to Bopnybrook. Her aunt had
died, and letters came from time to time
saying that ere long she would be home,
yet she came not. Gould she suspect
the disloyalty of her loverP
1t was late in the fall, when the woods
had p ut on their pomp Of glory, and the
chill winds sent the fallen leaves through
tie valleys near Bonnybrook, when DR..
Paulding rode up to the house and asked
for Constance. She had only received
him twice before since the summer even
ing, and had then contrived by woman
ly tact not to be alone with him-al-
though she no longer doubted her
strength. Constance on this occasion
received her guest alone; there seemed
q strange embarrassment in his manner.
After the first greetings were over, he
said:
Constance have much to say to you
to-day. Do you think you can listen to
me calmlyp'
Yes,' she replied, If it is upon sub
ject on which you should speak'-and
she added tremblingly-'to which l
should listen.
Both, he said. 'When first 1 saw
Edith Ormond was captivated by her
beauty and girlish graces; thought I
loved her
Constance would have stopped him by
a gesture, but he gently begged her to
listen for you can do SO now,' he said,
in all honor and reason,
He continued:
Il had never had my heart stirred by
the full knowledge of love, however,
until / knew you and discovered the
breadth of your sympathies and the
womanliness Of your character. / never
respected you more than when you re.
jected me, knowing l was the engaged
husband OF Edith. But fate has been
kind to us both His voice was trem-
bling with emotion. Read the last part
Of this letter.
He handed a folded paper to Con-
stance, who took it as one in dream.
From Edithp' she said.
yes
The portion she read ran thus:
so you see, dear DR.. Paulding, it is
better should tell you now that I have
met one here-my cousin Ray-whom
I feel that love better than anybody in
the world. I have promised to be his
wife and am sure you will forgive me,
for you are 80 noble and grand and all
that, and l should feel, 1 know, that 1
never could fill worthily the exalted
sphere Of DR., Paulding's wife'-
Constance could read no more; mist
gathered over her eyes, but this time
strong arm was about her and voice,
deep and melodious, whispered to her:
Dearest Constance, will you be mine at
lastP' Their lips met for the first time
in one long kiss Of love, and his answer
was Yes, thine--Foreverp
The Force OF Imagination.