The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-07-07

Even her sweet little boy would be
taken from me no doubt before long,
and given TO some other woman-some
Sophy Temple! And Harry But
just at that stage of my reverie, when I
felt the choking in my throat, and the
hot tears in my eyes, l heard the same
well-known step close beside me, and
Harry Bent, flushed and breathless,
threw himself on the ground at my
feet.
II thought I should find you in this
lovely spot. May / not come too?" he
entreated.
= thought you had gone with
Bardie."
Eyes, / left him there playing with
the little Temples. ! made 8 brief call
On the ladies, and then gave Bardie the
slip. I wanted to get back, and only
hope he will not discover NY retreat.
Everybody IS lazy to-day except you,
Nora. You have your work laid out in
a very notable way, though after all J. !!
do not see that you have done much. "
"Some days are unlucky," l an
) swered. I did not feel in the mood.
But I will sketch now" and began to
work in earnest, partly to get i Of the
searching eyes which seemed read my
troubled thoughts.
Rest instead, Ellinor, and let US talk
awhile.
eyes, talk; but I can work too. I
want to make this picture; the view IS
so lovely, it haunts me-"
"Ah!h said Harry, ':thereis q picture
which haunts me- picture l lately
saw, and can think of nothing else; a
woman, young, fair, and with the
sweetest mother face; and a little
child.''
"a Madonna?"
"Perhaps SO. The child was asleep.
Such repose, such confidence in his
whole attitude and expression! EVi-
dently the one right spot on earth to
him was his place in her arms. And
she looked like brooiirg dove. Nora,
I can never tell you what I felt when
I came upon you so suddenly to-day
With my little sleeping boy, nor what a
revelation from heaven came to my
heart that thus it might be-must be.
said we were felloW-mourners; can
we not be fellow -comforters?"
! 7 could not speak; the sobs l had
1
ing, had their own way now.
! He locked at me in doubt and distress.
what is it, dear Ellinor? Do hurt
you? do I shock you? Haye you no
heart to give me? No, Twill not ask
anything now. Calm yourself, sweet
child; rely upon me. l will not say
another word, If it distresses you like
this"
II must speak," cried, with des-
perate effort. ''Harry, Harry, how can
you ask such things of me, when you
know that you can never care for any
body again as you did for Susie?"
"I know" he answered.
"When YOU know that / am TO more
to be compared to her than this little
common flower at my feet is to be COM
pared to an exquisite half-bloWn rose,
petal after petal laden with sweetness,
down to IT'S secret golden heart?''
eyes," he answered, picking the lit
tie common flower and holding it to his
lips. cit is not the rose. But it is
heart's It has its own mission, its
own perfume"
"And do not speak of Bardie, " I cried,
more passionately than ever. DO not
tempt me with him. l wish ne and l
could 90 away together to some secret
place, and could have him always"
"Dear, you may have him always.
No other woman ever shall"
a long pause ensued. [ determined
to grow calmer before speaking again.
It was SO hushed that we could hear
the stirring of some little rabbits in the
bushes behind. He looked at me en-
treatingly. l shook my head.
"No, no, Harry; do nor ask me, do
lot tempt me. I am not much Of a girl,
I know, but am worth more tLan that.
I ought 10 be first in the mans heart
who marries me. No, do not speak.
You know cannot be first with you,
and so cannot marry you. On, dear"
sighed, "there is nobody on earth
with whom I am first nobody who
loves me best of all"
The stirring of the rabbit became
violently excited, and with great
crushing Of leaves and parting OF
branches, and rending OF little blouse,
Bardie tore himself from his lair, and
flung himself upon me. eyes, yes, my
darling Nora" he cried, with tears,
kissing my head and face and hands, " 1
love you the best of all, my own Nora
want you. Go away, papa. Marry
me-marry Bardie, Nora, dear!" and
be threw his arms around me and buried |
his head in my neck.
"Yes, Nora," cried Harry, clasping |
his armsround Us both, marry Bardie;
marry US both. We do want you; we
can't possibly live without you. There
is nobody on earth, there never will be,
whom we love half SO well. Sweet |
Nora, say yes, and make Bardie and me
perfectly happy"
They had conquered: Ny heart |
yielded to both father and child, and 1
made full surrender, with my head on |
Harry's shoulder, and my arms around |
bis child, and my tears all kissed away; !
and q wonderful sense of home and be-
longings, and fullness and content,
glowad through and through me, and |
I felt as if Sussie's smile came down in
the sunbeam, irradiating the whole |
scene, and blessing the new part was
to tai ke in the lives which her death had
left wrecked and stranded.
Aunt Urania came to meet us as we
returned to the farmhouse, putting on
her spectacles of discovery as she came:
R17t # needed no glasses to see what had |