The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-04-07
A HEROINE OF ROMANCE.

black, bead-llke eyes gllttered as With
the fire Of youth.
Captain Dulnare will you V grow
DID," said his friends, which saying in.
terpreted, meant that he would be hale
and hearty to tic last, when death
would take him su denly, with no
worrying prelude Of heightened help
less decline, as might reasonably be ex-
pected, rs he had already passed his
, allotted term of three score years and
ten.
The beautiful girl at his side was
known as his daughter and prospective
heiress.
Virginia Dulnare was shapely in fig
ure, and not too tall. Her features were
exquisite, her lips scarlet. her eyes large
and brown, nj her silky hair like q
fleece of gold.
Just now the young and flushed face
was hidden on the old mans knee.
do you really love the poor fellow
whom they call Hugh Girard?" asked
Captain Dulnare, in a fond, disappointed
whisper.
Very dearly, papa was the smoth-
cred reply.
With both his white withered hands
be lifted the dainty, blushing face, and
looked steadfastly into the big, wistful,
brown eyes.
"Virgie," he said, in those firm, stern
tones that 10 man ever dared to dis
obey, lit is my wish and will that you
marrySextus Weldon. You think you
love another. but at your age love is but
p lightning flash of passion and fancy. l
know best what will make you happy.
Therefore I have chosen your husband
for you.
II distrust and despise Sextus Wei
don," returned the girl, passionately,
springing 10 her feet. 1T is your
money. not me, he cares for"
A strange .ook Wavered over the
round, ruddy visage Of the old gentle
man.
Another romantic hallucination,
nv child" he said. The young man
idolizes you. Do you think your old
father does not know the signs of love?
And, my pretty lamb, Sextus is very
rich, and | would like to have you the
wife Of a worthy man when | am gone
81 had rather be poor and contented,
papa," sobbed his child.
linen the old mans eyes grew stormy
with the anger she feared. .
"You %ungrateful girl! how u%ngrateful
you will never know till / am dead.
Have l not been kind to you? Have /
ever asked you to do anything that was
not tor your welfare? Have you not
been happiest when you pleased me
most? What is the experience of
twenty compared to that Of seventy
Virginia, promise me that you will give
up Hugh Girard, and pledge yourself to
Sextus Weldon when he asks you?"
Il promise" ans wered the awed and
weeping girl, and then with a tender
kiss Captain Dulnare sent her away,
being we'll pleased.
What varied and momentous events are
ofttime crowded into y single hour of a
lifetime.
Before the sun OF that day set, Vir-
ginia Dulnare wore on one lily-white,
rose-tipped finger q magnificent diamond
ring-the symbol of her betrothal to
Sextus Weldon. And scarcely had the
cold, yellow circlet grown war; on her
finger before Hugh Girard came for the
decisive answer he had expected for
many weeks.
There were passionate words On the
bearded lips Of the handsome, blue-eyed
man, hut q single gesture of that sealed
hand stopped their utterance.
He looked into her face. That face
Has icy white, but the brown eyes were
like stars of fire.
Il understand, Virginia." he said,
slowly; they have sold you for gold.
You loved me, but you were weak. Go
help you, darling!"
And so Hugh Girard went his way,
and Virginia Dulnare fell on her knees,
weeping piteous tears in the twilight
dusk.
A strange sound aroused her.
They were calling her to her fathers
chamber.
Trembling, shivering and heart-sick,
with a strange, po%rtentious dread heavy
on her heart, she obeyed the summons.
Captain Dulnare sat rs she had left
him, in his easy chair; but the frost
white locks That struggled over the
crimson velvet, framed in Il bloodless,
rigid fae.
Captain Dulnare was dead.
There was a mournful time the
necessary inquest, the death watch, and
the rather pompous funeral-bu but it
passed as all things Of anguish and de-
light must pass in this world of chances.
Then came the reading of the dead
mans will, and the settlement OF his
financial affairs.
And with these gross matters of bust
ness and lucre, there came to the pale,
stricken Virginia, u terrible disclosure.
Captain Dulnare's large liabilities,
secured by heavy mortgages, and his
floating debts, swallowed up every.
thing.
The heircss in prospective was utterly
penniless.
But that was the smallest sorrow.
For by papers of proof left, Virginia
wa declared to be a child of ADOPTION,
She had been left when a baby on the
rich Tan doorstep, and he had reared
her as his own.
And after three weeks of g~rieyous
embarrassment, Virginia was thrust ont
into the world with no hops excent
whatshe had fixed upon Sextus Weldon.
He only came once, and his tones
were altered and supercilious.
No matter what he said.
But Vlrginia's sweet face flushed. and
she tore the betrothal ring from her
shaking hand and gave it back to one
who was not 10th to receive it.
Then she went into the world to wit
her bread-not an easy task for one
lu1uriously reared.
She thought she could do dressmakine
nicely; but to every store and shop te
which she applied she was greeted witt
the one answer:
work IS rather slack Just now. anc
OF course, what we have TO give is giver
Us longest"
1t was from the doors of one of thes,
paiatial places that she totteL~G one day
weak from hunger, and on the marbl,
steps SANK down in q deathly swoon.
A lady in velvet and silk With plume.
or gray sweeping over her silvery hair
n Just assembled from her coupe. Sh,
saw the PROSTATE form, and looking int,
the drawn, white face, started.
Put this child into the coupe ant
drive home" she Said. abruptly, to lll
liveried groom.
The man oheyed. thinking that of al
the mad freaks of his honored mistress
this was the maddest.
So, when Virginia awoke from he
'ong Still swoon. she found herself j
Il queint, ld.foshiOned chamber, M
not alone.
Where an I. and who are you?
she asked, family. of the stately woma
who bent over the couch. .
You are with one who will nsve