The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-03-29

dearly-with warm, sisterly affection.
Ali Elsie, think in time-I love you, as
l 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, voice.
less sobs broke from him, as he sank
down on the messy 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 homeward, feeling very much as
if he 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 grief too deep
for tears. He grew faint and dizzy when
he saw Elsie standing at the meadow
gate alone, a beautiful bloom on her
young face, and the light of newly
awakened love in her blue eyes.
Nathaniel" she speaks nervously, for
her womanly instincts tellher something
is wrong, "what has happened; you are
late"
"Just this, Elsie,"-he takes her hand
in his and turns his set white face away
from her-"I have lost something out Of
my lite which | shall never, never own
again, an untroubled mind; and, Elsie,
dear, forgive me, if have mistaken graf
itude for love, and held you against your
will. Take the man Of your choice, Elsie,
and Heaven grant you may mot
fud your happiness Dead Sea fruit"
20, Nathanielp Elsie's tears are fall
ing over the hard brown hands; 81 did
not deserve your loye-I do not deserve
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 into
the house with look on his face that
told his mother the hour she dreaded had
come, for with the keen instincts of her
sex, she had foreseen the result Of Lewis
Walton's attention to Elsie, and was
more grieved than surprised when Nath-
aniel 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 Wal
ton, strange dread pallor on her beauti-
full face, a strange dread in her heart, for
some thoughts had come to her, in the
eleventh hour, that were neither pleasant
nor ennobling, for they taught her that
her life had been mistake, as far as
stability Of ceiling and purity of princi-
pie were concerned, for the white, weary
face of Nathaniel Holt was dearer to her
heart than the handsome face Of the hus-
band 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 Hollis 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 ldolized it, as some de-
votee worships the beauty of his goddess
and for this feeling alone he felt the
great treasure of EIsie's love had been
denied him.
But rumor was stirring the fashion
able 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 aught of the shame
and disgrace that was gathering around
her. When the news of her tickle hus-
bands elopement with dashing widow
reached her, she threw up her hands
with cry of despair
Observation-Disclosures, my sin has
found me OUT
Three days later the dead body of her
husband-for a railroad accident had
ended his eareer-was carried home tO
her; and Elsie, broken and full of bitter
remorse, followed its 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 dearer to him now then
it had ever been before. He made nc
outward sign of the love that was burn
ing within his breast, yet his care Of her
was wonderful; and he thanked God that
through affiiction he had been shown The
weakness of his idol, and that Elsie was
but human, while his own heart had
been purified in the fire of tribulation.
More than year after Lewis Walton's
death, we find them standing where We
first saw them, under the old willow, and
Elsie is weaving a wreath of dogwood
berries and autumn leaves. Her cheeks
are flushed, and a tender light fills The
beautiful eyes.
"Elsie"-Nathaniel imprisnns the
slender fngers-''you must let me speak
Give me back the love | lost when you
became the wife of another"
"Nathaniel'-Elsie's voice is full O
contrition-'1 did not know my owl
heart then" =.
"You know it now, Elsie; say that i
is mine."
HEoravar onl forovar No+boo;o1O