Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-05-19
and did not wish to be disturbed.

dH llt lAQ lCACOb w ONs W III NNhe tTNN
10 his office, feeling as if the argel
was fast disappearing, and his wife.
after all, was but pretty, perverse'
provoking child, whom time and ex-
perence alone could ever teach to be a
woman.
An hour after her husbands depart
u.e, Grace, in a PLAN gray travelling
dress, and with thick veil tied closely
over her tear~stained face, stealthily
lef. the house and before Rose, who,
from her wiudow, saw her hurrying
along the road to the railway station
could clearly divine her purpose, she
was gone.
This was a nice predicament for one
to be placed in, truly! Miss Wood
wards Indignation, for the moment
got the better Of her pity, and she could
have shakes Grace well for her sense
less absurdity.
There was bat one thing Cor her to DO.
and that was TO pack her trunks with ali
possible dispatch aud leave on the next
train. which she did, TO the infinite
amazement of Biddy, who did not kno"
what in the world 10 make other sudden
departure. not dreaming that her mis-
trcss had also taken fight, and was al
ready man miles from home.
When Will came home to dinner at
SIX o'clock. and learned thc true state
of things. he grew as pale as death and
staggered to a chair as quickly as if a
shot had struck Kim N the hear.
Grace had left a note on the bureau
in her room, in which she stated. in a
kind Of hysterical Enoch Arden ike
manner. that she was going back to her
mother, and ne might be assured that
neither himsclfnor Rose would ever be
troubled by seeing or even hearing
D
from her again. 1t was her earnest
wish to die, and over her early grave,
perhaps. some gentle thought Of her
misht stir his cold, forsetful heart into
passing throb Of Tenderness.
With the note crumpled couvulsiyely
IN his hand. VIII Thornley, seizsd his
| hat and rushed from the house. IT
mat!ercd not where te went, or what
lie did now, and ere the next days sun
had set, he made one OF The many
thousands og soldiers marching bravelY
to the front, to fall, maybe in the battle
with face turned nuhnchnsly toward
The foe, or die miserably in some
prison, like Gag d beast, his heari
broken. and death a welcome release
from pain. and grief, and hopeless
wrctchedness.
The setting sun was rapidly slnkiag
TO his crimsoned-curtained couch IN thC
west. when Grace walked up th'
grassy path to the little white gate
where she and VII had often stood in
the old, happy days OF tueir courtlns
and watched the fad.ng light stea
dlskily down among the soflly-whisper
llag leayes Of the naples.
y letter for YOU, Mrs. Thornley,,
said Mr.. Parkhurst, near neishbor
4 happened to be passing this way
and thought you might Ike to have
ill.,
oh. yes, thank youv she replied,in
a trembling voice. 'Iou are very
kind
Mr.. Parkhurss gave her the letter
and went on.
Grace recognized the handwriting j.
a moment, and with a glad Oh, it,
from VIII, and he has forgiven ne .
she lore open the envelope, aud hasulJ
ran her eyes over its contents. Ih'
smile faded the glad look left her eyes
and with low, piteous cry, she fell OF
her kuees-aye, to the very earth, au'
sobbed out the bitter, rcmorscful an
gn,h of her stricken soul:
Gone-Wnl gone: Oh, no, no! f
cannot be! And yet this cruel, cruel
letter only four little lines!
You have chosen your way and l
have chosen mine. All ! d Sire in Til;
world Is a SPEEDY and brave death, and
| 90 to meet it as joyously as ever
bridegroom went to meet his BRIDE
That was all. No name, 10 date
but she knew only too well its mean
ing. She pressed It to her lips, hel
Iheart. Sae coyeredit with tears, al
the while utlcring the poor, pitilul cry
Oh, VIII, Will, forgive me! Yot
must forgive mc-you must come back
TO me, or let me 60 10 you y
Bu. alas, her repentance came to'
late! Will was hundreds Of miles away
and between him and Gracc's peaceful
home cannon were laundering theil
dread alarm, aud wars heroic victims
were falling by The tens OF thousands
They found her lying unconscious
aud apparently lileless under the ma
pies, with her still, white face all wei
with the night-dews, and her poor coi'
hands clasping close to her heart Will'
short, last letter.
Private Thornley, soon won for him
sell the reputation oil being the most
desperately-daung man in the army. l
anything particularly dangerous was tC
be attempted, Thornly was always SURF
10 of his services.
He never seemed TO sleep, and wa
forever putting himself iu the mos