Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-02-14
rye eUrTA PERCHA RNe:
And h Came OF Il.
By MAGGIE THOMPSON.

talnS Wnlcn rose ike mighty giants
along the eastern horizon. Nesting
at the foot of these mountains is a
little villa which oyerlOoks the sea
and is thronged with wealthy, gay
and frivolous people, whose only
thought is to dress and to surpass
their fellow beings in the goods OF
this world.
Far away in a lonely grove, where
no sound of merriment from the villa
could reach, sat a young girl who at
the most could not have seen more
than eighteen summers bloom and
then die in the lap of golden autumn
Her dress was black and of the coars,
est fabric, relieved by snowy cuffs and
dainty rufie. Yet as she sat there
with the declining sunrays playing
hide and seek among her chest
nut tresses, and such a far-away
look in her liquid brown eyes, was far
lovelier than any vision that hoated
through the dreams Of painters under
the sunny skies of Italy. Her eyes
droop and fasten themselves on her
delicate waxen hands which lie idly
clasped on her knee; they are free
from ornament, save her third finger,
on which rests a tiny ring of black.
Tears spring to her eyes and tremble
on her eyelids, her whole frame quiz
ers. Can that tiny ring cause her this
sOrrow2 All yes it has a history.
In the little village of A. there
lived two widows. To cheer their
humble 6reside was given to one a
brown-eyed girl; to the other a blue
eyed, faxen-haired son. These two
children entered with one heart into
all their childish sports; together they
played in the little brook, and brought
home the cows from the pasture, and
thus the weeks, months and years
passed away, until Helen, a blushing
girl OF Is, and Wallace, a lad Of
Is, could hardly realize they would
soon have to leave off childish sports
Early one morning, when everything
seemed happy, the u shone brighter
and the birds sang sweeter than is
won't; but in all this happiness
The black camel named Death kneeleth
once at each door,
And a mortal must mount to return never
more.
This time he bore the patient moth
er across the great desert to that
brighter shore. Wallace was home
less and parentless now, so he deter
mined to leave his native village and
seek his fortune in foreign lands. With
tears in their eyes they took their last
walk under the elms, and to revisit for
the last time their childhood's haunts.
When the evening sun was set they
stood at the cottage gate, and under
the evening stars they vowed ever to
remain true, aud on her third finger
he slipped a tiny black ring; thissealed
their VOWS.
Helen" said he, @when | make
enough to buy you a neat little cot
tage in the valley, | will return"
They took their last fond embrace.
a burning kiss, and he was gone.
OH how dark aud gloomy every
thing seemed to Helen now. She
realized until now how much
sunshine there was in the clear blue
eyes Of Wallace.
Weeks and months passed by, but
no letter came to es.Sst one ray of light
across her gloomy path. A year rolled
by and had been numbered with the
that we're, Helen thought her
cup was full, but one more drop
was added. One bleak December
evening Helen's mother lay dead on
her couch. A few words, a short
prayer, and Helen's mother lay in her
last resting place.
Helen returned home, but oh how
sad and desolate, no kind mother was
there to comfort her now.
Helep's only relative, an aunt,
came to take her to the noisy, smoky
city to live, and Helen bid farewell to
the little cottage she loved better than
her own life. And OIL how different
was her new home to the dear old home
she had left.
She never did anything right now
and every day her naughty cousins
told her she was there on charity and
nothing more than a common servant.
Summer came, and long was the de-
bate as to where the summer should
be spent. Finally her cruel aunt and
cousins decided the village of A.
should be honored with their pres.
ence, and here it is we find Helen
gazing with sadness at that tiny ring,
thinking Of the past with its joys and
sorrows.
A childish laugh rang out on the
quiet air. Helen started. and hastily
rose, and calling several times, two
fair haired children came running
towards her. Although her cousins.
they always called her nurse, having
been taught to do so by their heartless
mother. Helen took her charges back
to the hotel, and as she neared the
veranda she saw that every one seemed
quite excited. She walked slowly and
listened: He is an heir to two hun
cred thousand and so handsomel" but
Helen only sighed and thought what
might have been" She put her charges
to sleep, chen braided her silken
tresses and started for a lonely walk
on the beach; but just as she started
the sweet music OF the Italian band
fell on the soft night air. Helen gen
orally avoided all places Of gaiety, but
tonight by some impulse she was
drawn hither. She slipped into the
ball room; its brilliance ALMOST dazzled
her, but soon she became accustomed
to its myriads of lights, and could see
with what elegance she was sur.
rounded, and the unusually handsome
toilets, for she had heard her cousins
say every ole was trying to win the
wealthy Mr.. Autry.
4 shadow darkened the doorwayand
Me. AVtry stepped into the ball. room.
lie was carried and introduced tn