The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-03
''ro-morrow, dear boy, if it were not


''To-morrow, dear boy, if it were not
for Mat."
"And when you know so well that do
not love her; that never have loved her :;
that it is a made match; Il marriage for
money! Oh. Mag, how can you be so un-
reasonable2"
"But she loves you," said the woman's
voice, now close at Carolinc's ear, under
the roof OF the porch.
''Ycs, she loves me; there's the rub
That rather hurts a fellow; he doesn't
want to be hard on girl who loves him,
and has loved him all his life. But then
you see, | cannot return her afl'ccton-the
kind OF affections she wants. And she's a
spirited creature, Mag; ought to marry
her us feel now2 If it hadn't been for
you, you witch, | might have come to care
for her in time. But. Mag Pm changed
man now; l know what love is l dread
my marriage like funeral"
A pausc-a litt" rllstling pause. Then
a whisper unhcard; a louder whisper dis
tinct: "Oh, Mag, my darling say yes"
''I cannot, Charlie, with that woman's
image before me. 1t would haunt us till
our dying"
Caroline heard no more. When next q
sound reached her, it was the sound, of
the work-a-day world. 4 market wagon
had broken near the lane, and the harsh
voice OF the driver was wrcaking upon his
horses the anger reused by the disaster.
The moon had set; it was nearly day.
There is nothing SO dcsolate as the break
ing of daylight upon new and over
whclming grief. Night has wing of its
own to fold about the sorrowful but the
fearful eyes, the crushed spirits, shrink
from tho brazen gaze, the undauntcd front,
Of day.
Caroline before noon sent letter to
Charlie Evans that made him free man:
Something tells me 'Nat cannot possibly
be your wife. | am sorry that circum-
stanes have SO shaped themselves but am
compelled to withdraw my promise. DO
not sec me. | shall refuse an interview.
When Il year has passed, and VIC meet
again--if we meet again-lct us meet as
friends CAROLINE.
Charlie Evans used his freedom. lie
obtained, by not strictly honorable means
| q sufficient sum of money to venture for
tune seeking to California. He was mar
ricd to Mag Merritt on his way to the
West and his friends, indignant at the
runaway match, bitterly blamed Caroline.
Caroline bitterly blamed herself, but
never for any act toward Charlie, Evans.
Her thoughts flew to her faithful lover
whom she had mercilcssly triflcd with, and
dismissed at last cruelty. She felt now
what pangs she had inflicted upon
carncst-hcarlcd Joe. She, who was 80
quickly alive to all animal wants, who re-
ally suffered sympathetically with the pain
and aches, the tolls and hungers, of dumb
creatures, had never given one sigh of
compassion to the pangs equally dumb, hut
infinitely keener- the aches, the hungcrs,
the ovcrburdoned sighs, of that silent
| angel, the human soul. She had no patience
with the shrieking victims of the ''slings
and arrows of outrageous fortune" She
had laughed to scorn the pangs of unrc-
Quilted love-" Now she would give years
of her life to call back the past, and be II
kinder girl to her faith lul friend. Since
their parting she heard but seldom from Joe,
and after her unclc's death the unfreuuent
tidings altogether ceased. Now she wrote
to Belle, who lived abroad, to send her
some word of 'ther old friend"
Belle wrote saying she was ashamed to
confess how ignorant she was, but the last
she heard Joe was making furor with his
wonderful paintings he had settled himself
in Rome, and she believed had married
the daughter of an American consul at one
OF the Mediterranean ports.
| Misfortune followed Caroline BY q Sc
rcs of culpablc mismanagements by peoDle
in trust Caroline's inheritance was lost.
Before she had enjoyed for three years the
possession of her beloved Dccrsficld that
noble place was offered at public sale.
Since the day of lier great sorrow Caroline
had met no trial like this Indeed, her
heart lad flown to all that was dear in her
country home as refuge from its bitter lone.
~ he nnT,,
The day OF the sale, after having ordered
the preparation Of the house and grounds
with care Of every detail, Caroline mounted
her favorltc riding horse, and rode far of
into the wood paths. She returned after
sunset, in the twilight dusk.
She knew rs she entered the house that
all was over she felt that the home was no
longer hers. She felt, brayc' and spirited
as she was, that the world to her. save that
IL held her mother, was place of drcarcst
| exile.
She was met in the hall by one of her
faithful servants, who seemed to have been
weeping. ''AIiss Caroline" lie faltered,
The gentleman who has bought the house
IS IN the parlor, and wishes to see you. "
Caroline had been marblc-palc when this
message reached her, but now tho blood
flashed to her cheeks She checked vio-
lent exclamation. Her heart arose indig-,
nant against this last demand upon her en-
dnancc. She conquered herself, and said,
81 will sec him"
But the gentleman whom she found in
the parlor was not the dreaded stranger
who held her treasure, not the new
master of the house whose inimical form
her fancy had already conjurcd. 1sNo; it
was an old FRIEND an artist returned from
abroad, bringing his laurels with him--an
artist who had come to tell Caroline that all
his fame had been won by his devotion to
her imagc--a friend came to tell Caroline
that time had not changed and never would
change the constancy Of his heart. 8
1t was only Joc
On the very next day to the day of her
despair, hope dawned upon Caroline. The
world became something more than Il place
Of flreary exile.