The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-01-10
A Heart History,

| Pacing up and down the narrow limits oi
her room, as she had paced for more than
an hour Agnes Carew tried to realize the
hew future which to-day had suddenly
opened before her its Unfamiliar vista.
Her whole life, for the past six years, had
been swayed by one ambition. To-day al
twenty years of age, she had renounced it,
for Hugh Loring had asked her TO become
his wife.
This winter was to have marked hef debut
oh the operatic stage, It had been the
radiant, glimhering light illuminating the
toilsome path up which she had so labor
iously struggled, in making artistically per-
feet the glorious voice with which nature
had ordained her.
Her efforts had been crowned with rhre
success. Already rumors of her prowess
were whispered abroad, but all this was be-
fore Hugh Dorihg's wooing, and to-day she
had given him her promise TO become his
wife.
1t had not been without struggles but
her mother, glad, proud, and ambitious,
said, "Was she mad, to hestate 7" and her
voice turned the scale.
She had hardly time to learn to love him,
so impetuous had been his wooing; and yet
to-day, wondering if her decision had been
the right one, the memory of his brown eyes
lighting up as they rested on her face, the
echo of his words seemed to thrill her heart
and Ill it with peace.
A week later-only week-her lover
came to her, his handsome face white
and drawn with pain. There had been a
sudden crisis in the commercial world, and
his vast fortuhe had been swept away in the
malestrom OF ruin.
As Agnes listened to the story, the pallor
on his cheek reflected itself on hers.
81 shall have 70 begin the world over
again, my darling,' he said. "Agnes, do
you love me well enough to begin it with
me, or will you waltz"
81 would only hamper your efforts,
Hugh" she answered. "Let me do as had
at first intended. know now; by the sud-
den hope within me, how near my heart
my life's dream has been. Let me live it
for a little while. Then, when you are
ready for me, will give it up and come
back to YOU"
Sol spite of his protestations, it was de-
cided:
The ambition Agnes had renounced,
sprang hydra-headed into her existence.
Could it be that she did not share Hugh's
disappointment? All, if SO, the night of her
debut swept it all away--the night when she
saw the public at her feet, when she carried
them with her, UP into the very realms Of
heaven, with the clear, fute-like tonesj only
to be called back to earth, on its dying
echoes, by the laundering waves of applause
that followed.
All, could she have given this upP Even
to give back Hugh his fortune, and to share
his proud name, could she have renounced
this lifeH In six motthsj a brilliant Offer
came to her to go abroad.
Hugh wrote to her, as follows:
al dare not ask you TO renounce it. A:
yet can offer you so little. But, oh, my
love, if you will but stay"
Agnes answered
al cannot, Hugh. Forgive, me dear, but
| l have faced poverty all my life. | should
only b5 wretched and make you so. Lei
me try my wings little longer then when
| am weary, | will fly home TO the nest you
will be all this time building for me-"
Strong man though Hugh Loring was
two bitter binding tears fell on the littl,
sheet which held these words.
The news which came to hiti after this
of her continued triumphs, was hateful t.
him. Her letters were filled with her pres
sent life. Of the past and future, she sale
nothing.
"She never loved me t' he groanedJ bit
terly, TO himself.
And just when this thought had takef
root, and sprung up tiny plant, requiring
constant nourishment, lest it might die, fat
brought Constance Bayard across his path.
She was girl possessed of subtle, intens,
sympathy. To all the world Hugh KEEP
his wound a secret. How or when she dis
covered it he could not tell, but she barred i
so tenderly to the light that for the frs
time her touch did not further hurt it.
Little by little-so gradually that he wa
unconcioGs Of it-it began to heal until
one year from the time Agnes vent abfUad
he found it cured, But how could he pa,
the debt he owed his physician ?-how, saw
by giving her the heart she had 50 ticht,
earned
Yet he was bound in honor TO another
He had not meant to love Constance Bay
ard. That he could be untrue to Agnes, S
entirely had her image engrossed Hmm
for moment crossed the horizon of hi
mind, until, too late to check the evil, he dis
covered her star had set, or been eclipsed b
another.
Constance had been TO him friend,
sister. He had not thought 70 love hei
but her tender womanliness first had heale
the wounds, and, with the cure, wrough
forgetfulness of the cause.
Twice he had written in this time to Ag
mes, thus;
"The nest is ready builded. Write m
that may come for you.'
And always she had answered "Wait."
All, had not the old ties become hatelu
to her, tooH Would she, too, not be gald t
strike off the fetters2 It must be so, b
reasoned with himfelf He would write I
her all the truth, and ask her TO give bot
their freedom.
But he found the task he hai set himsel
difficult to accomplish. Sheet sfteT sheet b