The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-12-15

nothing was offered to the ladies,
until the carriage drew up before
an ld.fashioned brown farm,
house, between four and five
| o'clock in the afternoon.
Here a dinner tea, beginnin .
with stewed chicken, and ending
with berry shor1cakes' piled high
on immense china piatters, await,
cd them.
They ate like famished crea
lures, all save Lily, whose aching
heart was causing her a mar.
tyrdom Of pain.
The horses were stabbed in the
farmers barn. The picnic party
enjoying every moment OF then
novel pleasure, danced upon the
| green before the low, brown
/ house, to the farmers violin.
Miss Harold waltzed once with
Herbert, in token of her gratitude
for a very pleasant day, she said
Then she sat apart, near Lily, and
watched the brilliant scene.
They started home by moon.
light. But ere long the SKY dark.
ened, and wild western wind be,
| gan to wall along the lonely road,
! The horses seemed q little restive
oyer the sudden change. Herbert
alighted to soothe them and to
rearrange the harness.
/. Lilly + whispered Eva, my neu.
ralgia is coming on again, on this
side of my face and this wind
makes it worse Change places
with me, will you, dear?'
It was done.
The clouds lowered more and
more, but the horses trotted
swiftly Oh. And beside Herbert,
Lily was not at all afraid.
Suddenly in the darkness, she
| felt hand on hers. Herbert
leaned toward her, whispered
! darling! in the old, fond tones,
and left a small package in her
hand.
Breathless and almost bewil-
| dered, with the sudden change
from gloom to perfect joy, Lilly
sat silent, till they drew up again
near the hotel.
Every one rose at once. livery
one seemed to try to spring out OF
the carriage at once.
In the confusion, Lilly knew
that she was helped out by a
ger-not by Herbert.
But what did that matter while
| that whisper rang in her ears, and
while she held that precious pack
age in her hand ?
She left them, telling their ad-
ventures to au inquisitive circle
in the drawing room, and followed
fast on Eva Harrold's steps, as
she hurried to her room for the
night.
The door once closed upon the
" orld, Lily opened the package
It contained a small velvet
casket. Fhe casket held beauti'
ful emerald ring; and with the
ring was this letter:
| IL cannot tell you here all that
is in my heart for you. May
speak with you to morrow after
noon, in the dear old parlor
Wear this ring, tomorrow, as I
token, if you consent
The dear old parlor!' Yes,
that was where they two had
spent SO many happy hours-just
at frst-before Miss HarroIc
came.
Wear the ring? Aye, that she
| would! With sob Of thankful
pious joy, the poor child slipped il
on her finger, said her prayers
with Herbert's name in them, anc
sank TRANQUILITY to sleep.
The early morning sta &
brought new guest, a handsome
languid Southerner, who seemed
to think it a great exertlon ever
to live.
Beside him sat Miss Eva Har
rold, bright, radiant, sparkling, as
no one had ever seen her look. be
fore.
! Before noon the truth camf
i out. The Southerner was the fu
ture husband Of Miss Harold
and the next day the party woulc
leave for Baltimore, to celebrate
the wedding.
Lily wore the emerald ring II
vain By nightfall, she heare
them jesting over the sudder
fight of Herbert Hale. He hac
| left the hotel without attempting
i to see her-without even waiting
for answer to the question be ha(
asked.
Lily lived through it, but tn
shock rendered her harder, colder
more suspicious than before.
Six years passed by. She, too
was an heiress, but she was alon'
in the world. Miss Harold wa
The wife of the Southern gentle
man; and Herbert Hale was Still
a bachelor, when he and Lii.
happened to meet once more, a
that same hotel, in the course o
their Summers tour.
They stood, one evening,talkinj
coldly and quietly Of those othe
days, when the moonlight fell fuI
upon Lily's hand, and upon tn