Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-11-26
LILIAN'S MISTAKE.

the gathering twilight, her fair face,
with the nut brown curls cling
ing about it., brought out in start
ling relief by a background of vivid
blush roses.
The love-light shown and glowed
in Lilian's wondrous eyes, and a
faint smile of perfect peace and hap
piness curved the corners of the
proud, almost naughty mouth.
And how could she be otherwise
than perfectly happy this evening !?
Was she not expecting her lover
noble, handsome Frank Carleton ?
Only a week ago he had poured into
her ears the story of his love ,and had
asked her to be his wife.
And she-she did not clearly re-
member what answer she gave;
she only knew that she was filled
with a joy and happiness that was
almost pain at times. And she
smiled softly and blushed, as she
looked at the diamond ring, which
cleaned in the tender light of the
glorious June moon, just grandly
rising behind the far-off purple hills.
The faint and plaintive cry of the
whip-poor-wiil was borne to her
ears on the breezes scented with
June roses. A dreamy look came
into Lilian's eyes as she slowly re-
peated a few lines Frank Carleton
had read to her a few days before:
And what is so rare as a day in June
Then if ever, comes perfect days;
Then Heaven tries the earth if it be in
tune,
And oyer it softly her warm ear lays.
$50 w##
Now the heart is so full that a drop
overflls it,
We are happy now because God wills
it,
"Yes," murmured Lillian, III am
happy now because God has willed
that Frank Carleton should meet
me and ask me to become his wife.
What have | ever done, | wonder
that such a grand, noble man should
love me ?" And a rich, happy blush
rivalling in color the blush of the
June roses, came over her delicate
cheeks.
The love.light in her eyes deepen
ed, for she heard a footstep which
she could never mistake. With a
futtering heart, Lillian shrank back
among the rose bushes, thinking
fondly that Frank would soon find
her.
But Frank Carleton was not alone
for a woman, tall and graceful in
form, dressed in sombre black was
walking beside him. Lillian peered
out at them with a wild, jealous
pang at her heart. The strange
woman's beautiful face cleaned
white as marble in the moonlight.
Hark Frank was speaking, and
Lillian strained her ears to heal.
What a look of love and devotion
there was on his face as he bent ov-
er her! Lillian clenched her hands
and her lips grew white and rigid.
"Dear Maud" he said, softly and
tenderly, ''you can never guess how
very, very thankful | am that that
mar is dead. Now you are free and
nothing shall part us again."
Nothing, Frank ?" she said look
ing up at him; and Lillian could see
the passionate love shining in her
eyes. "Not even your marriage
with this beautiful Miss Whitney ?"
"Surely not" he answered almost
reproachfully. "Why should it ?"
And they passed on.
With a low Lillian fell
prone among the rose bushes. A
rose which she had plucked stung
her hand cruelty with its sharp
thorns, but she scarcely needed it;
the thorn in her heart was too terri
bly, real for that. The June roses
bent low over her, and the drops of
dew fell softly from them, like tears
upon her white, upturned face; but
still she lay there.
And this was the man she loved :?
This was the mar she had thought
so grandly noble-this man who she
doubted not, had deliberately in
tended to wrong her.
Lillian did not stop to reason-did